News

March 18, 2015

‘Jonathan needn’t apologise over purported phone conversation with Moroccan king’

Chief of Army staff

President Goodluck Jonathan speaks during his visit to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in Lagos, on March 12, 2015. President Jonathan visited the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on March 12, and launched a new online mobile platform, X-Gen, designed to increase local investment. The platform is targetted at increasing the number of local investors in the country and to enable about 30 millions domestic investors have access to the market. AFP PHOTO

By Ben Agande

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Aminu Wali yesterday said President Goodluck Jonathan does not need to apologise over controversy surrounding his purported telephone conversation with the King of Morocco.

President Goodluck Jonathan speaks during his visit to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in Lagos, on March 12, 2015.  President Jonathan visited the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on March 12, and launched a new online mobile platform, X-Gen, designed to increase local investment. The platform is targetted at increasing the number of local investors in the country and to enable about 30 millions domestic investors have access to the market. AFP PHOTO

President Goodluck Jonathan

Addressing State House correspondents yesterday, Wali said he has ordered a full investigation into the affair in compliance with the presidential directive adding that the out come of the investigation will determine whether apology would be offered.

“I have already taken action on the President’s directive and of course some people are trying to make this whole thing political. And of course, at this level of our diplomacy, a lot of things can happen. So we are trying to find out, and I will like to say that the President has nothing to do with it. This is something that has happened and there is a bit of mix up somewhere a long the line. We are going to unravel it. So the president has nothing to do with it.”

“If at all there is anybody who is going to apologise, I being the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will be the one to apologise and not Mr. President.”

“I am investigating, if at all there is anybody who should apologise, it is after the investigation. Whatever it is, that is the time we will come out with…..But now there is no reason to apologise because we cannot pre-judge and we believe in due process. So the President gave directive and I am looking into it and by the time we get to the bottom of the investigations, then the public will know” he said.

Asked if any statement can go out without of the ministry without his knowledge, the Minister said “It is something that I am digging into. The President asked me to look into it and I am looking into it”.