President
Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday ordered the immediate removal of the
#BringBackJonathan signs being used by his supporters for his second
term bid.
The directive, contained in a
statement by the presidential spokesperson, Dr. Reuben Abati, followed
worldwide condemnation, with the United States of America’s influential
newspaper, Washington Post, describing the use of the slogan as
“galling.”
Like many Nigerians, the
Washington Post in its editorial, noted that the #BringBackJonathan sign
was parodying the #BrinBackOurGirls – the social media campaign used to
nudge the world to the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok,
Borno State, by the Boko Haram terrorist group in April.
The
critics, including the Washington Post, queried the basis for parodying
the rescue campaign slogan when Jonathan’s administration had failed to
rescue the girls from captivity.
But Abati, in his statement, said the signs were being used without President Jonathan’s knowledge or approval.
He
said the President had therefore ordered that the “offensive and
repugnant” signs and campaign banners bearing the slogan be immediately
brought down.
The statement read,
“President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has directed that the
#BringBackJonathan 2015 signs and banners around Abuja, which he and
many Nigerians find offensive and repugnant, be brought down
immediately.
“President Jonathan
wholly shares the widely expressed view that the signs, which were put
up without his knowledge or approval, are a highly insensitive parody of
the #BringBackOurGirls hash tag.
“While
President Jonathan appreciates the enthusiastic show of support for his
administration by a broad range of stakeholders, he condemns the
#BringBackJonathan 2015 signs, which appear to make light of the very
serious national and global concern for the abducted Chibok girls.
“The
President assures all Nigerians and the international community that
his administration remains fully engaged with efforts to rescue the
abducted girls and that he will not knowingly promote any actions that
will fly in the face of the seriousness of their plight and the anguish
of their families.”
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