presidential media chat since May 2011. The challenges confronting
Nigeria - insecurity, the economy, corruption, dearth of
infrastructure - were largely discussed. Here's all he said, compiled
by me with additional information from PremiumTimes.
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.
Read full text here:
http://www.forumspotz.net/full-text-president-jonathan-8th-presidential-media-chat-today/
t.co/AESoSziuG0
No comments:
Post a Comment