Presidency Replies Ortom, Says Buhari Didn’t Accept Invite To Be Terrorists’ Negotiator

The Presidency on Saturday said the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), did not accept any invitation to be the negotiator of terrorist group Boko Haram in 2012.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, made this known in an interview with BBC News Pidgin on Saturday monitored by The PUNCH.

He was reacting to an allegation levelled against his principal by Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, that Boko Haram terrorists once named Buhari as their negotiator when former President Goodluck Jonathan reportedly moved to enter an agreement with the sect.

Shehu described the claim by Ortom as false, adding that Buhari had at several times openly condemned the heinous activities of the insurgents.

Earlier, in a separate interview also on BBC News Pidgin on Saturday, Ortom claimed the President has been complicitous with Boko Haram fighters and bandits killing Nigerians in an alleged agenda to “Fulanise the country”.

“You remember in 2012 or so. I was a minister at the time and we told Goodluck to try to negotiate with Boko Haram. When we called them (Boko Haram fighters) to negotiate, they said, ‘No’, that Buhari will be their coordinator. Buhari was not President then,” the governor alleged.

Responding to the allegation, the presidential spokesman said, “People can make all sorts of claims, they can say all sorts of things. It would have mattered to the nation, to everyone, if at that point, then General Muhammadu Buhari had accepted the invitation to go and be representative of Boko Haram.

“There is no record anywhere that he accepted to be with them and he has denounced them over and over again and has rejected their creed.

“So, I think that statement by the governor is tautological and it doesn’t accord common sense.”

The Presidency and Ortom have been engaged in a war of words lately over the worsening security situation in the country and Buhari’s handling of the matter.

thepublisherngr

Recent Posts

Daniel Bwala’s Appointment Will Help Destroy Tinubu’s Ambition In 2027 – APC Chieftain

All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Jesutega Onokpasa, has called on President Bola Tinubu, to cancel…

21 hours ago

University Reveals How Sacked VC, Odoh ‘Fraudulently Obtained Professorship’

The management of the Federal University, Gusau (FUGUS), Zamfara State, has disowned the professorship letter…

21 hours ago

Hardship: Hope Is Not A Strategy T Combat Nigeria’s Problems – Moghalu To FG

Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kingsley Moghalu, has stated that he is …

21 hours ago

BREAKING: Supreme Court nullifies National Lottery Act

The Supreme Court has nullified the National Lottery Act 2005 enacted by the National Assembly.…

21 hours ago

We’ve started seeing positive results from our reforms – Tinubu Tells IMF Chief

President Bola Tinubu has stated that Nigerians are beginning to witness the positive outcomes of…

24 hours ago

Simon Ekpa: Tinubu, Ribadu Yet To Be Briefed As Defence HQ Push For Extradition

The Federal Government of Nigeria may soon apply for the extradition of Simon Ekpa, the…

24 hours ago