The incumbent President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan talked
with some selected journalists yesterday. The President
answered a lot of questions and vowed to hand over power
on May 29 if Nigerians elect a new leader.
See excerpts:
Election Postponement:
GEJ sought the understanding of the international
community over the postponed elections. He said the kind
of scenarios where elections are postponed for the sake of
perpetuating power is not the case in Nigeria.
On Terrorism
GEJ was asked why he thinks the war against Boko Haram
can be won in six weeks even though the war had raged for
six years. The president said he has just acquired new
weapons, and
gotten support of neigbhouring countries to fight Boko
Haram. He mentioned that Chad waited for African Union
approval, which they recently got too. He also mentioned
that the issue of security is beyond Boko Haram. The
president said it runs into dangerous signals of youth
restiveness. In the next four weeks Nigerians will see the
difference in the security intervention in the North, he said.
The president is asked where he bought arms for the
coming onslaught on Boko Haram. He said they managed to
get from other sources other than America.
Do you have confidence in Jega to conduct the 2015
elections?
The president said he wished Jega was seated by his side to
answer the question.
I wish Jega were here, I could have asked him to answer
whether I have confidence in him Yes those who called for
his sack may be close to me, but they express their own
opinion. More than 80 per cent of those who sponsor
messages on our behalf we don’t even know them. People
use the reschedule of election to misinform Nigerians.
I have never thought about removing INEC Chairman,
though I have the constitutional power to do so.” GEJ
blamed his supporters for rumours about Jega’s
resignation. “I have not told anybody that I will remove
Jega,” he said. He explained that if there are obvious
reasons to remove Jega, he would rely on “constitutional”
provisions that gives him powers to sack whoever he
appoints.
On Convoy Attacks:
”The level of misinformation, especially from young people
is high. Attempting to attack the president is treasonable
offence.The president is protected by soldiers, not just the
police. People get carried away and make some provocative
statements.
Those who pelted my convoy during my campaigns in the
Northern part of the country were ignorant. If INEC
conducts the election poorly, it will be on my head.”
On Hate speeches and political violence by both opposition
and ruling party members.
The president explained that “some people” get carried
away by the political play and exude these violence. He
blamed aides and associates of key political actors for the
hate speeches and political violence. He did not
categorically condemn the hate speeches or war threats or
politically-motivated violence.
“We will make sure things are done so that nobody goes to
war,” the president said when he pressed for categorical
stance on the war threats by ex-militants should he lose the
elections. He argues journalists have responsibility to
ensure the unity of the country.
On why he frequents churches for campaign but never
visited mosques:
GEJ responded by saying he does not receive invitations
from Muslims to visit mosques like from the churches.
If election would hold should the military fails to eliminate
Boko Haram in six weeks:
The presidents said the new dates are sacrosanct and a new
president would be sworn in by May 29. He argued that the
goal is not to totally eliminate Boko Haram but to make
adequate security arrangement for the election.
Kidnapped Chibok girls:
Questioning moves to the issue of the president’s perceived
weak support especially as it relates to the missing Chibok
girls. “Just give us some times,” he said, responding to
questions seeking the state of the girls at the moment. The
president is optimistic the girls would be rescued with the
new military collaboration with neighbouring countries. “I
believe the story would be different in a few weeks,” the
president said. “We would recover them alive.”
I believe the story of Chibok Girls will get better in the next
few weeks, but don’t quote me. We are working with our
neighbours, we will comb the whole of that place Partying
after abduction? It’s unfortunate that people play politics
with the issue of Chibok girls. It’s not like that elsewhere. In
other countries, political boundaries collapse in the face of
terror attacks, not so in Nigeria.
With regards to his weakened political base, the president
said “in politics, there are only permanent interests.”
The president is asked to clarify his previous comments
that “stealing is not corruption”:
He said he made that statement quoting the former Chief
Justice of Nigeria, Dahiru Mustafa, who explained to him
that his analysis of corruption cases in Nigeria showed that
most of such cases were theft. He argued that referring to
stealing as corruption minimizes the crime. “Ole (thief in
Yoruba) should be called Ole and given that treatment,” the
president said.
“Let us communicate properly. The word corruption, we
have abused it.”
“It is not actually my quotation. I quoted the former Chief
Justice,” as he continues to defend his previous comments
on corruption and stealing.
We have convicted more corrupt people than ever. It is just
that Nigerians are confused on what the difference is
between stealing and corruption.
The state of the N1 billion security loan and funds
confiscated in South Africa:
He said the government have not started disbursing the N1
billion loan. With regards to the .3 million arms money
seized in South Africa, he said the money does not belong to
Nigeria, technically. He added that the matter was in court.
The president is asked if he would hand over if he loses the
next election:
“If the elections are conducted and I lose, of course, another
president would be sworn in,” the president said. He argued
that Nigeria is more important than any individual.
The president is asked what he will do differently if he wins:
He said most of the problem he had in the past is related to
perception and not concrete. He did not really say what he
would do differently.
The president is asked to comment on his opponent for the
2015 general election, Buhari:
The president responded it was an unfair question. He
however mentioned that he has recieved more criticism that
Muhammadu Buhari on social media.
The president is asked if he has confidence in INEC as
presently constituted:
He answered saying he appointed everyone at the
management level of INEC.
Closing Remarks:
In his closing remarks, GEJ assured Nigerians that elections
would be conducted and a new president sworn in on May
29. He argued that it is better for INEC to conduct an
election everyone would be happy with.
The Presidential chat ended at 8:19pm on Wednesday
February 11th, 2015. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL AND TOUCHING NIGERIAN CELEBRITIES BIOGRAPHY AND SCANDALS
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