The Ali-Modu Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) has revealed how the idea of swapping Boko Haram commanders in exchange
for the Chibok
girls was initiated by former President, Goodluck Jonathan in May 2014.
Deputy National Chairman of the party, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh,
said this during a press briefing in Abuja, on Monday.
He recalled that the government team comprised the then
Director-General of the Department of State Services, Ita Ekpeyong; the then
Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh; the former Chief Security
Officer to Jonathan, the late Gordon Obua, and himself.
Ojougboh said this while reacting to a statement by the
Ahmed Makarfi faction which claimed it was wrong to have swapped terrorists for
the release of the girls.
He urged the government to put in more efforts to negotiate
the release of the remaining girls held by the insurgents.
Ojougboh said Ijaw National leader, Chief Edwin Clark,
nominated him into a government team to negotiate the release of the Chibok
girls in May 2014.
He added, “Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud today to tell
you that I was the one who was nominated to negotiate the release of the Chibok
girls.
“And we held a series of meetings, the International Red
Cross, the Embassy of Switzerland; we took these representatives of the Boko
Haram to the international Red Cross, and to the Ambassador of Switzerland,
they gave us time, they studied what information we had and they approved it.
“We took the information to Mr. President and Mr. President
said that whatever it would take to release the Chibok girls, any swap that
these people demand, he approved it. Jonathan approved it.
“So to say that the swap of Boko Haram girls with prisoners
is not necessary, I will tell you that it was PDP government that initiated
it.”
He said a Borno State indigene sabotaged efforts to release
the girls.
Ojougboh, however, advised Nigerians to ignore the Makarfi
faction, which he said should not have issued any statement on behalf of the
PDP.
By Wale Odunsi
