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

The Presidency has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari didn’t settle for any invitation to be the negotiator of terrorist group, Boko Haram in 2012.

Senior Particular Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, made this recognized yesterday in an interview with BBC Information Pidgin.

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

Shehu described the declare by Ortom as false, including that Buhari had on a number of events overtly condemned the heinous actions of the insurgents.

In a separate interview additionally on BBC Information Pidgin yesterday, Ortom claimed the President had been complicitous with Boko Haram fighters and bandits killing Nigerians in an alleged agenda to “Fulanise the nation”.

“You keep in mind in 2012 or so. I used to be a minister on the time and we informed Goodluck to attempt to negotiate with Boko Haram. After we referred to as them (Boko Haram fighters) to barter, they stated, ‘No’, that Buhari will likely be their coordinator. Buhari was not President then,” the governor alleged.

Responding to the allegation, the presidential spokesman stated, “Individuals could make all kinds of claims; they’ll say all sorts of things. It could have mattered to the nation, to everybody, if at that time, then Muhammadu Buhari had accepted the invitation to go and be consultant of Boko Haram.

“There isn’t a file wherever that he accepted to be with them and he has denounced them over and over and has rejected their creed.

“So, I feel that assertion by the governor is tautological and it doesn’t accord with widespread sense.”