BEVERLY HILLS, February 23, (THEWILL) – Despite the controversy trailing the exit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the insinuation of a cold war between the former president and President Goodluck Jonathan, the latter said at the weekend that he would not want to comment on the former president whom he described as his father.
“I don’t like to comment on Chief Obasanjo, he’s my father. I am here because God wanted me to be here, but God used people to do the work,” President Jonathan said at a presidential media briefing in Lagos.
According to President Jonathan, “First and foremost, Nigerians voted for me; at least I got the majority vote and that’s why I am here. So many people played different roles. Obasanjo also played some roles in my life from my days as a deputy governor to get to where I am today. So I wouldn’t want to make comments about Obasanjo. I believe overtime, over the years, Obasanjo himself will begin to speak differently on some of these issues that are at the moment being controversial.”
Explaining his recent lobbying in the South West, President Jonathan said the region is crucial to his winning the March 28 election.
He said: “Over the period, I had several meetings with South-western leaders. I can really see two key things we used to talk about. First was the issue of National Conference. South-westerners were passionate about the National Conference, and clearly the issue of sovereign was used but I said that I was not going to have anything to do with sovereign and it almost created problem between me and my South-western brothers.
“Luckily, we’ve done that conference, and we have the document, and as a government we are ready to implement that document 100 per cent. But the limitation we have is that we are running a country that is based on Constitutional democracy, so you cannot run away from the constitution. So the parliament must be involved.”
“Right now, we have a parliament that is so polarised and that is what worries me about the change people are talking about. If we really need change in this country, then we implement the report of the National Conference. That is what will bring real change, and not the artificial change.”
“My fear is that the party (APC) doesn’t believe in that report; in fact they boycotted it. So where are they bringing the change? I believe there is a lot of misinformation about the South-westerners. The average westerner wants that report implemented, and if we need change in Nigeria, then that report will bring the change we want. It was not decided by Jonathan but by Nigerians. So if we really want change, not the type, when I say clean the room with a vacuum cleaner and you say no; you want to use a broom. If we really want change, and the South-west say they want change for this country, they’ll vote me and PDP, so that we will implement that report.”
President Jonathan, who also said the military will arrest Boko Haram leader, Shekau, before the elections, however agreed that there are more challenges facing his re-election bid now.
According to him, “If you ask other presidents globally, though not 100 per cent, but a majority would tell you that most of them had more challenges during their second tenure, and they always win with smaller margins.”
“In Nigeria, what worsened my case was this issue of insecurity with the Boko Haram. And you cannot blame citizens who didn’t feel so safe. If we build good roads, the people must be alive to drive on them. Yes, I built nine universities in the North and so ordinarily I should be celebrated but when people are dying every day, they will not value the universities.”
“So this insecurity was a challenge. Yes, the issue of corruption came up but the steps we have taken, if people do a proper analysis, they’ll give us a higher percentage in terms of the fact that we have come up with concrete steps to suppress corruption, because in terms of corruption, you have to suppress and prevent it. Prevention is stronger than the act of suppression.”
“The e-wallet is preventing corruption in the purchase of fertiliser in the agric sector. The EFCC is prosecuting corrupt offenders, probably because I don’t support parading someone who is still a suspect on television, maybe that’s why people are saying that the president’s body language encourages corruption.”
“But I see it that if you catch five million Nigerians today, prosecute and jail them, it does not stop corruption. Practically, this is the first government coming up with scientific methods to make sure that we protect what belongs to the public.
“Let us talk about communication. You are doing a lot in terms of tackling corruption like you see it. But, there is a difference in terms of what the people want and what you are doing. People want to see thieves prosecuted and jailed and you are doing scientific long term thing which can take up to five, ten years to manifest. But the quick wins are the differences the people want to see.
We are doing both. I told the EFCC chairman to address Nigerians and give them the statistics of the number of cases that have been reported to the EFCC, how many have been prosecuted and the number of convictions recorded. We have so many convictions.
“Maybe the confusion and misconception is in my saying that we must first strengthen the institutions if we must win the war. We have secured more convictions within this period than before. We are prosecuting people only that it is not properly covered like before. I believe the EFCC should start publicising from the period when they have concluded investigation and are taking people to court for trial. But where I don’t support is for someone to be suspected and then the next thing will be to handcuff them and show on the television. That is not good.”
