APC set to release hate video against Jonathan – Fani-Kayode

Few days after alleging that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) was planning to release a documentary through an illegal radio station, “APC Radio,” to discredit the Jonathan administration and key figures in his cabinet, the Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO), Femi Fani-Kayode, has again raised another alarm.

Addressing newsmen yesterday in Abuja, he said the APC was planning to release a video four days to the general elections with the intention “to denigrate, bring into disrepute and shame the Nigerian people, the Nigerian government and key government officials as we prepare for the presidential election scheduled for March 28.”

Unlike the ‘APC Radio,’ which he mentioned former Ambassador to Spain, Yusuf Mamman and erstwhile Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, as the alleged masterminds, he did not mention the individuals behind the purported video, but said “ APC’s new video, was quietly procured and secretly viewed by the intelligence unit of this directorate.”

The former aviation minister said the video was meant to portray the Dr Jonathan’s government as corrupt and irresponsible.

“This video, according to their plan, is scheduled to be released to the people in a matter of days. It is our sincere hope and desire that this will not be so. “Unfortunately, the desperation of the opposition party is such that they are prepared to do or say just about anything in order to denigrate the powers that be, to undermine our nation and to incite our people and to bring the President, the government and its officials to disrepute.

“The latest video, which was produced by a group called APC New Video, was quietly procured and secretly viewed by the intelligence unit of this directorate. Among other things, they have listed as topics a number of issues and allegations some of which are listed below:

• “That many Nigerians are using private jets and that this in some way is indicative of the corrupt nature of the Nigerian people, which of course, is absurd.

• “Secondly, that in the last four years, the government has spent N48 billion on the Presidential Air fleet, which is a lie.

• “Thirdly, they raised issues about the kidnapping of the Chibok girls, insinuating that somehow the government had a hand in the whole affair and that they are hiding the girls.

• “Fourthly, they raised issues about the comments of Steven Davis, the Australian negotiator who alleged that a ‘’friend’’ of the President is sponsoring Boko Haram. They made all kinds of allegations including the alleged relationship between the President of Chad, the President of Nigeria and a former governor. Needless to say, these allegations are baseless and they are simply unbelievable. We just wonder how somebody in his right senses will come up with these allegations. There are many other things they have listed in this video which lasted about nine minutes. Again, a lot of foreign footage is contained in the video which suggests that there is an international dimension to the production.

“This confirms our fears and belief that the APC is being sponsored primarily by money from foreign countries and by agents of foreign governments that are hostile to the interest of our beloved nation. We also believe that some shady groups in the Middle-East may well have a hand in the funding of this video production and in the construction and conjuring up of these baseless allegations.”

He claimed that like the ‘APC Radio that, ‘the opposition party was planning to use the video to discredit the outcome of Saturday’s presidential election and incite the electorate to violence.

“Worst of all, the producers of this video were attempting to incite the people against the government. They went as far as to suggest that when the presidential election is fought and won and President Goodluck Jonathan emerges as the winner, that the people should call for a full-scale military intervention rather than allowing Jonathan to come back.

“We say in clear terms that the video in question and the intentions of those behind it is reprehensible, irresponsible and it is unacceptable. We wish to take this opportunity to let the APC know that under no circumstances will we allow them to rob us of our legitimate mandate which, hopefully, will be legitimately and freely given to the President by the people on March 28.

“We will not tolerate any act of violence or any attempt to assassinate anybody by their agents in the event of us winning and neither will the people of this country ever allow another military intervention. “As a party we are committed to the democratic process. We believe that that is the only way forward. The President is committed to democracy and any attempt to bring about any form of unconstitutional government into the affairs of our nation by the APC after they have lost this election will not be successful,” he said.