Presidency denies Jonathan in New York with 600-man delegation

The Nigerian Presidency has been compelled to deny reports circulating in social media that President Goodluck Jonathan travelled to New York for the UN General Assembly with a 600-man delegation all at the expense of government.
Spokesperson of the president, Reuben Abati has issued a statement categorically denying the report and describing it as false, saying the president travelled with less than a 30-man delegation to the event.

A New York based online news portal, Saharareporters.com, had broken the news of President Jonathan’s alleged massive delegation for the annual UN event. The story then circulated rapidly on social media with various people commenting on it. But Mr Abati in a statement said there is no truth in the report and that the president travelled with less than a 30-man delegation to the event.
“While we trust that discerning members of the public who are already very familiar with Sahara Reporters’ usual fare of mischief, outright falsehood and erroneous speculation will rightly dismiss this latest claim as a fresh manifestation of the online medium’s ill-will towards President Jonathan and his administration, we wish to affirm for the benefit of the unwary that there is absolutely no truth in the allegation that the President took a 600-man delegation to New York.
“There is also no substance to the rehashed charge of profligacy which Sahara reporters annually makes against the President when he leads Nigeria’s delegation to the UN General Assembly.
“The truth is that less than 30 persons arrived in New York with the President this morning as members of his entourage. Other than them, the only other persons who are in New York for the UN General Assembly with the President’s knowledge and approval are relevant ministers and few essential aides.” the President’s spokesman said.
He went on to add that the President’s official delegation ”is definitely not out of proportion with Nigeria’s size, role and relevance in Africa and the global community.”
He also argued that a number of Nigerians are private visits to New York at the moment. “These persons are here for their own purposes and neither President Jonathan nor his administration has any responsibility for the presence of these persons in New York.
“We will not be surprised if it is such persons who include Nigerian businessmen who are here for an African Business Roundtable event, members of non-governmental organizations and tourists that Sahara Reporters  has been counting, for the sole purpose of mischief-making, as “members of the Nigerian delegation”.