Posted on February 12, 2015.
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said that he would rely on “constitutional” provisions that give him powers to sack whomever he appoints if there are obvious reasons to remove the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Atahiru Jega.
Jonathan made this declaration yesterday during his eight Presidential Media Chat held at the State House, Abuja.
When asked to clear the air on rumours that the Federal Government was planning to sack the INEC boss and whether he has confidence in him to conduct the 2015 elections, the president said that he had never thought about removing him.
“I wish Jega were here, I could have asked him to answer whether I have confidence in him. I have not told anybody that I will remove Jega.”
He explained that if there were obvious reasons to remove Jega, he would rely on “constitutional” provisions that give him the power to sack whomever he appoints.
He blamed his supporters for rumours about Jega’s possible removal.
“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 do not even know them. People use the rescheduling of election to misinform Nigerians.”
The president sought the understanding of the international community over the postponed general election.
He said the kind of scenarios where elections are postponed for the sake of perpetuating power is not the case in Nigeria.
On why he thinks the war against Boko Haram could possibly be won in six weeks though it had raged on for six years, the president said he had just acquired new weapons, and gotten the support of neighbouring countries to fight Boko Haram.
“In the next four weeks Nigerians will see the difference in the security intervention in the North”, the president assured.
He disclosed that Chad in particular had waited for African Union (AU) approval, which it recently got too.
He also mentioned that the issue of security is beyond Boko Haram. The president said it is also a dangerous signal of youth restiveness.
The president also deplored the spate of attacks on his campaign entourage in the North, declaring it as treasonable.
“Attempting to attack the president is a treasonable offence. The president is protected by soldiers, not just the police. People get carried away and make some provocative statements.
“The level of misinformation, especially from young people is high. 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 speech and political violence by both opposition and ruling party members, the president explained that some people got carried away by the political play.
Though he did not categorically condemn the hate speeches or war threats or politically motivated violence, he blamed the aides and associates of key political actors for the hate speeches and political violence.
“We will make sure things are done so that nobody goes to war”.
When pressed for a categorical stance on the war threats by ex-militants should he fail the elections, he refused, insisting that journalists have the responsibility to ensure the unity of the country.
On why he frequents churches for campaign but never visits mosques, he responded that he did not receive much invitation from Muslims.
Asked if elections would hold should the military fail to eliminate Boko Haram in six weeks, President Jonathan said that the new dates are sacrosanct and a new president would be sworn in by May 29.
He argued that the goal was not to totally eliminate Boko Haram but to make adequate security arrangements for the election.
On the issue of his perceived weak support especially as it relates to the missing Chibok girls, the president demanded for more time.
“Just give us some times.
I believe the story of the 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,” he said.
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 Musdapter, who had explained to him that his analysis of corruption cases in Nigeria showed that most of such cases were really acts of theft.
“It is not actually my quotation. I quoted the former Chief Justice”, he said while trying to defend his previous comments on corruption and stealing.
President Jonathan promised to hand over power 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, arguing that Nigeria is more important than any individual
Source: #HallmarkNews
Posted on February 12, 2015.
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said that he would rely on “constitutional” provisions that give him powers to sack whomever he appoints if there are obvious reasons to remove the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Atahiru Jega.
Jonathan made this declaration yesterday during his eight Presidential Media Chat held at the State House, Abuja.
When asked to clear the air on rumours that the Federal Government was planning to sack the INEC boss and whether he has confidence in him to conduct the 2015 elections, the president said that he had never thought about removing him.
“I wish Jega were here, I could have asked him to answer whether I have confidence in him. I have not told anybody that I will remove Jega.”
He explained that if there were obvious reasons to remove Jega, he would rely on “constitutional” provisions that give him the power to sack whomever he appoints.
He blamed his supporters for rumours about Jega’s possible removal.
“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 do not even know them. People use the rescheduling of election to misinform Nigerians.”
The president sought the understanding of the international community over the postponed general election.
He said the kind of scenarios where elections are postponed for the sake of perpetuating power is not the case in Nigeria.
On why he thinks the war against Boko Haram could possibly be won in six weeks though it had raged on for six years, the president said he had just acquired new weapons, and gotten the support of neighbouring countries to fight Boko Haram.
“In the next four weeks Nigerians will see the difference in the security intervention in the North”, the president assured.
He disclosed that Chad in particular had waited for African Union (AU) approval, which it recently got too.
He also mentioned that the issue of security is beyond Boko Haram. The president said it is also a dangerous signal of youth restiveness.
The president also deplored the spate of attacks on his campaign entourage in the North, declaring it as treasonable.
“Attempting to attack the president is a treasonable offence. The president is protected by soldiers, not just the police. People get carried away and make some provocative statements.
“The level of misinformation, especially from young people is high. 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 speech and political violence by both opposition and ruling party members, the president explained that some people got carried away by the political play.
Though he did not categorically condemn the hate speeches or war threats or politically motivated violence, he blamed the aides and associates of key political actors for the hate speeches and political violence.
“We will make sure things are done so that nobody goes to war”.
When pressed for a categorical stance on the war threats by ex-militants should he fail the elections, he refused, insisting that journalists have the responsibility to ensure the unity of the country.
On why he frequents churches for campaign but never visits mosques, he responded that he did not receive much invitation from Muslims.
Asked if elections would hold should the military fail to eliminate Boko Haram in six weeks, President Jonathan said that the new dates are sacrosanct and a new president would be sworn in by May 29.
He argued that the goal was not to totally eliminate Boko Haram but to make adequate security arrangements for the election.
On the issue of his perceived weak support especially as it relates to the missing Chibok girls, the president demanded for more time.
“Just give us some times.
I believe the story of the 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,” he said.
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 Musdapter, who had explained to him that his analysis of corruption cases in Nigeria showed that most of such cases were really acts of theft.
“It is not actually my quotation. I quoted the former Chief Justice”, he said while trying to defend his previous comments on corruption and stealing.
President Jonathan promised to hand over power 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, arguing that Nigeria is more important than any individual
Source: #HallmarkNews
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