Sahara Reporters has replied presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben abati, that it lied in a report it carried that the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonahtna, contrary to his promise of cutting spending on foreign trips, went to the African Union Summit that ended today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with a delegation that did not fulfill his pledge.
According to the reply written by Omoyele Sowore, Sahara Reporters accused abati of being economical with the truth by not stating the fact that the First Lady was also attending another fringe meeting on the side of the AU meeting involving First Ladies of other countries and thus had her own entourage.
Sahara Reporters put the entourage of the First Lady at 32, which was the total number of delegates Abati said was on the trip to Ethiopia.
The publication challenged Abati to make available to Nigerians the names and designations of those officially on the trip to Ethiopia with Jonathan to prove that the delegation was indeed not more than 32.
Sahara Reporters put the entourage of the First Lady at 32, which was the total number of delegates Abati said was on the trip to Ethiopia.
The publication challenged Abati to make available to Nigerians the names and designations of those officially on the trip to Ethiopia with Jonathan to prove that the delegation was indeed not more than 32.
The letter by Sowore reads:
Click Here To Read More >>>"Dear Reuben Abati,"I read your cleverly written letter to me regarding our latest report on President Goodluck Jonathan's junket to Ethiopia. In writing what purports to be a rejoinder, you deliberately left out details of our sms exchanges on the same issue. That omission, I suggest, was an attempt to evade the central issue raised in our report. Instead of confronting that issue – the list of delegates invited and sponsored by the Jonathan administration and his wife to Ethiopia – you chose to play a semantic game over what is a straight forward issue. I'll respond to your rejoinder pointedly."1. You sent me a text message on Friday claiming that our report on the Ethiopia trip was false and malicious because, according to you, there was a "mix up" somewhere. I quickly responded, telling you that a truthful report could never be malicious. Thereafter, you sent another text saying you didn't mean to criticize the report, but wanted to put matters straight. You proceeded to explain that there was only "one delegation" led by the president to Addis Ababa and that the number of people on the list was far lower than we reported. I quickly requested for the list. You responded by claiming that it was in your bag at your hotel room. However, you curiously sent another text claiming you couldn't reach some people involved in getting the list as it was "past midnight" in Addis Ababa. My last text to you was a reminder that I would be waiting for your response regarding the list and size of the delegation. That response never came; instead, you released this letter that pretends to be a refutation, but is rather an attempt at obfuscation."2. You claimed that there was a single list of delegates to Ethiopia. That claim amounts to a puerile effort to conceal the fact that Mrs. Patience Jonathan was attending a program of African First Ladies which was different from the AU summit being attended by President Jonathan. This meant that the "First Lady" was traveling with a retinue of staff, associates and hangers-on to aid or support her "official" activities at a separate event from that of President Jonathan.
