The presidency yesterday took a swipe on former
President, Olusegun Obasanjo, when it said the ex
leader left Nigeria in darkness after his tenure.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and
Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said this during an
interview on Sahara TV.
Speaking on the proposed national conference,
which was scheduled to hold this year, Abati hailed
Jonathan, saying it would be better than the political
reform conference that was organised by Obasanjo.
He said, “The last political reform conference,
organised by Obasanjo failed. It ended up the
discussion of tenure elongation and third term
ambition.”
The presidential spokesman equally faulted those
who have questioned why Jonathan’s government
scheduled the national conference for the same
year the country is marking its 100th year of
amalgamation.
He said the celebration of Nigeria at 100 is not
about the Jonathan administration, but a celebration
by the private sector, the state and local
government and all Nigerians.
He also criticised those who have questioned
Presidency’s budgetary allocation, saying,
“everyone is involved in the budget- making
process. Both the intelligent and the unintelligent.
Even okada drivers have become budget analysts.
“Nigerians are concerned about corruption.
[President Jonathan] too is concerned about
corruption.”
Abati also accused the
media of showing support
for the opposition,
thereby, discarding
objective journalism.
“The media as we have it
in Nigeria today is
heavily in the hands of
the opposition. Whatever
the President says, they
twist it,” he said.
He also praised Jonathan
as the only president that
has given Nigerians a
road map.
“What he (President
Jonathan) has been able
to do is historic. We have
never had a president in
Nigeria that presented
Nigeria with a road map,”
he said.
Reacting, Obasanjo, said
he would not join issues
with the President and
his aides. He said
Jonathan was building on
the foundations he laid
while he was the
President.
The ex-president, who spoke through his Chief of
Staff, Mr. Victor Durodola, said he had said his mind
in his letter to Jonathan and the President should
accept his challenge in good faith.
Durodola said, “He (Obasanjo) doesn’t want to join
issues with anybody anymore after that reply
(President Goodluck Jonathan’s reply to the ex-
president’s controversial letter); he really doesn’t
want to.
“I would have told you that everybody knows that
whatever it is that they are commissioning today,
the foundation was laid when Obasanjo was
President; everybody knows that. Most of the
equipment came even before he left.
“But, as I said, he really does not want to (join
issues with the presidency) at all. In one paragraph
in his (Obasanjo’s) letter, he said he had done his
duties to him (Jonathan) as a former president, as a
former Board of Trustees Chairman (of the ruling
Peoples Democratic Party) and as a citizen of
Nigeria.
“It is left for him (Jonathan) to accept the challenge
and do what is right.”
President, Olusegun Obasanjo, when it said the ex
leader left Nigeria in darkness after his tenure.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and
Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said this during an
interview on Sahara TV.
Speaking on the proposed national conference,
which was scheduled to hold this year, Abati hailed
Jonathan, saying it would be better than the political
reform conference that was organised by Obasanjo.
He said, “The last political reform conference,
organised by Obasanjo failed. It ended up the
discussion of tenure elongation and third term
ambition.”
The presidential spokesman equally faulted those
who have questioned why Jonathan’s government
scheduled the national conference for the same
year the country is marking its 100th year of
amalgamation.
He said the celebration of Nigeria at 100 is not
about the Jonathan administration, but a celebration
by the private sector, the state and local
government and all Nigerians.
He also criticised those who have questioned
Presidency’s budgetary allocation, saying,
“everyone is involved in the budget- making
process. Both the intelligent and the unintelligent.
Even okada drivers have become budget analysts.
“Nigerians are concerned about corruption.
[President Jonathan] too is concerned about
corruption.”
Abati also accused the
media of showing support
for the opposition,
thereby, discarding
objective journalism.
“The media as we have it
in Nigeria today is
heavily in the hands of
the opposition. Whatever
the President says, they
twist it,” he said.
He also praised Jonathan
as the only president that
has given Nigerians a
road map.
“What he (President
Jonathan) has been able
to do is historic. We have
never had a president in
Nigeria that presented
Nigeria with a road map,”
he said.
Reacting, Obasanjo, said
he would not join issues
with the President and
his aides. He said
Jonathan was building on
the foundations he laid
while he was the
President.
The ex-president, who spoke through his Chief of
Staff, Mr. Victor Durodola, said he had said his mind
in his letter to Jonathan and the President should
accept his challenge in good faith.
Durodola said, “He (Obasanjo) doesn’t want to join
issues with anybody anymore after that reply
(President Goodluck Jonathan’s reply to the ex-
president’s controversial letter); he really doesn’t
want to.
“I would have told you that everybody knows that
whatever it is that they are commissioning today,
the foundation was laid when Obasanjo was
President; everybody knows that. Most of the
equipment came even before he left.
“But, as I said, he really does not want to (join
issues with the presidency) at all. In one paragraph
in his (Obasanjo’s) letter, he said he had done his
duties to him (Jonathan) as a former president, as a
former Board of Trustees Chairman (of the ruling
Peoples Democratic Party) and as a citizen of
Nigeria.
“It is left for him (Jonathan) to accept the challenge
and do what is right.”
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