Morocco-Nigeria spat over royal phone call

Morocco has recalled its Ambassador to Nigeria, in a row over whether the president of Nigeria is trying to use the king of Morocco to win over Muslim voters before Nigeria's elections this month. 

The Moroccan foreign ministry in a statement said there has never been a phone conversation between King Mohammed and President Goodluck Jonathan.   

Morocco cited the hostile and unfriendly positions of the Nigerian government with regard to the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara and the sacred Arab-Muslim causes as a reason for declining Jonathan's call. 

Meanwhile, Nigeria's foreign ministry has denied the allegations saying the two leaders spoke extensively therefore it is preposterous to suggest that Mr Jonathan's  telephone call to the  Moroccan monarch was intended to confer any electoral advantage.

NEWS24