The Presidency on Monday said President Goodluck Jonathan was not using his office to pursue anti-Muslim agenda as being alleged in some quarters.
Reuben Abati, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, said this on Monday in Abuja while speaking with State House correspondents.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr. Abati was reacting to a number of allegations made by the Muslims Rights Concern (MURIC) through its Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola against the president.
“Our attention has been drawn to a press statement issued by the Muslims Rights Concern and signed by its Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola which made a number of allegations against President Jonathan.
“I find Akintola’s allegations rather curious and they can be dealt with as follows: first, he needs to be told that President Jonathan is not anti-Muslim as he alleges.
“Jonathan is the President of all Nigerians, whatever may be their beliefs’’.
“It is not true that the president is using the highest office in the country to promote Zion nation.’’
According to him, I think that is a most unfortunate statement coming from Akintola of MURIC and for which they owe President Jonathan an apology.
Mr. Abati also faulted allegation by the group that Muslims were marginalised in the recent national conference, describing it as a very unfortunate thing to say.
He noted that the national conference had been praised and adjudged one of the best of such conferences ever organised in the 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 was a very successful conference,” he added.
(NAN)
