Phone Call: Jonathan Does Not Need To Apologise- Wali

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Aminu Wali on Tuesday stated that President Goodluck Jonathan has no need to apologise over the recent diplomatic spat created by his purported telephone conversation with the King of Morocco.

Speaking to State House correspondents on Tuesday, Wali said he has ordered a full investigation into the incident in compliance with the directives of the president adding that the outcome of the investigation will determine whether apology would be offered.

“I have already taken action on the President’s directive and of course some people are trying to make this whole thing political. And of course, at this level of our diplomacy, a lot of things can happen.

So we are trying to find out, and I will like to say that the President has nothing to do with it. This is something that has happened and there is a bit of mix up somewhere a long the line. We are going to unravel it. So the president has nothing to do with it.

“Therefore, people should not, like I hear some senators from the opposition asking the President to apologise to the country.

Now this is, if at all there is anybody who is going to apologise, and I being the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will be the one to apologise and not Mr. President.

“I am investigating, if at all there is anybody who should apologise, it is after the investigation. Whatever it is, that is the time we will come out with…..But now there is no reason to apologise because we cannot pre-judge and we believe in due process.

So the President gave directive and I am looking into it and by the time we get to the bottom of the investigations, then the public will know” he said.

Asked if any statement can go out without of the ministry without his knowledge, the Minister said “It is something that I am digging into. The President asked me to look into it and I am looking into it”.