PUBLISHER of Champion Newspapers and a leader of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has said he has no reason whatsoever to work against President Goodluck Jonathan.
The PDP chieftain from Imo State clarified this position in a letter to The Guardian in which he denied that he was working against President Jonathan's political interest.
The Guardian had last week published a story, which suggested that Iwuanyanwu was in Abeokuta when former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, launched a fund-raiser for a mosque within the premises of the presidential library in Abeokuta.
Iwuanyanwu noted that as a strong supporter of President Jonathan in the South East, there "is no reason to work against the interest of the President who treats" him (Iwuanyanwu) as a father.
Part of the letter read: "My meeting with him (Obasanjo) lasted less than five minutes and I left back for Lagos. Throughout our discussions, we never discussed anything about President Jonathan or his government.
"For the avoidance of doubt, I strongly supported President Jonathan in the South East. Both President Jonathan and his entire family treat me as a father. I have no reason whatsoever to work against President Jonathan…."
Iwuanyanwu noted in the letter that he had visited Abeokuta really for a different reason when he learnt that the former president was organising an event and he detoured there.
His words in the letter: "On Friday 23, November, 2012, I visited Abeokuta in connection with the arrangement for the 80th birthday of my very good friend and former Director of Champion Newspapers Limited, Chief Femi Coker. The family had earlier requested that I should chair his 80th birthday ceremony scheduled for December 5, 2012 but the South East will be hosting the meeting of the southern Nigeria People's Assembly scheduled to hold in Enugu on the same December 5, 2012. I therefore wanted to find out details of the programme, the venue etc of the birthday celebration and request for the activity, which I will chair, to be shifted, and indeed it was shifted. I met with Chief Sanyaolu who is a member of the Planning Committee and discussed all these details with him…
"I felt it was necessary for me to take liberty of my visit to Abeokuta to brief Chief Obasanjo on the South East resolution. I therefore went to Chief Obasanjo. When I got to his house, I was told that he was having a ceremony at his library. I waited in his house for over 30 minutes. Somebody in his house observed that he might leave from the ceremony for another function. I therefore drove to the library venue of the ceremony."
The ceremony was about rounding up (sic), I waited in my own car for Chief Obasanjo to come out. When he came out he saw me and decided to return to his house. So, we went to his house. I then briefed him. He appreciated the position of the South East but said the decision is not his own. My meeting with him lasted less than five minutes and I returned to Lagos."
