The presidency slams ex-president's 'reckless' accusations

Abuja - The presidency on Wednesday hit back at criticism by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, describing his widely
leaked letter accusing Goodluck Jonathan of leadership failures as "indecorous" and "reckless".
Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati said in a statement that Obasanjo's letter to President Jonathan was deliberately
leaked to the media in an effort to "to impugn the integrity of the president".
In the 18-page missive, the former head of state -- who ruled from 1999 to 2007 -- accuses Jonathan of failing to tackle a litany of problems, from corruption to
piracy, kidnapping and oil theft.

He also takes the president to task over party infighting and a crackdown on dissenters.
"I want nothing from you personally
except that you should run the affairs of Nigeria not only to make Nigeria good, but to make Nigeria great for which I have always pleaded with you and I will
always do so. And it is yet to be done for most Nigerians to see," Obasanjo wrote.
He added that he was speaking out
because he felt the country was heading in the wrong direction.
"I could sense a semblance between the situation that we are gradually getting into and the situation we fell into as a
nation during the Abacha era," he said.
Sani Abacha, a dictator in power from 1993 to 1998 when he died, ruled Nigeria with an iron fist, jailing and driving his critics into exile. Abacha's regime jailed
Obasanjo and several others for his
alleged involvement in a failed coup plotin 1995.
Abati said Jonathan would in due time respond to the letter and "the most reckless, baseless, unjustifiable and indecorous charges levied against him and
his administration".

He added that it was "highly unbecoming, mischievous and provocative" that the letter was "deliberately leaked to the
mass media in a deplorable effort to impugn the integrity of the president and denigrate his commitment to giving Nigeria the best possible leadership".

Obasanjo contested and won elections in 1999 and 2003 on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, now
enmeshed in crisis.
He guided his chosen successor Musa Yar'Adua to an election win in 2007 and still holds huge sway in Nigerian politics.
Yar'Adua died in office and was succeeded by Jonathan.

Nollywood Stars Campaign For President Jonathan’s Reelection In 2015

Pro-government rallies, reminiscent of the Abacha era, are on their way back in the country.
This time, they will be at the instance of Nollywood stars whose delegation met yesterday in Abuja with the National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) ,Alhaji Bamanga
Tukur, to work out the modalities.
The project is planned to include ‘peace’ rallies and concerts in the six geo-political zones, according to leader of the delegation, Emeka Ike.
It is expected to be in collaboration with celebrities in the music industry and Nigerian footballers.
The organisers said the rallies would be geared toward addressing the drifting
socio-political situation in the country.
Ike told the party chairman that the stars would mobilise Nigerian youths on the need for togetherness and peaceful
coexistence in the country, most
especially at the grassroots.
The artists said the planned rallies would also focus on the need for the PDP to resolve its internal crises so that the ruling party could focus on governance in the interest of the Nigerian people.
According to them, a module has been developed for infusing the culture of responsiveness and national interest in political office holders in the land.
The event, they added, would also feature renowned footballers like Celestica Babayaro and music stars like 2-Face Idibia.
The rallies will be preceded by a press conference in Abuja on Monday followed by mobilisation of Nollywood and football
stars to Maiduguri, the Borno State
capital, which has been the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Ike said: “We would round off by
mobilising the Nigerian youths, including Nollywood, football and music stars in our
country to Maiduguri to campaign for peace”.

Tukur expressed delight in the move by the stars to champion the cause of peace and national reconciliation in the country
and urged other Nigerian youths to join the train.

The party chairman said he was of the conviction that the stars could repackage Nigeria for a better image, stressing that the country was in dire need of such
packaging at this point in history.
He encouraged the stars to embark on the planned rally and promised to lend the required inspiration towards the success of the rally.

“I am aware that you people have
conquered Africa because your movies are being watched across Africa and the rest of the world.

“Today, I want to
encourage you to take ownership of your successes and move over to be global citizens,”the chairman said.

A pro-government rally took place on October 6 at the Murtala Muhammed Square in Kaduna to solicit support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s alleged bid to contest the 2015 election.

However, the gathering tagged Northern Youth Rally ended in chaos after the participants began demanding their “share of the money,” the organisers allegedly collected from the presidency.

Security operatives took away an official of the Northern Youth Forum (NYF) from the venue to prevent him from being lynched by the angry youths who threw sand, stones and sachet water at him.
The youths shouted: “Give us our own share, give us our own share.”

On August 25, the First Lady, Mrs.
Patience Jonathan, locked down the
Federal Capital Territory metropolis with what she described as a mass rally and carnival organised to take “stock of the gains recorded so far in the empowerment of Nigerian women and the quest for peace in the country”.
The rally was the brain child of the
National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) in collaboration with the office of the First Lady of the Federation.

The programme was organised as part of the ongoing underground campaign for President Jonathan’s 2015 presidential ambition.
The women wore dresses with pictures of President Jonathan .

Nothing Can Make Jonathan Succeed – Mallam Nasir El-Rufai

“President Goodluck Jonathan is
grossly incompetent, he doesn’t
listen, he doesn’t even understand the issues.
I am sorry! I know the man more than those that are shouting with Jonathan because when he was my friend, none of them even knew him.
I knew Jonathan as a deputy governor in 2002. That was when I first met him and we have been relating. So, all these new found Jonathan lovers should just shut up.
I know him and I know what he can do and what he cannot do. So, please, they should just leave me alone. Those that want jobs can go and take jobs. I don’t want”- Mallam Nasir El-Rufai

War On Terrorism: Jonathan Calls For More International Co-Operation

President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja on Tuesday called for greater global co-operation and co-ordination in the war against terrorism.

Jonathan made the call while receiving the new ambassadors of Israel, Russia, Greece, Algeria and Senegal who presented their letters of credence to him during separate visits to the
Presidential Villa.

He said Nigeria and other countries
would benefit immensely from greater collaboration amongst their security agencies in efforts to combat domestic and international terrorism.

"Nigeria will welcome increased co-
operation with countries that are more experienced in such matters like the on- going operations against domestic
terrorist groups,'' the president told the ambassadors.
Jonathan also told the new Israeli
Ambassador, Mr. Uriel Palti, that he
looked forward to visiting Israel later in the year.

He said the visit would afford him the opportunity of discussing ways of enhancing bilateral co-operation
between Nigeria and Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The other ambassadors received by the president were Mr. Alekos
Oikonomopoulos from Greece, Mr.
Nikolay Udovichenko from Russia, Mr. Belkacem Smaili from Algeria and Mr. Amadou Habibou from Senegal.

Jonathan assured the ambassadors that the Federal Government would fully support their efforts to strengthen existing cordial relations between Nigeria and their countries. On their party the new ambassadors all expressed their delight at being posted to Nigeria.

They also promised to do everything possible to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between their countries
and Nigeria.

President Goodluck Jonathan's Easter Message to the nation.

Dear Compatriots, I greet and felicitate with you all aswe celebrate Easter which commemorates the resurrection ofour Lord, Jesus Christ after his redemptive self-sacrifice for the eternal salvation of mankind.

Irrespective of our religion or faith,all holidays provide us with a fresh opportunity to establish stronger bonds with our family, friends and all those around us for more enduring, harmonious and beneficial relationships. As we celebrate this year's Easter therefore, I urge all Nigerians to rededicate themselves to living in peace and oneness with all members of their communities no matter their ethnicity, religious beliefs or places of origin.

By now, it ought to be an acceptedfact amongst us that our immense potential for greatness in the comity of nations derives in the main from our collective strength as a country of close to 170 million people and the acclaimed richness of our diverse human resources and natural endowments.

It follows, therefore, that to successfully achieve our vision of becoming one of the most dominant nations on the global stage in the shortest possible time,we must stay together as a people and continue to effectively resist byall possible means, the evil machinations of global terrorists and their misguided domestic accomplices who seek to provoke turmoil, hatred and harmful divisions among us.

I assure all Nigerians that our security agencies, armed forces and I will continue to fully discharge our constitutional responsibilities for protecting the unity and territorial integrity of thiscountry with all the powers and forces at our disposal.

We must have peace, security and stability to effectively implement our agenda for national transformation in all parts of the country and we shall continue to work ceaselessly to re-establish the prerequisite conditions for nationwide progress and development.

For your part, dear countrymen and women, I urge you to continue to exhibit restraint and understanding in the face of seeming provocations. Those who mindlessly and indiscriminately attack churches, schools, health workers, motor-parks, banks and ordinary road users must be seen as they truly are: the brainwashed pawns of international terrorism.

They do not represent any true religion or section of the country and we must never play into their hands by succumbing to their nefarious ploys to incite religious, ethnic hatred and division among us.

It is my hope and prayer that as we celebrate the glorious resurrection of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, his lessons of self-sacrifice, brotherly love, placing others before self, tolerance, obedience, respect for lawful authorities, dutifulness, diligence, honesty, justice and fairness to all will take firmer root in our beloved country and help us to overcome present challenges and build the more peaceful, secure, united, progressive and prosperous nation of our dreams.

I wish you all happy Easter celebrations. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR President, Federal Republic of Nigeria

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