The Presidency says leaked audio of Rotimi Amaechi purportedly criticising President Muhammadu Buhari occurred in 2014 and that the minister was referring to Goodluck Jonathan the then President.
The Genius Media News had reported earlier that the seven seconds audio was posted on Twitter by Reno Omokri, a former media aide to Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s immediate past President.
In the clip which could not be authenticated , Amaechi a minister of Transportation and former governor of Rivers state, purportedly said Buhari neither reads nor listens to anyone and does not care.
Amaechi purportedly said, “The President is not listening to anybody. He doesn’t care. You can write anything you want. The President doesn’t care. Does he read?”
Omokri, who is a staunch critic of the Buhari government, said he had evidence to show that the audio was genuine.
The former Presidential media aide threatened to release more audio clips in the event that Amaechi denies the authenticity of the clip.
Omokri wrote, “We have more of the secretly recorded audios of Chibuike Amaechi, DG of the Muhammadu Buhari campaign, saying terrible things about Buhari’s government. I hear Amaechi wants to lie that he was referring to Goodluck Jonathan.
“Let him do that and I will release part two which clearly shows he referred to Buhari.”
The former presidential spokesman wrote further: “Nigerians hear the audio of Rotimi Amaechi’s conversation, they may weep. The man has no iota of respect for Buhari.
“In fact, he hero worshipped former President Obasanjo in the tape and said he is the only worthy Nigerian leader. They know the truth, but hide it!”
Moments after the news broke, Tolu Ogunlesi, the special assistant to Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari on digital media, took to the micro-blogging site, Twitter, to claim that the recording is from 2014 and was in fact, directed towards Jonathan.
“Audio from 2014 or so. At the height of Amaechi’s fight with GEJ.
“In the (paraphrased) words of Victor AD – WETIN YOU GAIN #DubaiStrategy,” Ogunlesi wrote.
The Campaign DG knows the candidate more than anyone, listen to Rotimi Amaechi talk about President Buhari. "The President is not listening anymore, he doesn't care, Does he read" pic.twitter.com/TpXasOlvX1
— Ayobami (@dondekojo) January 4, 2019
