 |
|
Hello, Is That His Royal Highness…?:
King Mohammed VI of Morocco and President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria
|
Diplomatic relationship between
Nigeria and Morocco worsened Tuesday as the North African country announced the
immediate recall of its ambassador from Abuja, following a statement by the
Nigerian government that the Moroccan monarch did not snub President Goodluck
Jonathan as widely reported last week.
King Mohammed VI turned down a
request by Mr. Jonathan for a telephone conversation and possibly, an
invitation to Nigeria, describing the move as “inappropriate”.
PREMIUM TIMES reports:
The Moroccan Foreign Ministry said
the request was a devious move by Mr. Jonathan to curry electoral favour than a
genuine diplomatic move.
“The request by Nigerian authorities
for a phone conversation between HM King Mohammed VI and Nigerian President was
refused by the Monarch who deemed it inappropriate on grounds of the upcoming
elections in Nigeria,” the statement, issued last week, read.
However, on Monday, the Nigerian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement refuting the claim of the
Moroccans.
The Nigerian foreign ministry
claimed that King Mohammed IV of Morocco spoke to President Jonathan from
France where he had gone for a visit.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also
denied that the phone call was intended to confer electoral gains on Mr.
Jonathan who faces a crucial electoral challenge from an invigorated opposition
in two weeks.
“Since the King was in France and
not in Morocco, both leaders spoke extensively over the telephone on matters of
mutual interest and concern that have nothing to do with the conduct of
re-scheduled elections in Nigeria.
“It is therefore preposterous to
suggest that Mr President’s telephone call to the Moroccan monarch was intended
to confer any electoral advantage on the President,” the statement read.
The North African nation responded
furiously Tuesday, denying the claim by the Nigerian authorities, and recalling
its ambassador from Nigeria.
The office of Mohammed VI denied the
king ever spoke to the Nigerian president. It issued a statement describing
Nigeria’s claim that a discussion took place between King Mohammed and
President Jonathan as “unethical practices.”
The statement said it wished to
state in the “clearest and strongest terms” that “there has never been a phone
conversation” between the two leaders.
“The King’s Office categorically
denies the false allegations made by Nigerian authorities about an alleged
phone conversation between the Sovereign and Nigerian President,” the statement
said.
The Moroccan foreign ministry also
rejected the position of its Nigerian counterpart in a separate statement.
“The king has actually declined the
request of the Nigerian government because it is part of the internal
electioneering and this country’s fundamentally hostile positions with regard
to the territorial integrity of the Kingdom,” the ministry said.
“The kingdom of Morocco expresses
its astonishment and denunciation to these unethical practices that are
contrary to the spirit of responsibility that must prevail in relations between
states.”
Morocco said it was recalling its
ambassador for “further consultations”.
Nigeria and Morocco have a history
of frosty diplomatic relation due to the former’s support and recognition of
the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic declared by the separatist group, the
Polisario Front.
The Polisario Front, which is backed
by Morocco’s neighbour, Algeria, seeks an independence for the Western Sahara
region of Morocco, a move the Monarch has violently resisted.
While Nigeria’s foreign ministry
claimed the conversation took place, a top official of the government confirmed
to PREMIUM TIMES newspaper that indeed President Jonathan was rebuffed by the Moroccan
leader.
The official, who requested that his identity be
protected, however denied that the president’s proposed telephone call had to
do with politics. He said Mr. Jonathan had earlier spoken to Algeria’s
President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and also wanted to reach out to Morocco on
issues of mutual interest.
No comments:
Post a Comment