President Jonathan To Aides: Criticize OBJ And Lose Your Job

In a bid to patch whatever is left of his relationship with his embittered political godfather, President Goodluck Jonathan has directed his aides to stop the media attack against former President Olusegun Obasanjo with a caveat – any aide that flouts the directive will lose his job. The presidential directive came on the heels of intervention by some unnamed chieftains of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party. The party elders were said to have asked the President to call his aides to order.

The war of words between the President, his aides and the former President was not good for the image of the party according to a Presidency source.

The source said: “The party informed the President that the members of the opposition could capitalise on the disagreement to cause a major friction between the two leaders of the party.

“The President has directed his aides not to speak either directly or indirectly on anything that is injurious to the former President on any issue. This is because some leaders of the PDP have advised him not to take on the former President in a fight.

“Apart from the political implication of such, we also believe that it could heat up the polity and cause tension in both the party and the polity.

“Moreover, the party has seen that the opposition is already trying to make gains from the fight and that will not be a good thing either for the two leaders or our party.

“The President respects Obasanjo. He will not do anything that will widen the gap between them. I am sure that the disagreement will be settled.

“Besides, there are no plans by the President to witch-hunt Obasanjo with any probe.”