Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Jonathan speaks on power,security,tenure in libya


•The
President
takes
questions on
many issues in his maiden
media chat ... last night
President Goodluck Jonathan
last night assured Nigerians of
his administration’s
commitment to improving
security.
But he noted that the rising
security challenge is incapable
of leading to this country’s
disintegration.
“We are working on changing
the security architecture of
the country. We know we
have challenges, but I can
assure Nigerians that the
security challenges will by
brought under control,” he
said.
Dr Jonathan said efforts were
on to engage all stakeholders
to ensure a permanent
solution to the crisis in Plateau
State, which has claimed many
lives.
The President spoke in Abuja
during his maiden media chat.
It was broadcast on national
television.
Silverbird’s Stella Din anchored
the interview.
The President said he has no
regret mooting the
contentious constitutional
amendment proposal of seven
years single tenure for the
President and Governors.
He said it was aimed at
stabilising the country’s polity,
and argued that without
political stability, the economy
would not grow.
He disagreed with the
insinuation that the country
will soon disintegrate because
of insecurity. He said: “I, as the
current President of this
country, do not agree with
that insinuation that this
country will disintegrate. That
people are throwing bombs
does not mean that the
country will disintegrate.”
He observed that it was not
the first time people would
express fears about the
nation’s unity, but that the
country, despite its
differences and problems, has
always survived as one entity.
Citing past crises, particularly
the Civil War and the Niger
Delta unrest, Jonathan argued
that the level of economic and
social integration achieved by
the people does not indicate
that the country would
disintegrate.
“We will not disintegrate. And
I can assure you that between
now and 2015, Nigeria will
remain a single entity,” he
said.
He justified his suggestion for
a single tenure for the
President and governors,
saying although he is yet to
send a Bill to the National
Assembly to that effect; he
was proposing a single term
of seven years for president
and governors while the
Legislature should have
multiple tenure of six years.
He based his push for a single
term on the high cost of
running elections. He said
Nigerians would one day
decide on the issue and
assured that it has nothing to
do with personal gains.
Besides, said the President, he
does not have the fiat to
impose the amendment.
Jonathan chided those
commenting on the proposal
when it was yet to be
submitted to the National
Assembly.
“I have no regrets over the
single tenure proposal
because it will stabilise the
polity,” he said, adding:
“I said seven years actually; I
did not talk about six years.
My thinking is seven years for
President and governors, but
for the National Assembly, I
said six years.
“The feeling that probably you
have hidden agenda makes
people to oppose it, but one
day Nigerians will decide. Now
it is like a rumour.”
The President assured of his
government’s commitment to
improving power situation. He
said the government was
working on ways of ensuring
enhanced private sector
involvement in all power
production efforts, including
generation and distribution.
On the crisis in the judiciary,
President Jonathan admitted
that every Nigerian is
concerned about the recent
unhealthy development in that
arm of government. He
believed in the ability of the
judiciary, he said, and advised:
“We should allow the judiciary
to reform itself.”
In his view, the peace in
Plateau State is a function of
the people’s resolve to bring
about peace. No matter the
number of soldiers deployed
in the state, except the people
resolve to have peace, it could
be difficult, he said.
The President expressed his
support for dialogue among
Nigerians as a way of
resolving observed
contradictions, but he ruled
out the possibility of his
administration organising any
dialogue. Many have been
pushing for a national
conference to resolve some
critical national issues.
He said the government
would rather set up a body to
review past conferences and
reduce issues which have
been agreed upon to a bill for
consideration by the National
Assembly.
The President also spoke on
the Wikileaks reports, which
he described as mere beer
parlour gossips.
He said the reports failed to
find out the authenticity of the
information provided.
Though he did not deny that
most of the people mentioned
in the reports spoke to
American ambassadors,
Jonathan questioned the
authenticity of the report.

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