President Goodluck Jonathan has said
that he did not sign an agreement with
any group or persons not to contest the
2015 Presidential election for a second
term in office. Also, he has described as
unfair, the continuous strike by the
Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU), despite efforts by his
government to address the infrastructural
decay in institutions of higher learning.
The President also disclosed that he met
with service chiefs yesterday with an
order to end the embarrassing attacks by
Boko Haram, adding that the state of
emergency declared had been successful
but the insurgents now look for soft spots
like schools to frustrate and embarrass
government.
Jonathan, during a Presidential media chat
anchored by Senami Ohiemohia of AIT,
with Shehu Dauda of Capital Post, Nosa
Igiebor of Tell Magazine, Gloria Ume-
Ezeoke of Channels Television and Shola
Oshunkeye of The Sun Newspapers,
challenged those who insist that he
signed such agreement to publish it for
Nigerians to see.
He said that his remarks at an interaction
in Addis Ababa with some Nigerians that,
if the seven-year single tenure passed, he
would not run, were misconstrued.
“I didn’t sign any agreement not to
contest. If I did, they would have shown
you. What I said was, if Nigeria accepts
the single tenure agreement, I will not
run because it will be assumed I’m
greedy, that having served four years as a
president and two years completion of
Yar’Adua’s term following his demise,
adding additional seven years will amount
to 12 years on the seat.”
President Jonathan insisted that the time
was not right for him to declare his
intentions on whether or not to contest
the 2015 election, saying doing so will be
against the Electoral Act and a criminal
offence.
He said: “It is even against the Electoral
Law for me to declare that I would
contest when the electoral body has not
blown the whistle,” adding however that
his silence should not be a stumbling
block to other people interested in
contesting because they must prepare to
convince Nigerians that they are the
better alternatives.
On the allegations that his aides were
already erecting billboards announcing his
intention, President Jonathan expressed
surprise at the development and said it
would be investigated and corrected since
he had ordered after the 2011 elections
that all billboards bearing his campaign
should be pulled down.
On ASUU’s strike, Jonathan said the
union’s continuous demand for earned
allowance was not part of the Federal
Government’s responsibility as they are
supposed to be paid from internally
generated revenue, adding that touting
infrastructural decay despite efforts
meant to address it was unfair. He
appealed to the lecturers to return to
class.
He said the government had fulfilled the
major part of the 2009 agreements and
that the others would be fulfilled as time
goes on.
President Jonathan said he personally
ordered the inventory of all the
universities in the country with the aim of
exposing the problem and gradually
addressing them.
“That is why we released N100 billion to
uplift the infrastructures of the
universities across the country. We
cannot solve all the problems overnight.”
Presidential Jonathan expressed surprise
that in spite of his goodwill to the
universities, ASUU had decided to remain
adamant, hinting that it was high time
labour laws were looked into to check
some of the excesses of striking workers.
He said: “ASUU strike is very unfortunate.
Throughout this period, government
decided to take inventory in schools. Our
technical team set up, visited all the
schools and presented video and pictures
to the Federal Executive Council and I
directed the Vice President to ensure that
the same report was presented to the
National Economic Council meeting, which
has governors as members.
“After seeing those documentations, we
said this must change. For us to take that
inventory, it means we are committed to
improve the university infrastructure. So,
for ASUU to go on strike on this, is unfair.
They didn’t prompt us to take this
inventory, we did it voluntarily.
“No government wants to expose itself,
so, for me to do this it shows we are
committed. I didn’t expect the strike to
last this long, that it has lasted this long is
unfortunate.”
On the immediate steps to end the
strike, President Jonathan said: “I call on
ASUU, for the sake of our children, to
return to class. Their earned allowances is
supposed to be paid from internally
generated revenue. We are only assisting
them, it is not mandatory.
“Even if we have all the money in the
world, we can’t solve all the problems
now and we have released N100 billion
outside the line budget, they should
return to class.”
The President described the seat of
power as hot because “whatever happens
in the country, people look up to the
President to solve it,” adding that despite
the numerous challenges, Nigeria was
better off under his administration.
He listed the establishment of more
federal universities, stemming corruption
in the agriculture and petroleum sectors
as well as the successful sale of power
generating and distribution companies to
the private sector as part of his
achievements, saying the results would
soon be felt.
President Jonathan denied that the
Nigerian economy was bankrupt,
describing those behind such assertions as
unpatriotic.
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