Presidency chides group “MURIC” for attacking Jonathan

The Presidency on Monday chided a group, the Muslim Rights Concern, for issuing a statement it said was capable of causing disaffection against President Goodluck Jonathan. The group, in a statement by its Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, had among other allegations accused Jonathan of authorising the inclusion of a Jewish symbol on the new N100 note, saturating the Presidential Villa, Abuja with Israeli security operatives and marginalising Muslims in the last national conference.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, in an interview with State House correspondents however said contrary to the group’s claim, Jonathan is not anti-Muslim. He described the group’s statement as curious and most unfortunate.

“President Akintola needs to be told that President Jonathan is not anti-Muslim as he alleges. President Jonathan is the President of all Nigerians, whatever may be their beliefs,” Abati said.

While saying that it is not true that Jonathan is using the highest office in the country to promote Zion nation, the presidential spokesman said Akintola and his group owe the President an apology for the statement.

Abati added, “The MURIC’s director also alleged that Muslims were marginalised in the national conference. Again, this is a very unfortunate thing to say.

“The truth is that that national conference organised by this administration has been praised and described as probably one of the best of such conferences ever organised in this country. It was a purposeful conference, a conference in which a lot of maturity was displayed.

 

“Religion did not become a big issue in that conference. Rather, the conference became a platform for addressing many issues of general concern to various groups, ethnic or religious. MURIC cannot claim not to know that that was a very successful conference.”

Abati also faulted the claim by MURIC that the security apparatus in the Presidential Villa has been saturated with Israeli security operatives. He urged Akintola to pay a visit to the Presidential Villa in order to see things for himself.

“MURIC is also alleging that the security system in Aso Rock is saturated with Israeli security operatives. This again is a blatant lie.

“There are no Israeli security operatives saturating the security system in Aso Rock. To convince himself that this is true, we will like to invite Prof. Akintola on a visit to the Presidential Villa, to see whether indeed it is Israelis that are in charge of security.

“The security operatives in the Villa are not foreigners, they are Nigerians and there is no connection with Israel whatsoever. The premise of the issue that formed the basis for Akintola’s vituperation is wrong and he is misinformed,” he added.

Abati also argued that there is no truth in the claim that the proposed N100 note has Jewish symbol on it. He explained that what MURIC erroneously referred to as a Jewish symbol is a security feature used in authenticate currency.