Jonathan criticised for suggesting more time in office for the president and govs

Posted by admin Latest Politics Sunday, May 29th, 2011

Mixed reactions on Saturday trailed President Goodluck Jonathan’s assertion that four-year tenure was not enough for president or governor to make a meaningful impact on governance.

Among groups and individuals who spoke on the issue are the northern socio-political group, Arewa Consultative Forum, Congress for Progressive Change, former Kaduna State governor, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN), a university don, Prof. Akin Oyebode, and a constitutional lawyer, Emeka Ngige (SAN).

The president had while reacting to the 2011 Presidential Inauguration lecture, “A Transformation Agenda for Accelerated National Development,” delivered by Prof. Ladipo Adamolekun on Thursday in Abuja said four years was too short to make any meaningful impact on governance.

He said, “I will not talk about the tenure of the government, the constitution has said four years, though some believe that four years is too short to make any change, which I also believe.

“I believe because if you are a new person and you are elected as a governor today, it will take one to one and half years for you to really stabilise.

“And you also know that some members of your cabinet are not good and that is why in most cases, after one year or two Mr. president reshuffles the cabinet and by the time you want to go for another two and half years, it is another election and you are busy about winning election. That is a constitutional problem.”

The President had earlier in the heat of the controversy surrounding his emergence as the Peoples Democratic Party presidential standard-bearer, said that he would not seek re-election if he triumphed in the 2011 poll.

However, reacting to the President’s latest claim, the ACF said the four-year tenure should not be an excuse for non-performance.

ACF National Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, said if other countries of the world with four or five-year tenure could develop, Nigeria’s case should not be different.

Sani said, “Nigeria should not use its four-year tenure as excuse for its leaders’ feckless performance in government.”

The CPC said the president’s claim was not surprising as it showed that he had no serious or articulated plans to move the nation forward.

According to CPC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, Jonathan was already reneging on the promises he made to the people.

He noted, “Like anybody that seizes offices through the manipulations of state powers such as the security agencies and electoral body, he does not have the wherewithal to bring about any meaningful change to Nigeria.”

Fashakin said one of Jonathan’s campaign points had been the promise that he would spend only four years.

“That was the dummy he sold to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, if we now hear something else after the so-called victory, it shows the kind of person he is. It is too early to say that, in fact, it’s absurd to hear him say four years is too short.

“It is characteristic of the PDP. If he says four years is too short for him, it’s just too bad. The PDP is in a quandary because they don’t know what to do about zoning,” he said.

Musa said the president’s comment was unfortunate.

Ajibola said, “If he has promised to stay in power only for four years he should stick to it. In international law, ‘All promises must be kept, must be obeyed and must be according to how the promise was stated.’ It is not morally and legally fair to do otherwise. As he had made that promise, he must stick to it.”

According to him, if there is need for the president to continue in office, it is the PDP not the president to declare so.

“If his political party is very interested in him and they want him to continue they should be the one to say that and not him.

“But as we have it now, he had given the promise and he should keep it as a man of honour unless he has not given that promise. At the moment, we are eager to see how he goes through the four years.”

Ngige, who said he had a copy of Jonathan’s declaration in Germany in February, said he promised to seek only one term.

He explained, “As at now, he has another term coupled with the two years he got from Yar’Adua making it six years. If six years is not enough for him, I don’t think 30 years will also be enough.

“I want to believe that he was misquoted that four years is too short for him. I don’t think that Jonathan will so soon go back on his words. I will expect his spokesman to quickly clear the air so that the polity is not overheated. Anything to the contrary will not be good for our country.”

Oyebode in a text message to one of our corresppondents said, “It is a notorious trait of politicians to treat promises like fortune cookies — to be broken as a matter, of course.

“However, for Jonathan to go back on his word would amount to shooting himself in the foot as many believe he should be a statesman with his eye on the next generation rather than a mere politician who only thinks of the next election.”

-Punchwp_posts