Jonathan's lead government of using King Mohammed VI in election
campaign.
Its foreign ministry issued a statement, denying the king had spoken
by phone to Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan, as had been stated
by Nigeria.
The North Africa kingdom denounced such "unethical practices", it said.
Nigeria has denied that the king was being used to win over Muslim voters.
Mr Jonathan, a Christian from southern Nigeria, is facing a strong
challenge in the 28 March elections from opposition candidate
Muhammadu Buhari, who is popular in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north.'
The Nigerian ministry of foreign affairs released a statement on
Sunday, denying reports that President Jonathan had been snubbed by
King Mohammed because he was trying to curry favour with Muslim
voters.
"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," it said.
However, Morocco's foreign ministry responded by saying it wanted to
state in the "clearest and strongest terms" that "there has never been
a phone conversation" between the two men.
"The king has actually declined the request of the Nigerian government
because it is part of the internal electioneering," Morocco's official
news agency Map quoted the statement as saying.
"The kingdom of Morocco expresses its astonishment and denunciation to
these unethical practices that are contrary to the spirit of
responsibility that must prevail in relations between states."
As a consequence Morocco's Abuja ambassador was being recalled
immediately for consultations, it said.
--BBC
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