27th May, 2014
Nigeria Federal Government on Tuesday described as false and malicious recent reports that it intends to spend 800 million dollars to hire a foreign public relations firm to launder its image.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, said rather than image laundering, the Federal Government is more concerned with solving the problems of security confronting the country.
“Reports in national and foreign media that the Federal Government is currently in the process of recruiting an international public relations firm to “counter mounting criticism both inside and outside the country” are completely false and baseless.
“The suggestion that the Federal Government intends to spend a staggering sum of 800 million dollars on the phantom public relations effort to ease “increasing pressure over its response to the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls” is also wholly untrue.
“Coming as they do, at a particularly difficult and sensitive time for the entire nation, the Federal Government considers the reports of a drive to recruit consultants to launder its image highly insensitive, deplorable, absurd and very malicious.”
The Presidency said the reports was a falsehood aimed at inciting the Nigerian public against the Federal Government.