This is to provide some form of clarification as guidance to our colleagues in the media, against the background of headlines announcing statements and comments all attributed to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

The latest is The Independent headline today, declaring that the President has said that the Governors' Forum has no electoral value. Even though I am quite convinced that Mr. Sully Abu, the Director of Publicity of the Jonathan/ Sambo Campaign Organisation, who allegedly made these remarks, was quoted out of context, there is a need to draw a line between the Campaign Organisation and the Presidency, in terms of attribution in the media.

It is hard to believe that a President Jonathan, himself a former governor, could have been so dismissive of the Governors Forum as to state that the body has no "electoral value".

The President enjoys excellent relations with all governors in the country, and with the Governors’ Forum, and it would be unfair, both to the governors and the President, to dismiss the body in such unflattering terms, and then attribute it to Jonathan.

This is for clarification please.

Ima Niboro,Special Adviser to the President ,Media and Publicity.

November 20, 2010.