PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday, denied ever meeting former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, to talk him out of his ambition to contest the 2011 presidential election. 

A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Ima Niboro, stated that the report in the media was a campaign of calumny against Jonathan.

“Anyone who has even a passing acquaintance with the president knows he is not one who dissuades people from pursuing their personal ambitions.

“This is even more so when there is no purpose to be served by it, since the long suffering mass of the Nigerian people would decide who governs them in a free and fair contest,’’ he said

Niboro, in the statement, said the president had held meetings with different leaders, including Babangida, on different occasions and platforms.

He said at no time did the president try to talk the former military head of state out of pursuing his presidential ambition as reported by the newspaper.

“The fact is that President Jonathan has been meeting different leaders on different occasions and platforms.

“Some have come to inform him of their intention to run for the presidency.

“Others, he has met with as a matter of courtesy, being a sitting president, and keen to ensure that the next presidential election does not degenerate into a do-or-die affair.

“He has met former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; he has met Babangida; he has met General Muhammadu Buhari, and will meet him again, soon.

“He has met with General Yakubu Gowon, two-time president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; former president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari; former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme, and former head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

“He will meet with even more leaders and political actors, as the race to 2011 hots up.

“It is extremely uncharitable for anyone to spin these meetings in such negative lights,’’ he said.

The president also used the opportunity to re-affirm his commitment to conducting free, fair and credible elections in 2011.

Meanwhile, the president, on the social networking website, Facebook, thanked all Nigerians for endorsing him, saying that had inspired and strengthened him to serve them the more.

The president’s Facebook status on Monday read: “Let me dedicate today to thank all of you who have in your reactions and comments on this page urged me to run in the forthcoming 2011 presidential elections. Like I said elsewhere, offering myself for further service is not my decision to make alone.

“It is one decision that I must take in solemn consultation with God Almighty and people’s constituencies across our nation. The decision must ultimately be based on clarity of conviction and vision. It is in this regard that I want to thank the people of the North-Central, South-South, North-West, North-East, South-East and South-West zones of the PDP for their encouragements, prayers and urgings.

“I thank everyone and groups that have so far endorsed me and this administration and say to you that your endorsement strengthens and inspires me to keep on serving Nigeria to the best of my abilities, so help me God.”

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