Premium Times reports that the Moroccan monarch, King Mohammed VI,
has rejected a request from President Goodluck Jonathan for a telephone
conversation, saying it was an “inappropriate” move by the the President to seek electoral favour just weeks before the Presidential poll.
Mohammed VI snubbed Mr. Jonathan’s request last week, saying it
was more of an attempt to seek electoral favour than a genuine
diplomatic act, the country’s foreign ministry said Friday.
“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 Moroccan Foreign Affairs ministry said in a statement.
The statement explained that the monarch rejected the request for a phone chat and the sending of a Nigerian envoy to the country because Mohammed VI viewed the overture as an attempt by Mr. Jonathan to take advantage of Morocco’s influence to secure Muslim votes in the forthcoming election.
“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 Moroccan Foreign Affairs ministry said in a statement.
The statement explained that the monarch rejected the request for a phone chat and the sending of a Nigerian envoy to the country because Mohammed VI viewed the overture as an attempt by Mr. Jonathan to take advantage of Morocco’s influence to secure Muslim votes in the forthcoming election.
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