Boko Haram: Atiku dissociates self from Facebook statement

Posted by admin Latest Politics Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012

FORMER vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has distanced himself from a message circulated in his name on Facebook last week, condemning Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathan for linking him (Atiku) with the sponsors of the activities of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

The statement, posted by a group which called itself “Atiku for Nigeria,” lampooned President Jonathan for describing the members of the sect as Abubakar’s cousins.

However, in a nine-paragraph disclaimer posted on his wall on Thursday, the former vice-president said he never knew of any group by the name “Atiku for Nigeria,” let alone sanctioned the use of disparaging expressions on the occupant of the highest seat in the nation.

Abubakar said there were civilised methods and authorised channels of communication he would have employed in conveying his views and thoughts to President Jonathan, should he have occasion to disagree with him.

“My enquiry revealed that the illegal, unauthor-ised and fraudulent group is led by one Rabbi Augustine Chukwuma Obodo. I have never heard of this organisation (if it ever exists) or had any dealings with such fraudsters who abuse the internet for criminal and mischievous purposes,” he said.wp_posts