Ultimatum to Jonathan: Maitama Sule, others are jesters

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header class="post-header cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="featured" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Yakassi.jpg" itemprop="image" rel="prettyPhoto" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Ultimatum to Jonathan: Maitama Sule, others are jesters"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Yakassi" class="attachment-main-slider wp-post-image no-display appear" height="336" src="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Yakassi-702x336.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 0.8; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Ultimatum to Jonathan: Maitama Sule, others are jesters" width="702" /></span></a></div> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ultimatum to Jonathan: Maitama Sule, others are jesters</span></span></h1> <a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=77148#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="fa fa-comments-o" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"></span> </span></span></a></header><div class="post-container cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content-right" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content description" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px -1.857em; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Yakassai hits Northern elders over ultimatum to Jonathan on Chibok girls</strong></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">■ Tanko Yakassai blasts Northern elders</strong><b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></b></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Former Political Adviser to ex-President Shehu Shagari, Al­haji Tanko Yakasai, has declared that the ultimatum given to Pres­ident Goodluck Jonathan by the Maita­ma Sule-led Northern Elders’ Forum to produce the over 200 abducted Chibok girls or forgo his 2105 presidential ambi­tion, is irrational.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yakasai, who spoke with <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Saturday Sun </i>in Abuja, said the elders were only making such statement to amuse themselves. He added that such people would always blame the president for whatever action he takes to free the schoolgirls who were abducted from Chibok in Borno State since April 14 by <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram </i>insurgents.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to the 88-year-old Yakasai: “I think they are only making such statements to amuse themselves. By the provision of the constitution of Nigeria, the North alone cannot produce the president; and also the South. It will require the combination of efforts from the North and the South for anybody to be elected as president of Nigeria. Therefore, those who are making this statement are either deliberately ignoring the provision of the constitution or are ignorant about the constitutional requirement for the election of a president for Nigeria.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I don’t think it is rational because you don’t give a time limit in an effort like this if you really want a successful outcome in this effort. You push somebody to do something in a rush and you are not sure of the end result of such an action.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yakassai, a member of the ongoing national conference, also spoke on the outcome of the conference and other national issues in this interview with <b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">AIDOGHIE PAULINUS </b>in Abuja.<b style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Excerpts:</b></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Northern Elders’ Forum gave President Goodluck Jonathan, ultimatum to produce the abducted Chibok girls or foreclose his 2015 ambition. What is your reaction to this?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I think they are only making such statements to amuse themselves. By the provision of the constitution of Nigeria, the North alone cannot produce the president, and also the South. It will require the combination of efforts from the North and the South for anybody to be elected as president of Nigeria. Therefore, those who are making this statement are either deliberately ignoring the provision of the constitution or are ignorant about the constitutional requirement for the election of a president for Nigeria.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I am concerned about the orchestrated campaign on the release of the Chibok girls by some people. I have my fears whether some people are deliberately pushing the president to take a precipitate action which may not help in getting the Chibok girls back to the society without any harm. They are pushing for action that may not ensure the safety of the girls themselves for them only to turn round and blame the president for the consequences of such an action.  So, I hope that the president would bear this my fear in mind whenever people are trying to rush him into precipitating action on this matter.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">re you saying that the ultimatum given by the Northern Elders Forum is not rational at all?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I don’t think it is rational because you don’t give a time limit in an effort like this if you really want a successful outcome. You push somebody to do something in a rush and you are not sure of the end result of such an action.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What is your view about the general insecurity in the North?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">First, it should be noted that the problem of insecurity is not universal in the North. It affected certain areas, limited areas and in particular, three out of 19 states in the North. And it is really not a welcome development to have insecurity anywhere in the country. But I think what Nigerians need to do is to assist the government with ideas as to how the government would overcome this problem.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What is the root cause of the problem?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The government is doing that. If anybody has any assistance to render to the government, I think it is a good idea. Let him go and tell the government. If you know the root cause of this problem, go and tell the government. I am sure the government will welcome you.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As a credible voice from the North, what in your opinion, led to this problem?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Everybody knows the root cause. The root cause is the activities of certain religious group, which started way back in 2002. That is a period of 12 years now. And it is developing because initially, it was not taken seriously by the government and a situation like this, once it is out of hand, you only need to command all efforts that would assist you to bring it to an end. It happened in the Niger Delta area. It took a number of years before the government of the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua was able to tackle the issue and settled it amicably. And I am sure as time goes on, the government will be on top of the situation by getting the right approach to the issue and also, by getting the insurgents themselves to realise the need for dialogue. Anywhere in the world when a situation like this arose, usually, it is only resolved through dialogue. You know of what happened in Britain, the Irish Republic Army insurgency. It took more than 25 years to quell it. But through dialogue, by involving the international community and by stringent effort on the part of the British government, a dialogue was conducted and the outcome of the dialogue was the resolution of the problem. Now, they live in peace. I am sure we too, can achieve that objective if we get the correct ideas and if the insurgents themselves agree to come to dialogue with the government.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Do you see them agreeing to come to dialogue with the government?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sooner or later because what made the Irish Republic Army and Britain to come to the negotiation table after 25 years of struggle, I think, will make also the insurgents in Nigeria, sooner or later, to agree to come to dialogue with the government in order to find a way out of the situation.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">So, the idea that poverty led to the insurgency is nonsensical?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I didn’t say that.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">But that is what some people believe, that the insurgency is as a result of the inequality in the land.</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But we had insurgency in the Niger Delta area. You see, there are so many reasons that you can have, that can lead to disturbances of peace. Poverty can be a factor, but I am not saying that poverty alone is the factor.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Some also believe that the decision of President Goodluck Jonathan to participate in the 2011 presidential election contributed immensely. How true is this?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But I told you it started way back in 2002. So, it is not something that started at the time of Jonathan. If you remember, the situation started when the insurgents were engaging the police, I think in 2007 or 2008 under Yar’Adua. The matter was such that the police could not cope and the result was that they appealed to the government for the military to assist them. And the military was involved. And if you can remember, it was the military that arrested the leader of the insurgents, Mohammed Yusuf, and handed him over to the police and unfortunately, somebody among the policemen shot him dead, which exacerbated the problem. But it is not a phenomenon that happened during the reign of Jonathan.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Some have said the abduction of the Chibok girls is just a propaganda, that nobody was abducted. Is it true?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Well, I am not one of those.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">What response do you have for them?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I said I am not one of them. I don’t believe them.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How do you see the response of the international community to the issue?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It is very encouraging.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">In the course of the Chibok saga, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, came into the picture and said we may not have the complete number of the abducted girls back. How do you see his comment?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Obasanjo is an individual. We have 170 million Nigerians. Each individual has his own opinion. He is not a prophet. God has not given him power to foresee the future.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A former Governor of Rivers State, Sir Celestine Omehia, granted an interview in which he said the North East governors, especially governors of the affected states, did not do their homework very well and that was why the insecurity escalated. He concluded that those governors deserve to be sacked. Do you share his view?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It sounded like a military language. The governors were elected.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">But is it actually their fault?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It is a collective responsibility of all Nigerians. You cannot single out one or two people to say that they are responsible. We are all responsible for what happened that led to the emergence of the insurgency.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">At what point did you join President Jonathan? What attracted you to him?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I did not join Jonathan. You see, I am a Nigerian. I am 88 years old.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Really?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yes. 88 years old. I was born in 1926. If at this age, I don’t know the limit of my effort, then I am not worth my age.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How would you describe his administration?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Like any other administration in Nigeria, it has positive aspect and it has negative aspect.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Which outweighs the other?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I did not put them on a scale. Give me time and I will put them on a scale. But I know there are negatives, there are positives.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2015, will you support President Jonathan?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let him come out. I will support the best candidate that comes out sponsored by the party. So, I am waiting. I have no candidate as of now. When the candidates are out and I see their programmes and I see their parties, then, I will be able to make up my mind.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If the president appoints you his campaign manager, will you accept?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I don’t have the energy.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Can’t you support with ideas from behind?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If he is the candidate of my choice, I will certainly assist him.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As the president’s campaign manager?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Not as campaign manager. I cannot be campaign manager for anybody because I am too old to do that. I don’t have the energy, but I have ideas. Not physical ideas, but mental.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You are a delegate to the national conference. What is going on there?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We were to resume yesterday, but when we went, we were given papers and the papers were voluminous. By my count, they are about 4000 pages. They wanted us to read them.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Is it possible to go through all of them?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This is what they think. But all the delegates said they cannot cope. However, we were told to come to go through the report of the decisions taken by the conference and if we are satisfied that the report is a reflection of the collective decision taken by the conference, then we will approve it. Instead, we were confronted with new issues – a draft constitution which we did not deliberate upon, which is running into hundreds of pages and also, a draft bill which we also did not consider as a conference. So, most people feel that these are new elements in the responsibility of the conference and I am sure that tomorrow, we will be able to express our opinion on them and whatever is the decision of the majority of delegates, so be it.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">North-South dichotomy is really playing out at the conference. What this?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It is not true. It is not true. It is not true.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">But there are intrigues here and there?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Well, intrigue is part of politics. If there were intrigues on North-South dichotomy, we couldn’t have reached consensus on the 20 committees of the conference. If you follow the reports of all the 20 committees appointed, when they reported, they reached decisions by consensus.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How would you describe the conference so far?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Very successful. People were afraid that the conference would signal the dissolution of Nigeria, but it has strengthened the unity. You can see the outcome. We are more united. We understand each other better now than before.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Are you sure the report will see the light of the day?</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yes. I am sure because I can’t see all these efforts going down the drain.</span></div> <div id="adscontainer" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.857; margin: 0px 0px 1.857em; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Ultimatum to Jonathan: Maitama Sule, others are jesters

Ultimatum to Jonathan: Maitama Sule, others are jesters   Yakassai hits Northern elders over ultimatum to Jonathan on Chibok girl...

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GEJ reacts to Northern Elders ultimatum over missing Chibok girls

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-5wQjjU_VLlIVZwMtuP_siSly186JL-crkb1BQVUmccTEStjp0Kwu6GJuO4gqClKodKEK65bMnO1Qui5DpncfP_7JxDnJfWBquCTRERsQjAfyeIww7vc4GkpxxfloQU3jmaymOKMA_u0/s1600/President-Jonathan-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-5wQjjU_VLlIVZwMtuP_siSly186JL-crkb1BQVUmccTEStjp0Kwu6GJuO4gqClKodKEK65bMnO1Qui5DpncfP_7JxDnJfWBquCTRERsQjAfyeIww7vc4GkpxxfloQU3jmaymOKMA_u0/s1600/President-Jonathan-300x225.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="640" /></span></a></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">President Jonathan has reacted to the October ultimatum handed to him by the Northern Elders Forum to return the missing Chibok girls to their families and end insurgency activities in the north. They made this demand at a press conference yesterday August 11th, alleging that the sect activities are politically motivated with a grand agenda to weaken the political and economical interest of the North, with a view of exploiting this weakness in the 2015 elections.</span><br /> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"We are convinced that most of these conflicts are being engineered to weaken the North politically and economically by interests, which intend to exploit such weaknesses for electoral benefits. In the light of our firm conviction that the insurgency and related security challenges pose threats to the 2015 elections and the survival of our nation, we strongly advise President Goodluck Jonathan to bring an end to the insurgency in all its manifestations and produce the Chibok girls before the end of October 2014. Continue..</span></blockquote> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The circumstances under which our fellow citizens in and around Gwoza in Borno State in particular live and die will not be tolerated by any people who have a government and a leader sworn to defend them, and they must be reversed immediately,” the Northern Elders said.<br /><br />Reacting to the deadline, President Jonathan through his SSA on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, released a statement today describing the threat by the Northern leaders as "preposterous" and "contrary to common sense".<br /><br />Find the statement below...<br /><br />We read with deep concern the statement published in the Media today by the Northern Elders Forum giving President Goodluck Jonathan a two ultimatum on the Boko Haram Insurgency and the Chibok Girls abduction Saga.<br /><br />We wish to state categorically that President Jonathan does not require any threat or ultimatum from any group of persons to be alive to his responsibilities to the Nigerian People.<br />The issue of Insurgency especially those ideologically based on Islamic extremism is a global phenomenon and requires tact, military capability, serious de-radicalisation techniques and community based counter insurgency programmes to ensure success.<br /><br />In these areas, the Federal Government is making progress:<br /><br />a)   We are improving on our operational capabilities and efficiencies by acquiring more advanced weapons and technologies for our military and security agencies.<br />b)   We have drafted more military personnel to the region to strengthen the fighting power of our armed forces.<br />c)   We are taking advantage of the offers from our international military and intelligence allies to assist in identifying key locations.<br />d)   We are working with our neighbours to secure the borders and limit the movements of the Boko Haram fighters, building on the agreements reached at the recent summits in Paris and London.<br />e)   We are deploying more resources to maximize operational efficiency, acquire more advanced and relevant weaponry and boost the general morale of our combatants. This is why the Government recently requested for an additional funding of $1bn.<br />f)    And the last piece in the puzzle is targeting the domestic and international funding, and stopping the money flows into the coffers of the terrorists.<br />g)   With all these efforts and the support of our allies, these steps will help fight the threat of the Boko haram and move us closer to bringing the girls back safely.<br /><br />Lastly, the suggestion that the Government is carrying out any scheme to annihilate any section of the country for political gain is preposterous, contrary to common sense, divisive and essentially a deliberate attempt to disseminate “hate mentality” and cause mischief.<br /><br />President Goodluck Jonathan was voted for by an overwhelming majority of Nigerians across the board, and he will never promote any policy that is either divisive or inimical to the wellbeing of any section of the polity.<br />What the country needs today is total co-operation, of all its citizens and stakeholders, with the Government and our military and the security agencies.<br />We wish to assure Nigerians that in spite of this and many more distractions, the President is focused on continued successful executions of his transformation Agenda; and the guarantee of the security of lives and properties of the Nigerian people.</span></div>

GEJ reacts to Northern Elders ultimatum over missing Chibok girls

President Jonathan has reacted to the October ultimatum handed to him by the Northern Elders Forum to return the missing Chibok girls to ...

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