President Jonathan denies spending N2tn on elections

President Goodluck Jonathan has denied the report that he and the People’s Democratic Party spent N2tn for campaigns in the just-concluded general elections.

Jonathan made the clarification in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati. While reacting to a story of the SUNDAY PUNCH of April 19 titled, “Jonathan demands N2tn election funds refund, audit”,he described the report as “mischievous, false and embarrassing.”

Abati said with the country’s budget being a little above N4tn, the story suggested that half of the federal budget was spent on elections which he said could incite the public and instigate a national crisis.He said the Presidency was worried that since the March 28 and April 11 elections, some persons had continued to work very hard to diminish the Jonathan Presidency. He said such people needed to be reminded that the time for politics was over and it is time to focus on the in-coming government, with emphasis on national development.