President Goodluck Jonathan has just concluded his media chat with a
select number of pressmen and he was quite impressive if you ask us.
Pres. Jonathan faced a panel comprising of top media personalities,
Adesuwa Onyenekwe, Deji Badmus, Ibanga Isine and Ibrahim Sheme, and he
addressed issues ranging from Boko Haram, to Election, Chibok girls and
more.
See highlights below:
On why he goes to churches and not Mosques "I’m united by different people. I can’t attend ceremonies that I’m not invited to."
On postponed elections:
The president 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.
Boko Haram:
The president 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.
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."
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 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.
Missing 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 presidently constituted.
He answered saying he appointed everyone at the management level of INEC.
Closing Remarks:
In his closing remarks, president Jonathan 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.
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