Diplomatic row: Jonathan shocked, embarrassed, says he did’t speak with King of Morocco

The controversy surrounding the alleged telephone conversation between President Goodluck Jonathan and the King of Morocco took another dimension as President Goodluck Jonathan Friday evening said he never spoke on phone with the Moroccoan King and has ordered the Minister of Foreign Affairs to carry out a full scale investigation into the matter and punish those responsible for the national embarrassment.

Morocco fires back: Nigeria lied, our king didn’t talk to Jonathan

Addressing a press conference Friday evening, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati said the President was ‘shocked, surprised and embarrassed” over the controversy generated by his alleged telephone conversation with the Moroccoan King.

The controversy over whether or not the Nigerian President spoke with the Moroccoan King culminated in the recall of the Moroccoan Ambassador to Nigeria for consultation by his home government.

There were reports that the King of Morocco declined a request for a telephone conversation with president Jonathan when the later sought to speak with him, saying that it was inappropriate since president Jonathan was going into an election. They alleged that the Federal Government was trying to use King of Morocco to win Muslim votes.

But an official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs insisted that president Jonathan spoke with the King on Phone, prompting the Moroccoan government to angrily deny such a phone discussion ever took place and recalled its ambassador to Nigeria for consultation.

But addressing State House correspondents yesterday, Dr Abati said the “regrettable furore that has developed over the matter is due entirely to misinformation as President Jonathan has neither spoken with King Mohammed nor told anybody that he had a telephone conversation with the Moroccan Monarch”.

The statement reads: “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is shocked, surprised and highly embarrassed by the controversy that has erupted over whether or not he had a telephone conversation with His Majesty, King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

“The regrettable furore that has developed over the matter is due entirely to misinformation as President Jonathan has neither spoken with King Mohammed or told anybody that he had a telephone conversation with the Moroccan Monarch.

“It is true that President Jonathan has been speaking with some African leaders to seek their support for Nigeria’s candidate for the position of President of the African Development Bank (AfDB).

“In continuation of his efforts in support of the candidacy of the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina for headship of the AfDB, President Jonathan indicated that he would like to speak with the King of Morocco, the President of Algeria and the President of Egypt.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was consequently directed to make necessary contacts with the embassies of the three countries and arrange for President Jonathan to speak with their leaders.

“Since that directive was given, President Jonathan has spoken with the Prime Minister of Algeria and subsequently sent Vice President Namadi Sambo to Algiers as Special Envoy to follow-up on his discussions with the Algerian Prime Minister on support for Nigeria’s candidate in the coming elections for the AfDB Presidency.

“The President has, however, not yet spoken with King Mohammed VI and President Al-Sisi of Egypt as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must know.

“President Jonathan has therefore ordered the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali to urgently undertake a full investigation of the claim which emanated from the Ministry that the President spoke with King Mohammed VI.

“The investigation is to identify all those who were responsible for the unacceptable act of official misinformation which has resulted in an unnecessary diplomatic row with another country and national embarrassment.

“It is also expected to unveil the motives of the culprits.

“President Jonathan has also ordered that prompt and commensurate disciplinary action be taken against the culpable person or persons.

“While awaiting the outcome of the investigations, President Jonathan urges Nigerians to disregard the vituperation of opposition elements, who have, true to type, latched on to the regrettable faux pas as a fresh opportunity to denigrate the government of their country and advance their irresponsible quest for victory at any price in the coming elections”.

 

Diplomatic row: Jonathan shocked, embarrassed, says he did’t speak with King of Morocco

Come clean with Nigerians on row with Morocco - APC tells Jonathan

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Jonathan Administration to come clean with Nigerians on the cause of the ongoing diplomatic row between Nigeria and Morocco that has forced the Kingdom to recall its Ambassador to Nigeria, while portraying Nigeria as a liar.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said President Jonathan must in particular clarify the thorny issue of whether or not he spoke with King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

‘’According to published reports, the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry had said President Jonathan spoke on the telephone with the Moroccan King. But the Kingdom, in a very scathing statement, said no such conversation took place.

‘’The statement said ‘Morocco is surprised at the incredible twist given by Nigeria to an alleged phone conversation that never took place between HM King Mohammed VI and Nigerian President’.

‘’This is very serious because, in effect, Morocco has called Nigeria a liar. Therefore, it behoves President Jonathan to personally intervene to address such an international embarrassment.

‘’The questions seeking answers are: Did President Jonathan speak with the Moroccan King? If not, who is responsible for this egregious misrepresentation that has embarrassed a whole country and its leader?’’ it queried.

APC said Nigeria, because of its much-acclaimed leadership role in Africa, must not allow such a diplomatic faux pas to go without being addressed, saying other countries are keenly watching the row between Nigeria and Morocco.

‘’Before anyone accuses us of politicising this issue, we make bold to say that we, the APC, and indeed all Nigerians are stakeholders in the Nigeria project. When Morocco branded Nigeria a liar, over whether or not our President spoke with the North African nation’s King, it did not mention PDP or APC. It made a collective reference to Nigeria.

‘’This is why we feel strongly that this issue must be addressed urgently. Until then, all Nigerians, irrespective of their political leanings, will remain liars in the eyes of the international community,’’ the party said.

 

Come clean with Nigerians on row with Morocco - APC tells Jonathan

Morocco fires back: Nigeria lied, our king didn’t talk to Jonathan

The Moroccan authorities have denounced as a lie, the claim by the Federal Government that President Goodluck Jonathan had a telephone conversation with King Mohammed VI.

Morocco fires back: Nigeria lied, our king didn’t talk to Jonathan

The North African Kingdom also recalled its ambassador to Nigeria over what it described as the “incredible twist” that Nigeria introduced into the dispute.

Rabat said that it was stating in   the “clearest and strongest terms,” that “there has never been a telephone conversation” between the two leaders.

In two separate   statements issued within 24 hours   on Wednesday, it accused the Goodluck Jonathan administration of using the King   for electioneering.

The two statements were posted on the kingdom’s official website, Maroc.ma.

The first was titled, ‘Morocco Denies False Allegations About Alleged Phone Conversation Between HM The King, and Nigerian President’ while the second statement, is titled ‘Morocco recalls its ambassador in Abuja for consultations.’

Last week, the Moroccan royal palace said the king had declined a request for a telephone conversation with   Jonathan.

But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja on Monday denied the snub, saying     the two leaders had spoken extensively. It also denied that the Federal Government was using Mohammed VI to woo   Muslim voters in Nigeria.

“This information is absolutely not correct as the President did in fact speak to the Moroccan monarch… both leaders spoke extensively over the phone on matters of mutual interest and concern,” the   Foreign Affairs ministry had said.

The ministry added that it was “preposterous to suggest that Mr. President’s telephone call to the Moroccan monarch was intended to confer any electoral advantage.”

However, the North African country , in the statements denounced the claim by Abuja as “unethical practices.”

“The king has actually declined the request of the Nigerian government because it is part of the internal electioneering,” it added.

Before issuing this lengthy press release, Rabat had issued a terse statement to debunk the claim by Abuja that the heads of state had a telephone conversation.

The statement read, ”Morocco is surprised at the incredible twist given by Nigeria to an alleged phone conversation that never took place between HM King Mohammed VI and Nigerian President, the King’s Office said Tuesday.

The King’s Office categorically denies the false allegations made by Nigerian authorities about an alleged phone conversation between the Sovereign and Nigerian President.”

Nigeria, Algeria and South Africa have long backed the move for     independence by the people of a tract of the Sahara Desert led by the   Polisario Front.

The tract has been at the centre of a long-running dispute between Morocco and fighters of the Polisario Front.

The territory is said to be rich in phosphate   and experts have also said that it is rich in oil.

When contacted, the Director, Public Affairs Communication Division, MFA, Ahmedu Ogbole-Ode, said the ministry has not received an official communication from Morocco on the withdrawal of its envoy.

On the controversy over the telephone conversation between Jonathan and the Moroccan monarch, the director said the ministry would respond once it gets a directive from “higher authorities to do so.”

STATEMENT ONE

Morocco Denies False Allegations About Alleged Phone Conversation Between HM The King, Nigerian President

Morocco is surprised at the incredible twist given by Nigeria to an alleged phone conversation that never took place between HM King Mohammed VI and Nigerian President, the King’s Office said Tuesday.

The King’s Office categorically denies the false allegations made by Nigerian authorities about an alleged phone conversation between the Sovereign and Nigerian President, the King’s Office said in a statement.

STATEMENT TWO

Contrary to the allegations made by Nigerian authorities to the ambassador of HM the King in Abuja and local media, the Kingdom of Morocco confirms, in the clearest and strongest terms, that there has never been a phone conversation between HM King Mohammed VI and the President of this country”, the ministry pointed out in a statement.

HM the King has actually declined the request of the Nigerian government because it is part of the internal electioneering and this country’s fundamentally hostile positions with regard to the territorial integrity of the Kingdom,” the statement said.

The Kingdom of Morocco expresses its astonishment and denunciation to these unethical practices that are contrary to the spirit of responsibility that must prevail in relations between States”, the ministry added.

Accordingly, the Kingdom of Morocco has decided the immediate recall of the ambassador of HM the King in Abuja for consultation”, the statement concluded.

Source: Maroc.ma

Morocco fires back: Nigeria lied, our king didn’t talk to Jonathan

Moroccan King snubs, rejects telephone conversation with Jonathan over election

The Moroccan monarch, King Mohammed VI, has rejected a request from President Goodluck Jonathan for a telephone conversation, saying it was an “inappropriate” move by the Nigerian leader to curry electoral favour just weeks before a crucial poll.

President Goodluck Jonathan

Mohammed VI snubbed Mr. Jonathan’s request last week, saying it was more of an attempt to seek electoral favour than a genuine diplomatic act, the country’s foreign ministry said Friday.

“The request by Nigerian authorities for a phone conversation between HM King Mohammed VI and Nigerian President was refused by the Monarch who deemed it inappropriate on grounds of the upcoming elections in Nigeria,” the Moroccan Foreign Affairs ministry said in a statement.

The statement explained that the monarch rejected the request for a phone chat and the sending of a Nigerian envoy to the country because Mohammed VI viewed the overture as an attempt by Mr. Jonathan to take advantage of Morocco’s influence to secure Muslim votes in the forthcoming election.

Confronted by an increasingly popular opposition, in perhaps the closest election in Nigerian history, Mr. Jonathan is frantically exploring unusual avenues for support, particularly from the largely Muslim northern region of the country.

Mr. Jonathan’s closest rival, Muhammadu Buhari, comes from Northern Nigeria and has a cult following in the region.

A move to patch the diplomatic relation with the influential Moroccan monarch is seen as a potentially impressive step that may endear the president to some Muslims.

Relations between Nigeria and Morocco have been anything but cordial for years, largely over Nigeria’s decision to support the independence of the Western Sahara region of Morocco.

Nigeria recognises the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic declared by the separatist group, the Polisario Front.

The Algeria-backed Polisario Front has led an armed insurrection against the Moroccan government for decades. Western Sahara is a largely desert region but rich in petroleum and phosphate deposits.

Nigeria has lobbied the United Nation to set up human rights monitoring group to investigate right abuses by Moroccan forces in the area, a position the Moroccan monarchy frowns at.

The Moroccan foreign ministry made it clear in its statement that Mohammed VI refused to speak to Mr. Jonathan partly because of “Nigeria’s positions regarding the sacred national, Arab and Islamic causes”.

The Moroccan monarch is one of the two surviving sovereign monarchs on the continent.

While the monarch’s decision appears popular in the North African country, some Moroccans have also questioned the judgement of the King in apparently discarding a fresh opportunity to normalise relations with Nigeria, and win over a strong ally.

“If the Palace’s foreign affairs’ advisers recognize the role Morocco can play in Nigerian politics, why haven’t they use it to persuade the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan to change his hostile positions on the Western Sahara?” asked Hassan Masiky, a Washington-based Moroccan blogger.

“Notwithstanding the fact that Abuja is strong supporter of Algerian positions, in reaching out to King Mohammed VI at the height of a close presidential election, Nigerian officials show how much they value the role the Monarch could play in their country,” Mr. Masiky wrote in an article published by the MoroccanWorld News.

“Moroccan diplomats give the impression that they don’t have a plan on how to use the Kingdom’s religious clout to advance ethnic and religious reconciliation in Nigeria. If Rabat takes the initiative once the political uncertainty ends, it will certainly offset Algeria’s plan in the region and create an opening for a smoother relations with Nigeria’s next president,” he added.

Mr. Masiky also criticised the Moroccan authorities for not offering “aggressive and vocal…religious advice and assistance to the Nigerian authorities in the fight against the extremists of Boko Haram”.

Moroccan King snubs, rejects telephone conversation with Jonathan over election