The President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign organisation, has alleged that the All Progressives Congress, APC, spent N5 billion to set up a speaking engagement for its presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, at Chatham House, London, last week.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday in Abuja, Femi Fani-Kayode, PDP media campaign director insisted that Buhari was actually in the U.K. for medical purposes and that his presentation was hurriedly arranged while he was in London and his party paid for it.
“The APC leaders begged for the speaking engagement and we are reliably informed that they paid for it.
“The information at our disposal indicate that no less than N5 billion was budgeted for the London jamboree,” Fani-Kayode said, adding that the people in the hall at Chatham House on the day were sponsored.
He said 1,500 persons applied to attend the function but only 200 were allowed in, adding that the audience was carefully selected and that most of them were Nigerian students studying in the Republic of Ireland on a scholarship by the Rivers State Government.
“The students were threatened that their scholarships would be withdrawn if they refused to participate in the rally,” Fani-Kayode said, stressing that “This was the show of shame that General Buhari has got himself involved in.
“Sadly Chatham House offered its prestigious platform to sell a bad product to the world,” he said.
The campaign spokesperson also said part of expenses for the speaking engagement included numerous foreign consultants, air tickets for the huge delegation, the contingent of governors, hotels bills, the purchase and renting of vehicles and other logistics, challenging the APC and its leaders to contradict the information.
The spokesperson also challenged Buhari to face President Jonathan on a debate in Nigeria, since the APC believe he did well during his outing at Chatham House.
He said it is surprising that Buhari is willing to talk to a foreign audience, as if he is seeking election in the United Kingdom.
“The ‘arrangee’ Chatham House event is another ploy, like the purported London interview, to hoodwink Nigerians and prevent General Buhari from debating in Nigeria. But we insist, General Buhari must debate in Nigeria
“As a party, we are happy over this latest development as it will no longer give Buhari any excuse not to debate when he returns to Nigeria. The APC no longer has any hiding place, but to put General Buhari through a similar coaching course like in the UK, to debate in our beloved country on any media of choice with our candidate, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan” he said.
Recall that Buhari had on Thursday last week presented a paper titled “Prospects for Democratic Consolidation in Africa: Nigeria’s Transition” at Chatham House in London.
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