President Goodluck Jonathan has directed that all #Bring Back Jonathan 2015 signs and banners around Abuja which have drawn condemnation locally and internationally, be removed with immediate effect.

According to a statement by the special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Reuben Abati, the signs were put up without Jonathan’s knowledge or approval.

Abati said that the President shared the view of most Nigerians that the move was a highly insensitive parody of the #Bring Back Our Girls hash tag.

“While President Jonathan appreciates the enthusiastic show of support for his administration by a broad range of stakeholders, he condemns the #Bring Back Jonathan 2015 signs which appear to make light of the very serious national and global concern for the abducted Chibok girls,” the statement said.

President Jonathan assured all Nigerians and the international community that his administration remains fully engaged with efforts to rescue the abducted girls and that he will not knowingly promote any actions that say otherwise.

The President’s reaction came after the Washington Post published a report condemning him for keeping silent over the posters.

It wrote, “The campaign appears to be the work of supporters of the president, keen for his re-election in presidential polls next February. It’s not clear whether Jonathan has officially endorsed the new hashtag, but its seeming ubiquity suggests that he is not opposed to it.”

The Presidency had said last week that there are over 8000 campaign groups seeking President Jonathan’s re-election in the 2015 general election.