Jonathan: I’ll Bring Opposition to My Cabinet If Re-elected

President Goodluck Jonathan has said he will open the door for new people, including those who oppose now, to join his administration and serve Nigeria if he finally wins the race to return as the country’s president on March 28.

Likewise, the president has pledged to hunt down the Boko Haram insurgents, whose operations he acknowledged, had caused collateral destruction of lives and property in the,North-east in particular.

The president expressed the view in a document that
emanated from a meeting he held with Strategy Group, a forum of trusted northerners and southerners on February 14.

As contained in the document, the president said he would inject new blood into his cabinet if re-elected, saying the door “will be open for new people to join me and serve including even those who oppose now.”

The document addressed diverse challenges currently
confronting the North at large, citing the scary poverty kid,which it acknowledged, had aggravated the operations of the Boko Haram insurgents.

The document said: “It is true I lost of time in dealing with this problem. This was because I listened to advice to try several tracks and not just the military option. We tried the political and negotiation track.

“It did not work. Now I am going for an all-out assault in conjunction with our neighbouring countries and other helpers. We shall hunt them down so we can provide a more secure future for our citizens in these areas. I thank our courageous men and women in the armed forces for their sacrifice.

“I understand the poverty problem of the North. I see the destruction of lives and property caused by Boko Haram.Once we drive out Boko Haram, I shall personally take charge of a rebuilding programme for the North-east. I have already put instruments in place and will use them.

“I have PINE, Save School Initiative, Greenbelt and Victim Fund among others. I shall use these instruments to improve lives and livelihoods and give our citizens in these areas a better future,” the document said.

The document, also, detailed the feat the Jonathan
administration in power sector, noting that his government“has pushed further on power than other government. We have privatised the sector so that new and better owners and managers can help us.

“But I know power has not improved to the extent we want. This is largely due to lack of gas and pipeline vandalisation. My plan is to tackle this through employment of technology to help deter and detect vandals.“I am also diversifying power sources, already mainly to hydro so we are not dependent on one source. We are building massive dams such as Kashimbila, Zungeru and Mambila to help us. I plan to exploit coal as well.” It incisively x-rayed the effort of the administration in the fight against corruption, noting that his administration had convicted more corrupt officials than any administration since return to civil rule in 1999.

The document rolled out how the Jonathan administrationhad been using modern platforms and technology to fight corruption, which it said, reflected in the rating of the Transparency International.

“I am committed to fighting corruption. Contrary to the
misinformation you get, this administration has achieved a lot on this front and the Transparency International rating for Nigeria is better now than it was a decade ago. I acknowledge and accept we still need to improve.

“We are far from where we need to be. But we have fought oil subsidy fraud, pension fraud, fertilizer fraud and cleaned these up. We are using technology to build electronic platform to manage our finances and personnel payroll and stop leakages there. This is the way we must go in the future.

“I plan to put in place the institutions and systems to stop leakages. The EFCC has made many more arrests and convictions in this administration than ever before. I respect the rule of law and people are punished if found guilty,” the document quoted the president saying.

THE EMPTY PROMISES OF A GENERALISMO

FA: Mr. General Sir, how long will it take you as president to bring back our girls?

GMB: We have all this while ensured their safety, so we will bring them back unfailingly in the first week of my
administration.

FA: What if the Boko Haram change their mind and refuse to give them back?

GMB: I am a general. I will personally take generators to Sambisa, light up the forest and locate the girls.

FA: How do you propose to do this, Sir?

GMB: Mind your business! It is top secret.

FA: Why did you go for the last Council of State meeting, Sir? For a long time, you have refused to attend.

GMB: I will soon be living in Aso Rock. I wanted to familiarize myself with my new home for the next eight years.

FA: What do you think of the postponement of the elections?

GMB: The election postponement was a military coup by President Jonathan and his agents. Coup-plotters should not be elected as president of democratic Nigeria.

FA: But Mr. General Sir, you yourself were a coup-plotter in 1984. You overthrew a democratic government. Nigerians remember you as the tyrant who terrorized their lives then.
Why should we vote for you now?

GMB: It is harsh to judge me by my 1984 record. Everybody knows that a military regime is different from a democratic government. A military regime must act militarily: it cannot act democratically. I told the Catholic bishops when I went to campaign with them:
“I am a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.” By the way,
that is from 1 Corinthians 6:17 in the bible. Be sure to include that for the benefit of my mushrooming Christian supporters.

FA: Do you now read the bible, Sir?

GMB: Of course! That is democracy. I even attended a
Thanksgiving Service in Lagos and pretended to sing some praise songs. I am the apostle of change. Have you not noticed I now wear a suit? That gimmick came from our American image-makers. When we are in power, we shall change everything. All cars in Nigeria will start driving on the left instead of on the right as from May 29, 2015. That should create at least two million new jobs.

FA: But General, Sir; you cannot change the scriptures.

GMB: What do you mean?

FA: The scripture you quoted is from 2 Corinthians 5:17 and not 1 Corinthians 6:17.

GMB: You are a very stupid boy. Just wait. We shall tamper with all of you when we are in power.

FA: Don’t you think you should at least apologise to Nigerians for the wicked things you did in the past?

GMB: You can keep waiting for apology if you want, but a general does not apologise for his actions. Never! I will win this election without any apologies. It is the PDP that needs to apologise to Nigerians for monopolizing power for the last 16 years.

FA: Were you in your right senses when you did those wicked things in the past?

GMB: You are mad! Foolish boy! Barawo! Admit it: you are a card-carrying member of the PDP. Nonsense!

FA: You said before that Moslems should not vote for non-Moslems. Should Christians vote for non-Christians like you in this election?

GMB: Do you know what change means? Get a dictionary and check. Change means change. It means to change. I am the change candidate. That means I have changed the things I was saying before. That’s called electioneering, in case you don’t know. Once we win the election, we will change back.

FA: Nevertheless, the basis on which you are asking Nigerians to vote for you is your anti-corruption stance in 1984. Why has that not changed?

GMB:You small boy. You think you can use this stupid logic to dabaru a whole general with embarrassing questions? You don’t know who you are dealing with. It is only a foolish man who believes everything he hears. There is change and there is change. Some things will change and some things will not. Once
I become Head of State, the problem of corruption in Nigeria will change forever.

FA: But Sir, you were Head of State before and your regime did not end corruption in Nigeria.

GMB: The problem of Nigeria is that people don’t have respect for their elders anymore. Look how you are questioning me. Am I your mate? Can’t you see I am a 72-year old man?

FA: Don’t be offended, Sir, this is an interview and we are supposed to ask probing questions.

GMB: You have no home-training. When I am presido, I will not be the father of the nation. I will be the grandfather of Nigeria.

FA: General Sir, the discussion was on corruption.

GMB: Of course, I know. Do you think I am going senile? As I said in Port Harcourt, I will ensure that there is no room for integrity in Nigeria.

FA: You mean no room for corruption, Sir.

GMB: That is what I said. FA: How will you achieve this, Sir? GMB: I will arrest all the corrupt people and send them to jail for 300 years.

FA: You might need to build a few more jailhouses then. The prisons are already over-congested.

GMB: Of course, yes. I will create one million jobs by building prisons and then lock all PDP members there.

FA: What about members of your own party, Sir?

GMB: Stupid boy. Don’t get smart with me. There are no corrupt people in APC.

FA: Sorry, Sir.

GMB: Sorry for you. Arrant nonsense! Do you think I just came up with these excellent ideas? I thought about them for a long long time. I will place corruption under arrest in Nigeria and send it to jail.

FA: Well done, Sir.

GMB: That’s more like it.

FA: Are you still in favour of the establishment of sharia throughout the country? Or have you changed in that one as well.

GMB: I am not here to answer stupid questions. I am running an issue-based campaign. Issue-based! This election is about the incompetence of the ruling party. It is about what the PDP has not done and not what the APC will do. In the meantime, our policies are top secret. But we can see that the ones of the
PDP are not working.

FA: General Sir, the issue of your school-leaving certificate is still making waves. Why not put the matter to rest by producing your original certificate?

GMB: It is an insult to ask a General to produce a WASC certificate. Any day, any time, a general is equivalent to a Ph.D. I have a Ph.D in coup-plotting, military strategies and Maitasine destruction. My CV is there for all to see and behold.

FA: But Sir, you signed an affidavit that your certificate is with the military.

GMB: Yes, I did. But during the bomb explosions at the Ikeja cantonment, regrettably the certificates were destroyed. In any case, I have asked Cambridge/WASC to send me the original certificate.

FA: When can we see it, Sir?

GMB: It is coming by ship. They have assured me that it will get here unfailingly by May 30th, 2015.

FA: The election would have been over by then, Sir.

GMB: There is nothing I can do about that.

FA: Mr. General, Sir, your vice-president said you will create 720,000 jobs a year if you are elected. How can that be effective when there are 1.8 million new job-seekers every year?

GMB: What Professor Osimbande was saying is that...

FA: Professor who, Sir?

GMB: Professor Osobombay…

FA: Who are you talking about, Sir?

GMB: You stupid boy, if it was in the days of Decree 4, I would have shown you pepper. You know who I am talking about.

FA: Yes Sir; Professor Osinbajo Sir.

GMB: Yes, what Professor Osimbande was saying is that we will start with 720,000. But soon, we will be creating millions and millions of jobs. In fact, under my administration, Nigeria will start exporting jobs. We will create so many jobs; we will export jobs to Ghana, Ivory Coast and the entire West African sub-region.

FA: Very good, Sir. Very wonderful!

GMB: You have seen nothing yet.

FA: What are your plans, Sir, for reviving the economy?

GMB: I have practical plans. Very practical plans!

FA: What are they, Sir?

GMB: Wait and see.

FA: I think, General Sir, Nigerians need to know what they are now.

GMB: I plan to expose the PDP as a very corrupt party.

FA: Very good, Sir, but the question is about your plans and not about the PDP.

GMB: My plans will take into consideration the effects of the bad government of the PDP over the years.

FA: Having taken that into consideration, what then will you do, General Sir?

GMB: I will assemble a team of top professionals up and down the country to study the situation.

FA: What else will you do, Sir?

GMB: I will single-handed increase the international price of oil to 200 dollars. That kind of magic can only take place under the All Progressives Confidence.

FA: What did you say, Sir?

GMB: What do you mean?

FA: Your party, Sir, what did you call it.

GMB: Are you mad? The All Progressives Confidence.

FA: But Sir, that is not the name of your party.

GMB: Stupid boy. What is the name?

FA: Your party is the All Progressives Congress, Sir.

GMB: Of course, I knew that. I just wanted to see whether you know it, that’s all.

FA: What happens, Sir, when you lose the election again?

GMB: Impossible!

FA: But Sir, what if you lose?

GMB: Then I will run away in 2019.

FA: You mean you will run again, Sir.

GMB: That’s what I said.

FA: At what age will you stop running, Sir?

GMB: Maybe at 102 years!

FA: Finally Sir, how are the dogs and the baboons doing?

GMB: The dogs and the baboons are doing very well for now.But if there is any hanky-panky on March 28, I assure you they will all be soaked in blood.

Jonathan challenges Buhari to a debate at Chatham House

President Goodluck Jonathan has challenged the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress in the March 28 election, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), to a public debate at Chatam House in United Kingdom saying it would deepen democracy.

According to him, the debate calls to question "your refusal to accede to requests for a Presidential Debate here at home in Nigeria."Jonathan threw the challenge in an open letter to Buhari by the National Coordinator of Wind of Hope, his personal NGO,Mr. Onoriode Akpeh, and obtained by journalists in Abuja.

The organization said it would "fully sponsor" such a forum,adding "all we ask is that you state your preferred date andtime."The letter reads: "Your Excellency, We wish to congratulate you on your recent visit to the United Kingdom where you
delivered a speech at Chatham House, London on Thursday February 26 2015. Your speech at the event is clearly a source of motivation for your supporters who in recent times seem to have lost steam in their aggressive marketing of your candidacy for the office of President.

"The author of the said speech must be commended because your presentation finally acknowledged the achievements of the present government in growing our economy to be the largest in Africa with a GDP of $510 Billion and maintaining a single digit inflation regime.

"However, your action, or may we say your party’s action with regards to the entire concept and aim of the forum,calls to question, your refusal to accede to requests for a Presidential Debate here at home in Nigeria."In our quest to deepen democracy which thrives on robust and constructive deliberations that aids the electorate in making informed decisions, Wind of Hope hereby offers you a platform to debate with the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan before the forthcoming elections at Chatham House where you were so obviously at ease before your supporters
and the international media.

"We wish to state further, our readiness to FULLY SPONSOR such a forum. All we ask is that you state your preferred date and time."Again, we wish to reiterate the import of such a debate in this election which you appropriately described as “Nigeria’s
landmark election” in your speech at Chatham House.

"In closing, we would like to wish Your Excellency well in all your endeavors and do so with the hope that you see our request as a call to duty. Where the future of our country is at stake, no inconvenience is too great to bear. Please accept the assurance of our best regards."

OPEN LETTER TO GENERAL MOHAMMADU BUHARI:

28th February, 2015

His Excellency,

General Mohammadu Buhari,

Presidential Candidate of the APC,

Buhari Campaign Organization,

Area 11, Garki, Abuja.

Your Excellency,
OFFER OF SPONSORSHIP OF PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE AT
CHATAM HOUSE,UNITED KINGDOM.
We wish to congratulate you on your recent visit to the
United Kingdom where you delivered a speech at Chatham House, London on Thursday 26th February, 2015. Your speech at the event is clearly a source of motivation for your supporters who in recent times seem to have lost steam in their aggressive marketing of your candidacy for the office of President.

The author of the said speech must be commended because your presentation finally acknowledged the achievements of the Goodluck Jonathan administration in growing our economy to be the largest in Africa with a GDP of $510 Billion and maintaining a single digit inflation regime.

However, your actions or party’s actions with regards to the entire concept and aim of the forum calls to question your refusal to accede to requests by your supporters and other teaming Nigerians for a Presidential Debate here at home in Nigeria.

In our quest to deepen democracy which thrives on robust and constructive deliberations that aids the electorate in making informed decisions, Wind of Hope hereby offers you a a platform to debate with the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan before the forthcoming elections at Chatam House where you were so obviously at ease before your supporters
and the international media.

Again, we wish to reiterate the import of such a debate in this election which you appropriately described as “Nigeria’s landmark election” in your speech at Chatham House.

We wish to state further, our readiness to FULLY SPONSOR such a forum. All we ask is that you state your preferreddate and time.

We wish Your Excellency well in all your endeavors and do so with the hope that you see our request as a call to duty where the future of our country is at stake, no inconvenience is too great to bear.

Please accept the assurance of our best regards,

ONORIODE AKPE

NATIONAL COORDINATOR

WIND OF HOPE

Pray for peace, total defeat of Boko Haram, Jonathan urges intending Easter pilgrims

President GoodLuck Jonathan has urged
prospective Easter Christian pilgrims to pray for
peace in the country and total defeat of Boko
Haram militants.

The President, represented by the Anambra
Governor, Mr Willie Obiano, gave the advice at the
launch of the 2015 Easter Pilgrimage to Israel,
Greece and Rome on Sunday in Enugu.

He said “as you go to the Holy Land, try and pray
for peace in Nigeria and total defeat of the Boko
Haram and victory for our military personnel.”

He urged the intending pilgrims to work as a team,
irrespective of their denominations so as to lift the
spirit of the entire Nigeria.

According to NAN, Jonathan also advised them to
obey the rules guiding them while in the Holy Land
so as not to bring shame to Nigeria.

The Deputy Senate President, Mr Ike Ekwerenmadu,
also urged the intending pilgrims to pray for the
nation, saying that the problem caused by the Boko
Haram had brought hardship to every tribe and not
just the people of the North East.

Mr John Kennedy, the Executive National Secretary,
National Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC),
pleaded with the intending pilgrims to be good
ambassadors of Nigeria while in the Holy Land.

He said the Christian Pilgrims Commission was
already collaborating with the National Lottery
Commission for Christian Pilgrimage Lottery
Scheme, saying it would afford every Christian the
opportunity of obtaining a ticket that could take
them to Israal or Rome.

Kennedy said that the Commission had introduced
some basic programmes to strengthen the Christian
pilgrimage activities.

“We are introducing basic leadership and skill
acquisition programmes; we also introduced the
youth pilgrimage and Christian Pilgrimage Lottery
Scheme.

“This innovation will be our trust in reaching more
Christians who otherwise have remained
untouched.”

He appreciated Obiano for the large number of
pilgrims he had sponsored, adding that it was a
thing of joy that Anambra was the first to start
the Easter Pilgrimage.

Earlier,the Chairman of NCPC, Archbishop Nicholas
Okoh, advised them not to take laws into their
hands, rather, they should work as a team.

He asked them to remain focused so as not to
distract each other, saying their visit to the Holy
Land was not for shopping, rather, it was for
spiritual exercise.

The Anambra Christian Pilgrim Board Chairman, Dr
Levi Muonanu, called on the Federal Government to
increase sponsorship of more Christians in the
state.

Some participants said they were delighted to be
among those given the opportunity to embark on
the 2015 pilgrimage.

Mrs Nkiru Kwuazu said she was full of
expectations, saying her purpose of embarking on
the Holy exercise was to pray for peace in the
country and for her family.

Rev. Emmanuel Okolo from Awka Dioces said his
going there was for spiritual growth and peace in
Nigeria.

The theme of the pilgrimage is “A Tool for Moral
Transformation and Spiritual Rebirth: Moving to
Stability.”

Trade volume between Nigeria and France hits N1.35trn, says French Envoy

The outgoing French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr
Jacques de Labriolle, has put the trade volume
between Nigeria and France in 2014 at more than
N1.35 trillion.

Labriolle told NAN on Sunday in Abuja that the
volume of trade in 2013 was not different from the
2014 figure, describing 2014 as a “very difficult
year” for both countries.

“The current exchanges, if you add up import and
export, are a little more than six billion Euros.
“We buy every year about four billion Euro
(approximately N900 billion) of crude oil.

“And we re-export between 1.5 billion Euros
(approximately N340 billion) and two billion Euros
(approximately N450 billion) of French products
including refined oil products.

“2014 was a year was very difficult because of
Ebola crisis and because of the slowing down of
business because of the elections.

“But basically, we made in 2014 exactly the same
figure as in 2013; the 2014 result was 12 per cent
more than 2012.”

Labriolle said that the volume of the trade was
good as it was now on the increase, stressing the
need for the trade curve to be on a steady rise for
15 years.the whole African continent and has been for a longtime.”

The envoy said France was working to increase her
political and diplomatic relations with Nigeria.
According to him, the economic relations have been
growing because of the country’s investments
particularly in the petroleum sector.

“What we are trying to do is to put political and
diplomatic cooperation at the same level where oil
and oil exploitation have put them in a long term.

“In fact, France is one of the main investors in
Nigeria because of Total, which have, in fact, more
than 50 billion Euros (approximately N11.3 trillion)
investment in Nigeria.

“So it is a very long term relationship, which has
started with oil about 50 years ago and which is
now diversifying into other fields such as electricity
and industry,” he said.

N175 billion Fraud: 'Imo 'll Repay Okorocha's Financial Recklessness by Voting Him Out'

Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives and Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP Gubernatorial candidate in Imo State,Chief Emeka Ihedioha has restated that the state Governor,Rochas Okorocha misappropriated N175 billion fund belonging to the local governments in the state and as such Imo people have rejected him for a second term in office.

Speaking to Imo indigenes in Onitsha, Anambra State,
Ihedioha pointed out that investigation discovered that the outgoing governor of Imo State had collected from the Federation Account over N175 billion council funds from May2011 to December 2014 which the APC administration cannot account for.

He said that there has not been any clear explanation from the state government as to how the funds were expended,adding that the governor has a case to answer over the misappropriated funds. “We have asked them what they used the money to do, they told us that they have used the money of the local government system collected between May 2011
and December 2014 to build 305 schools in Imo State, they told us that they used the money to build 27 hospitals in Imo State.We know that these projects have not been completed.

“We asked them how much did they use to build each of them.They also said that they used the proceeds from Ada Palm about N4billion as concessioned to Roche to build the 305 primary schools and the same 27 hospitals. They also told us that they used part of the N18.5 billion bond they collected from Ikedi Ohakim’s administration to also build the same
primary schools and hospitals.”

According to the governorship hopeful, “to utilise funds
belonging to local governments to other purposes other than the development of the council areas is breach of the constitution and breach of the will of the people and that offence is punishable. The way to punish that offence is to vote that government of Rochas out.”

He however assured that when by the Grace of God he
becomes the governor of the state he would govern the state by the rule of law, adding that Imo government would be a government of collectivity.

The deputy speaker assured the mammoth crowd: “when you elect me governor your labour will never be in vain and I know how to say thank you because I am a grateful man, I shall always show graditude and the way to show graditude is to give you good goverance which you shall not regret.”

While acknowleding the support given to him outside the state, he promised also to rule the state with the fear of God by the strength that would be given to him by Imo people through their votes.
Ihedioha who also visited the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka and former governor of Anambra State Peter Obi,promised to restore the dignity of Imo man, give education the pride of place, to restore the dignity of labour, to enter into partnership with the youths, to provide enabling environment for industries, to restore the 10,000 jobs disbanded by Okorocha, to restore the santity of local government administration and development centres in the state.

Also speaking, former governor of Anambra State Peter Obi while calling on the people to vote for Ihedioha and President Goodluck Jonathan accused Governor Okorocha of huge debt burden, regretting that Imo State “is now indebted to the tune of N30billion.”

He also expressed regret over the fallen standard of
education in Imo State, adding that the state which used to be the pride of South East in the time past is today at the bottom of ladder in examinations .

The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Viola Onwuliri who presented the President urged the people to vote massively for President Jonathan and PDP candidates, adding that what the president has done for Nigerians he deserves to be returned to continue with his good works.

Also the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh
urged the people to ensure that they vote for the government at the centre, adding that the development in Anambra State was because the immediate past administration keyed into the Federal Government.

Others present at the event held at Holiday Resort, Onitsha include Senators Jerry Alagbaoso, Joy Emordi, PDP National Woman leader, Ambassador Kema Chikwe, House of Representatves members and top businessmen and women.

Group Confirms Tinubu's Secret Plot against Buhari

Ahead of the 2015 presidential elections, the group, Northern Youths under the aegis of Arewa Youth Integrity Forum,have confirmed secret plot by Bola Tinubu and his cronies to tactically move power to the West, citing the health condition of Buhari whom some consider may not be strong enough to survive the four years of presidency.

The group is lending credence to the claim by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is critically ill and unfit to be president.

According to a statement signed by the president of the group, Mal. Ibrahim Abubakar, the northern youths have aligned to the allegation that the fronting of Buhari by Bola Tinubu and his cronies is an attempt to tactically move power to the West over the health condition of its presidential candidate, General Buhari.

It said the alliance of Tinubu and Olusegun Obasanjo is
similar to what happened in 2006 when the north was
tactically denied presidency by fostering it on a sick Umar Yar’adua who died to bequeath the seat to a Southerner.

“We strongly believe this to be another scheme by the
Tinubu/Obasanjo alliance which does not like the north, to deny the north of the presidency. It smacks of the same scheme employed by Obasanjo in 2006 when he presented a sick Yar’adua as the North’s candidate amidst many healthy and vibrant aspirant knowing full well that the latter's health condition will not allow for him to live through the tenure. We strongly refuse this tactic in 2015". It read in part.

Accusing Tinubu of trying to usurp the presidency, the group also queried the reason why the person chosen to be Vice-President to the ailing Buhari whom they allege will be the defacto president perchance the APC wins, is Tinubu ' s aide which will give him the opportunity to loot. Proving their allegation, they queried why it was Tinubu who is in charge of receiving donations for the campaign and logistics.

The statement also called on all well-meaning northerners to queue behind Goodluck Jonathan in the forthcoming polls as the best option for the north so that power will return to it after four years rather than allow those described as haters of the north to tactically cause power to evade the north for
another eight years.

Meanwhile the group has also prayed for the safe recovery of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari who they believe is alleged to be critically ill and under intensive care in a Florida hospital in America. They however advice the former head of state to give his ambition a serious think while in America so as to save from soiling his name and return to the position of statesmanship he truly deserves.