Just two days after it emerged that the Nigerian Government had ordered 53 Gold-Plated iPhones, the country’s presidency has come out to deny the allegations terming them as “part of attempts by political opponents to discredit the Jonathan administration”.
This was said through a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati. The statement reads: “We consider the reports in a section of the media claiming that the Nigerian government had ordered customized gold iPhones from a Dubai-based company to mark the country’s 53rd independence anniversary in October as not only false and misleading, but utterly mischievous.”
“It is instructive that despite the refutation of the story by the company, which ought to have laid the mischief to rest, a number of politically-minded news media continue to insist on promoting the blatant falsehood. We deplore their antics as yet another attempt to use any trick or means possible to discredit President Jonathan’s well-meaning, hardworking and focused administration.”
The statement went ahead to defend President Jonathan Goodluck’s administration, saying that it has been its priority to avoid extravagant expenses on “purchasing and distributing partygifts”, but instead focuses on providing “responsible, committed, and result-oriented leadership.”
The statement also clarified that the said 53 Gold-Plated iPhones had been ordered by an individual and not the Nigerian government, urging the Dubai-based supplying company to reveal the identity of the individual.
Nigerians are therefore left unsure who to believe, as the Dubai based company is yet to come out and deny the earlier media reports that caused a majoruproar among the citizens in the West African country.