A former Minister of Information in Nigeria expressed support for incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, saying that he is still the best candidate for the presidency.
Incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan has faced intense criticism because of his handling of the Boko Haram crisis. Benny Avni of Newsweek wrote recently that the current president's critics believe he has mishandled the extremist group for "political reasons." They also accuse Jonathan of now "using the war on terror to save his own hide."
Former Information Minister Labaran Maku, who is also running for a gubernatorial position in the country's Nasarawa State, Is of a different opinion.
He told reporters in Abuja on Tuesday: "Let me make it very clear that even under APGA, President Jonathan is still my presidential candidate and I am the one leading his campaign in Nasarawa State.
"I believe in the great job he has done for Nigeria."
He said that the incumbent president should be commended for the milestones he achieved during his term despite the attacks that he was receiving from the opposition.
He took the opportunity to call on the opposition to cease launching any attacks on Jonathan during the campaign period, Information Nigeria reported.
Maku highlighted a social media campaign that he said was spreading falsehood about Jonathan, including images that quote the former Minister as accusing the incumbent president of sponsoring the extremist group Boko Haram.
According to Information Nigeria, Maku claimed to have seen images in social media two weeks ago with supposed quotes from him saying that Jonathan is to be blamed for the Boko Haram insurgency in the north.
His campaign organisation later issued a statement that disputed the quote, calling it a "lie from the pit of hell."
However, Maku told reporters, some parties continued to spread more images on social media, this time quoting him as saying that he regretted working with the incumbent president.
"I must say that I cannot come against a government I defended for four and half years; a government I believe in," he said in Jonathan's defence. "This is designed by the opposition to quote one of the most ardent believers in President Jonathan as telling a story against him."
