Morocco fires back: Nigeria lied, our king didn’t talk to Jonathan

King Mohammed VI and Jonathan

The Moroccan authorities have denounced as a lie, the claim by the Federal Government that President Goodluck Jonathan had a telephone conversation with King Mohammed VI.

The North African Kingdom also recalled its ambassador to Nigeria over what it described as the “incredible twist” that Nigeria introduced into the dispute.

Rabat said that it was stating in   the “clearest and strongest terms,” that “there has never been a telephone conversation” between the two leaders.

In two separate   statements issued within 24 hours   on Wednesday, it accused the Goodluck Jonathan administration of using the King   for electioneering.

The two statements were posted on the kingdom’s official website, Maroc.ma.

The first was titled, ‘Morocco Denies False Allegations About Alleged Phone Conversation Between HM The King, and Nigerian President’ while the second statement, is titled ‘Morocco recalls its ambassador in Abuja for consultations.’

Last week, the Moroccan royal palace said the king had declined a request for a telephone conversation with   Jonathan.

But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja on Monday denied the snub, saying     the two leaders had spoken extensively. It also denied that the Federal Government was using Mohammed VI to woo   Muslim voters in Nigeria.

“This information is absolutely not correct as the President did in fact speak to the Moroccan monarch… both leaders spoke extensively over the phone on matters of mutual interest and concern,” the   Foreign Affairs ministry had said.

The ministry added that it was “preposterous to suggest that Mr. President’s telephone call to the Moroccan monarch was intended to confer any electoral advantage.”

However, the North African country , in the statements denounced the claim by Abuja as “unethical practices.”

“The king has actually declined the request of the Nigerian government because it is part of the internal electioneering,” it added.

Before issuing this lengthy press release, Rabat had issued a terse statement to debunk the claim by Abuja that the heads of state had a telephone conversation.

The statement read, ”Morocco is surprised at the incredible twist given by Nigeria to an alleged phone conversation that never took place between HM King Mohammed VI and Nigerian President, the King’s Office said Tuesday.

The King’s Office categorically denies the false allegations made by Nigerian authorities about an alleged phone conversation between the Sovereign and Nigerian President.”

Nigeria, Algeria and South Africa have long backed the move for     independence by the people of a tract of the Sahara Desert led by the   Polisario Front.

The tract has been at the centre of a long-running dispute between Morocco and fighters of the Polisario Front.

The territory is said to be rich in phosphate   and experts have also said that it is rich in oil.

When contacted, the Director, Public Affairs Communication Division, MFA, Ahmedu Ogbole-Ode, said the ministry has not received an official communication from Morocco on the withdrawal of its envoy.

On the controversy over the telephone conversation between Jonathan and the Moroccan monarch, the director said the ministry would respond once it gets a directive from “higher authorities to do so