Fall out of National Day speech

Posted by admin Goodluck Jonathan (2010-present), Presidency Sunday, October 5th, 2014

By Henry Umoru & Bashir Adefaka

In a self-assessment of his administration, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, on the 54th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence, last Wednesday, presented a 59-paragraph speech in which the nation’s number one citizen awarded his leadership a pass mark.

He said that in the overall administrative performances and democratic dividends delivery, he had done well on all fronts.

Jonathan, in the over one hour broadcast, extended an olive branch, once again, to the Boko Haram insurgents to give up their destructive activities and surrender to law and order for Nigeria to move forward.

Although the Mo Ibrahim Foundation released the 2014 Ibrahim Index of African Governance, IIAG, which ranked Nigeria 37th out of 52 in the overall governance scale, rating the nation 45.8 percent lower than the African average of 51.5 percent, some eminent Nigerians concurred that the President’s self award of pass mark was in order.

The 2014 IIAG stated that the country scored lower than the regional average for West Africa which stands at 52.2 percent and ranked 12th out of 15 in the region. But the President, in his independence speech, posited that his administration was committed to making Nigeria safe for all Nigerians, irrespective of their places of birth, religion and political persuasions.

His words: “To all those waging war against our country, I ask that you lay down your arms and embrace peace. To those who have genuine grievances, I affirm that Nigeria will listen to you, if you bring your grievances to the table of dialogue,” he said, reassuring the people of Nigeria that his government remained committed to the “task of building a better and greater country.”

As a way of pushing the country further up to build on existing achievements, the Commander-in-Chief promised a safe landing for reports of the just concluded National Conference, which recommendations, he said, would be implemented.

Afenifere chieftain, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; a former Chairman, Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Ezeoba Alex Nwokedi; a former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope; third republic governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife; Senator Rowland Owie; and a former acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Haliru Bello Mohammad; in seperate interviews, agreed with the President’s submissions.

Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, chieftain, Captain Muhammad Joji, had not much to say. He only sued for peace that Nigeria may once again have a handshake with realistic development.

Fixing Nigeria

Adebanjo said the President had actually performed as he claimed.

“I am more interested in how to fix this country. We must first have a country where people feel to be one and together, which is not possible under this disgruntled situation” , the elder statesman, who was a delegate to the National Conference, stated.

Adebanjo was at the forefront of struggle for the enthronement of somebody from the minority as President of Nigeria which not only saw to the installation of Jonathan as Nigeria’s leader, but also, he was vehement in his call, along with other patriots for a National Conference which took him and Professor Ben Nwabueze, among others, to the Presidency where the President sanctioned the demand. Today, the clamour is history.

The Afenifere chieftain, however, said the recommendations of the National Conference, as contained in its report submitted to the President, must be able to produce a new Constitution for a vibrant Nigerian state.

“The new Constitution we have proposed makes the system more permanent (rotatory president). What has happened is just an accident where the North just believes it is your turn or mine. We want a system whereby our right is our right, not that of concession or anything and that is what the new Constitution that we have proposed has done. In it, we have provided a system whereby we say, yes, we want to live together and how we want to live together. Everybody knows his rights. Everything goes to you when it is your turn. So there is no question of somebody being oppressed.

“That is why I am pressing that the new Constitution must come into operation at the expiration of this term, by the end of May 29, 2015. You will do the elections before but those who take over from the elections must be prepared to operate based on the new Constitution,” Adebanjo said.

He refused to agree with the notion that Jonathan had ruled the country along religious line. He said since there was no evidence, he would never be part of the belief that Mr. President had run the country on religious line.

“I mean I will not comment on what has not happened and we must always think positively about this country. If there is any evidence that Jonathan runs the country along religious line, we condemn that, but I have not seen it happen. So, we should not be insinuating that supposing something bad happens.

Why should anybody rule the country along religious line? Is that commendable? If there is any evidence to that effect, bring it out and we nip it in the bud and if there is no evidence of that, there is no need to raise it!”

Clarion call

Reacting to the President’s call for a united front to move the nation forward, as contained in the independence speech, Alex Nwokedi gave thumbs up, saying it was a clarion call that must be embraced by all.

“It was a clarion call trying to impress on Nigerians that patience is very important and that Rome was not built in a day, but that in hard work and unity, we shall achieve our mission of turning Nigeria around for better.

“By the independence speech, the President wanted every Nigerian person to play his or her own part in moving the nation forward. You can see that by that, he has put the ball in our individual court telling us that our future depends on us. That is how I see the message he tried to pass across in that lengthy independence speech,” Nwokedi said.

A listening president

A former Minister of Transport, Babatope, went straight to the point. He said, “I think the self-assessment by the President that he has delivered dividends of democracy to Nigerians on many fronts is correct.

And I would really start by saying that the first thing Jonathan has done which, in fact, would attract the attention of Nigerians is that fact that he has always tried to listen to people. He does not dismiss…and he goes ahead to ask in a manner that will bring peace.

“A good example precisely is that not a single Nigerian, and we thank God for that, has been physically eliminated in the country because of political difference. Number two, no opposition party has been reduced to political rubble by his actions. He makes sure that he hears the opposition and then takes positive steps to ensure that what they are saying is not summarily dismissed. Thirdly, look at the Ebola fight.

I mean nobody would say that the government of Goodluck Jonathan has not done its best in ensuring that we have solution to the Ebola problem in Nigeria. And we can also mention Governor Fashola of Lagos State because he too has done very well. Then, it stands real that Goodluck Jonathan has done practically well in the struggle to ensure that the Ebola does not, in fact, send many Nigerians to their graves prematurely.

“The result is that America, a highly sophisticated nation, whether we like it or not, is sending a delegation to come and understudy how Nigeria tackled Ebola. And then number five, look at the power system. It is true that we are still having power problems but nobody would deny the fact that government is busy working to ensure that we have solution. And also when you talk in terms of foreign relations, you would find out that Nigeria has tried very much under Goodluck Jonathan to ensure we have very good relationship with other parts of the world.

“Even in terms of Boko Haram, which, in fact, has been threatening the peace, unity and oneness of Nigeria, nobody would also deny the fact that the President has done his best. One other thing that one must not lose sight of is that the President is open to talks with Boko Haram and I am very, very happy about that because, whether we like it or not, Boko Haram, even though it is an organisation that is trying to disturb the peace of Nigeria, is composed of Nigerians. And if it is composed of Nigerians, government should be prepared to listen to them. And he has said in his speech that his government is prepared to talk with Boko Haram so that we can have solution to the problems it has created.

“So when you examine the claim of President Jonathan, you would find out that he is correct to say that he has delivered on all fronts to Nigerians.” Babatope added that the Commander-in-Chief had never directly or indirectly attacked or blamed the opposition or anybody on the other side of the political divide for the problem of Boko Haram.

No to referendum

Owie, a former Chief Whip of the Senate and chieftain of the PDP, said, “Fighting insecurity all over the world is a joint effort of government and citizens. Usually, sabotage within security agencies poses the greatest threat. You can see what is happening within the frequency of armed forces with mutiny trials.

That tells a lot about what saboteurs are doing to the security of Nigeria.

”On the 2014 National Conference report, the President’s job is simple. He should send the recommendations to the National Assembly which is empowered to make laws for the country. Thereafter the recommendations will go to the 36 states assembly for concurrence.

I heard some people say the report of the CONFAB should be subjected to referendum. No! That can’t happen with a sitting assembly in place.

“I am happy that Mr. President has declared war on insurgents and you can see that these agents of destruction are surrendering now, but for the sabotage within the armed forces, they would have been crushed long ago. I commend the armed forces for what they are doing and I urge all Nigerians to support and pray for them. I am sure that, by the grace of God, the country will overcome Boko Haram.”

Hope for 2015

In his view, Ezeife, a third republic governor of Anambra State and a delegate to the just-concluded 2014 National Conference, said, “In my view, President Jonathan’s 2014 independence anniversary speech is his most positive, his most eloquent, courageous, confident, comprehensive or informative – indeed, his most presidential! He wisely started with the security situation sounding like more prepared for the combat yet making the strongest and most passionate appeal against the insecurity and disunity.

”As the President reeled out the achievements in various sectors and subsectors, it became clear to me that the government is deficient in information dissemination.

So much has been achieved than is known to the people. The successful 2014 National Conference, courageously convoked by the President which laid the foundation for a new Nigeria where things can be made to work, removed the ritual from the speech. And the President’s believable promise to ensure the implementation of the conference recommendations raises hope.

”The President also raised hopes of Nigerians on the possibility of free and fair elections in 2015. Whether Nigerians will believe this depends on what the President does about the unearthed demonstrable intention and plan to rig the election. Merely stopping the proposed new polling units cannot give confidence in the face of clear intention to rig the elections.”

Speaking for the Northern Elders Council, NEC, the spokesperson and former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain, Amb.Yusufu Mamman, said, “ NEC congratulates President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for his reassuring speech on National Day.

”NEC has, at all times, expressed solidarity and support for the President over the way he has been living up to to the task on the challenges of insecurity and insurgency in the country. We, at all times, identify and salute our armed forces members for their gallantry and sacrifice in defence of our fatherland.

”NEC fully appreciates the magnitude of the challenges ahead but expresses optimism in the capacity of the President to work out a roadmap for the implementation of the confab conclusion and the conduct of free,fair and credible election in 2015.

NEC also commends the excellent working relationship between the President and his Vice Arch. Mohammed Namadi Sambo which is exemplary based on loyalty and total commitment to the goals of the Presidents transformation Agenda.”

Also speaking on the National Day Speech, Haliru Bello, a former acting national chairman of the PDP and the immediate past Minister of Defence, said, “There is nothing more indicative of our collective resolve to ensure that free, fair and peaceful elections are held in 2015 than the time – table recently released by the INEC. President Jonathan can not do any more than this to demonstrate his readiness and determination to conduct elections come 2015.

A former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, in an SMS, simply said, “Thanks, no comments.”

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