Fashola: Jonathan Should Denounce Wife’s Hate Speeches

Governor of Lagos State Babatunde Fashola has challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to dissociate self by denouncing what he called “hate speeches’ by his wife Patience Jonathan and others that could lead to electoral violence ahead of the elections scheduled for March 28 and April 11.


Meantime, the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Professor Chidi Odinkalu has urged Nigerians to learn from the imprisonment of the former first Lady of Ivory Coast, Simeone Gbagbo and desist from uttering comments that could lead to electoral violence in the country.

Fashola made the statement yesterday, during a courtesy visit by the officials of NHRC at the Lagos House, Marina, led by its chairman, Odinkalu to seek the Governor’s support on the need to avoid violence and ensure free and fair contest in the forthcoming elections.

The governor lamented that the ‘hate Speeches’ made in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidates, especially the President had created panic in the country, saying “People are leaving the country out of fear.”

According to him, “President Goodluck Jonathan must come out and dissociate himself from especially, his wife speeches. He must disown them.

Earlier, Odinkalu while stressing the need to avoid violence in the forthcoming elections, said, “The wife of Laurent Gbagbo was convicted for crime on electoral violence. As we move around sensitizing Nigerians on the effect of political violence, many haven’t seen it as a serious issue. And I hope that what happened in Ivory Coast will give every Nigerian reasonable thought.”