The All Progressives Congress has
accused the presidency of not saying the truth in its response to the
condemnation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s relationship with Senator
Ali Modu Sheriff, alleged to be sponsoring Boko Haram.
This
was in response to an earlier statement by the Presidency that
President Jonathan will not interfere with ongoing investigations
against the former Borno State governor.
The
APC said the Presidency’s defence of Sheriff’s presence at President
Jonathan’s meeting with President Idris Deby of Chad confirmed its
position that the Presidency was protecting Sheriff.
The party also said that the Presidency’s statement on the matter matched the one given by Sheriff’s spokesman.
The
party, however, called for the trial of Sheriff and other alleged Boko
Haram sponsors by the International Criminal Court, instead of the
Nigerian security agencies, which it said were under Jonathan’s control.
The statement read in part, “President Jonathan lacks the courage to investigate and prosecute the accused, who are his friends.
“How can you prosecute a person who accompanies you on a high level security meeting to a foreign head of state?”
The party also dismissed claims by the Presidency that it will not interfere in Sheriff’s investigation by security agencies.
APC
also questioned the President for allegedly circulating the picture of
Sheriff and himself at such a high level meeting and the message it
would send to the security agencies.