President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday denied ever planing to visit former Military President Ibrahim Babangida during Ramadan period.
Jonathan who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Dr Reuben Abati dismissed the report carried recently by the Peoples Daily.
He said since assumption of office even as Vice President Jonathan has never gone to the residence of any individual to break his fast in show of solidarity.
The Presidency viewed the report as deliberate attempt to demean the Office of the President and therefore, demanded immediate retraction.
Abati said: “The mischievous lead report in the Peoples Daily newspaper today that President Goodluck Jonathan sought to visit former President Ibrahim Babangida in Minna to show him “the spirit of comradeship” during Ramadan is completely untrue.
“Although President Jonathan participates in the Ramadan fast every year in solidarity with Nigerians of the Islamic faith, he has never as Vice President or President of the country visited the residence of any individual to break his fast.
“Rather, it has been the President’s custom to regularly invite Moslems from all strata of society to break their fast with him at the Presidential Villa during the month of Ramadan.
“In keeping with that established practice, President Jonathan has been busy hosting Moslems, most evenings of the current Ramadan season.
“As much as he respects and holds former President Babangida in high regard, President Jonathan has never indicated any interest in visiting him at Minna during the current Ramadan.
“Therefore, there could not have been any “turning down” of a visit by President Jonathan by the former president.
“We condemn the decision of the editors of the Peoples Daily to publish such arrant falsehood in spite of our vigorous rebuttal as a further manifestation of a continuing effort to sow the seeds of discord in the polity.
“Although the newspaper cites a phantom “reliable presidency source” and “a source close to the former president” to buttress its fictitious report, the editors of Peoples Daily know fully well that they can never prove the veracity of the false claim that President Jonathan either offered to break fast with General Babangida in Minna or was turned down by the former president.”