President Goodluck Jonathan has replied former head of state, Muhammadu Buhari, over the latter’s stinging statement on Monday, in which he accused him (Jonathan) of subverting the system and punishing the opposition, saying it was most unfortunate that the All Progressives Congress chieftain and his allies have resorted to the blame game instead of working hard to put their house in order.
Jonathan said, “It is most unfortunate that instead of working to put their house in order and resolve the leadership crises and internal contradictions that have plunged their party into a downward spiral, General Buhari and his opposition allies have resorted to blaming a blameless President for their woes”.
In a statement issued last night by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, the president said he received the former military ruler’s “wild and totally unsustainable allegations” against him with surprise and regret”.
In a statement which he personally signed on Monday in Kaduna, Buhari, in his first public reaction to the impeachment of former Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako and a similar scenario now playing out in Nasarawa State, urged Jonathan to pull the brakes on his administration’s runaway train of impunity in the interest of Nigeria’s survival and the sustenance of the nation’s democracy.
He said: “Our country has gone through several rough patches, but never before have I seen a Nigerian president declare war on his own country as we are seeing now. Never before have I seen a Nigerian president deploy federal institutions in the service of partisanship as we are witnessing now. Never before have I seen a Nigerian president utilize the common wealth to subvert the system and punish the opposition, all in the name of politics”.
But in a swift reaction, the president stressed that he remained “fully committed to upholding the letters, principles and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution as he has sworn, and defending the rule of law and integrity of the democratic process with all his might.
“It may well be time to pull the brakes, as General Buhari says in his statement, but it is he and others who have resorted to idle scapegoating and blaming President Jonathan for their self-inflected political troubles who need to stop their inexcusable partisanship and show greater regard for the truth, democracy, constitutionalism, the rule of law, peace, security and the well-being of the nation”, Abati added.
Noting that Buhari was no more the elder statesman he once commended him to be, Jonathan said, “Although he tries very hard to deny it in the statement entitled ‘Pull Nigeria Back From the Brink’, there can be no doubt that General Buhari has sadly moved away from the patriotic and statesmanlike position he recently adopted on national security, which President Jonathan publicly commended, and has now reverted to unbridled political partisanship.
“We, therefore, urge General Buhari to tarry a while, ponder over his own antecedents and do a reality check as to whether he has the moral right to be so carelessly sanctimonious”.
Abati continued, “There can be no other explanation or justification for the completely unwarranted and very uncharitable assault on the conduct and integrity of President Jonathan which the statement he issued represents.
“General Buhari’s main grouse, which clearly motivated his ill-considered statement, appears to be what he called ‘the gale of impeachments or the utilisation of desperate tactics to suffocate the opposition and turn Nigeria into a one-party state’.
“The processes for impeaching an elected governor are clearly stipulated in the nation’s Constitution which Nigeria has operated since 1999. The president of Nigeria is not assigned any role in that process and President Jonathan has certainly not played any role in the recent impeachment of Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa or in the impeachment drama currently being played out in Nasarawa State”.
On the allegation of plunging the country into a state of anarchy, Abati said, “General Buhari talks about anarchy; he needs to be reminded that President Jonathan, from his humble beginnings as a deputy governor in Bayelsa State to date, has never in his acts, or utterances, recommended or promoted violence as a tool of political negotiation”.
According to the presidential spokesman, contrary to whatever General Buhari and his supporters may imagine, President Jonathan fully respects the rights, powers, authority and independence of elected representatives of the people, including the members of the state assemblies who have concluded or initiated impeachment proceedings against their state governors on grounds which they consider justifiable.
Defending his principal on the impeachment saga, Abati noted that “The constitution does not give the President any power to intervene in such proceedings and President Jonathan has never arrogated such powers to himself or sought to exert any nefarious and unconstitutional influence on state assemblies in Adamawa, Nasarawa or anywhere else in other to secure undue political advantage for his party as General Buhari unjustifiably alleges.
“President Jonathan remains true to his declaration that no political ambition of his is worth the life of a single Nigerian. The president has definitely not declared war on his own country or deployed federal institutions in the service of partisan interests as General Buhari falsely claims. Neither has he been using the common wealth to subvert the system and punish the opposition, as the former head of state inexcusably asserts.
“Also, President Jonathan has never at any time ordered that any Nigerian should be kidnapped, or that anyone should be crated and forcefully transported in violation of decent norms of governance”, he said, in a veiled reference to the attempted, but unsuccessful abduction of the Minister of Transport during the Shehu Shagari democratic administration, late Umaru Dikko from Britain to face corruption charges in Nigeria during the Buhari-Idiagbon military regime.
He is no longer a statesman?? 4 me ‘he was never a statesman!!!’ look @ comments he drops recklessly and u will knw he is a devil incarnate
Buhari is goon, is merely a nuts man can write this kind of letter, don’t worry after 2015 election You and ur evil “boko haram” will leave our beloved country. Let’s watch and see..
Does a statesman talk the way he is talking,anyway I never blame him,by now he supose to be paying for some of statement of his.He said during the last general election that if he did not win he will make the country ungovernable & he did,he should be held responsible for the trouble the country is going thru nw.he was the one who declared war against Nigeria & not president Jonathan Goodluck.so Buhari should be arrested & be persecuted for his unguarded statement.
Jonathan is David while buhari is saul. 2015 is divinely for david, saul stop plotting evil.
General Buhari,with due respect sir kindly leave our dear president to do his job
Haba! Guys why are u all so selfishness in ur comments. Did Gen Buhari tells anything lie about Jonathans mistakes and his misrule in his bad administration?
Its a shame that people like Buhari are claiming Nigeria as their own country. From all indication, that old man has no love for Nigeria and it is doubtful if he is truly a Nigerian. All his utterances are purely aimed at causing commotion and I keep asking myself- why so? Are old men not supposed to be peace makers?
Disgraceful statement, let’s he forget y did he overthrew Democratic elected government. “Shagari” He still have d gods to speak all kinds of calumly against a working n humble President. He will n can never rule my country NIGERIA again. God bless Nigeria.
I was there when Buhari ruled and I can see a big difference. Buhari fought tooth and nail against corruption but Jonathan flanks himself with corrupt people. Buhari had a systematic government, now it is a disrupted government. Buhari brought discipline to all government parastatals even school but now the students can go to hell for all Jonathan cares. The difference is clear. Statemanship is not in words but in action. Dazzol!
I imagine while every one of u as been applauding jonathan as if he’s the only man on earth. It was his time we’re experiencing boko haram,retual killers. Imagine what as been a good news about this jonathan just only bad news everytime no light,no job,security so what is the reason why is there he should just pack his load $ get out to bayelsa. jonathan his not your fathers heritage so live $ let another person try.
the situation we are in to day is quite unfutunate.i remember in the runoff to 2011 election the then vice president atiku aabubakar said something about experience, so am not surprise all that’s hapning to day as aresult of the in experience on the part p.jonathan
Hmn!Reuben Is Reminding Us How Buhari Fought Corruption.Crating Dikko To Come And Face Corruption Charges!Alot Of People Needed To Be `Crated’ To Jail Out There!You And I Knew Them Unfortunately They Are Dining And Wining Right Inside The Villa And Scheming How Nigeria Will Remain Theirs For Eternity.I Feel Deep Pain In Me Whenever We The Masses Chose To Be Led By The Nose.Some Issues Just Bother Me.Why Is Impeachment Happening In Only Opposition States And Why The Move For Lone($1bn) To Fight Insurgents When The Millitary Had Already Admitted They Are Well Equipped Than Boko Haram In February When Shettima Borno Gov,told Us Bh Is More Equipped And Motivated Than The Military.They Told Us Shettima Was A Fool And Today They Admitted That The Military Has Not Been Equiped For 25 Years.Who Is Fool? And If Really The Fg Needed Such Bogus Amount To Fight Now,what Have They Been Doing For The Past 3yrs.Nigerians Wake Up.If Buhari Had Threatened The Gov Anytime And His Not `Crated’, The Fg Has A Serious Problem.
GEJ is a green snake under green grass!
He pretend a lot. And this fed. govt is d most corrupt govt in d history of this country. But soonest all shall be with Nigeria.
I always keep wondering why some people very much inconsiderate of the truth of all matters tabled before them. Is it ignoramosity or just sheer bigotry? You don’t need a pair of an eye to see that what the present Jonathan administration is doing is a mere exercise of political power suffocate the opposition in the process of decimating the any other party apart from the ruling party. This can be clearly picked from the way the wave of the impeachment moves (from one opposition state to another) as well as the antecedent statements the ruling party was quoted to have said in a number of occasions that security and political turmoil happen only in opposition states. Yet some unscrupulous brainwashed educated illiterates are calling the general of the people (Buhari) names simply because he is a Muslim from the North and their corrupt leaders and lopsided Newspapers have painted him black in their eyes. You better stop your malevolent hatred towards the North and its people as the North will achieve a greater height with or without your consent.
buhari, is wonout, is No longer relevant. who are d book haram? buhari of cause.
buhari should go and seek for God intervention on his soul first. Before split out those rubbish from his mouth. Who is him to be talking like kid to our dear presido like that? Tell Him (Buhari ) & his APC should tell d president be ok.
Rubeen, i hope u too are Nt Miss leading d president? Cos i can nt call him my president. Is a president of few people like Rubeen, ngozi, labaran, petroleum minister & his wife patience. look Nigerians ar No more fools anymore, Nemesis we catch up on our bad leaders including the bad eggs in d presidency.
I pray to witness the time that the masses of Nigeria will be seeing and saying the truth regardless of religious, tribal, or regional identity of where the truth came from.
Yeye idiot and criminal. Buhari stands head and shoulder above the drunk and criminal in ASO GRAVEYARD.
Jonathan will rot in jail for looting nigeria shamelessly
Gen. Buhari should be very careful
a true statesman is one who sacrifices for generations to come. Who does not consume the future of the unborn generation. One who fears God and does not pretend to fear God yet consults mediums and witchdoctors masked as pastors. who does not mortgage the nations future to hold on to power at all cost and finally who does not drink his life away and sign off the future to just hold on to power. Jonathan represents all that a statesman is not and i applaud buhari for avoiding any contact with this demon called jonathan sent from hell to ruin this nation. Accursed is anyone that menytion jonathan as Gods anointed.
VERDICT 2014… GOD HAS RESERVED A DESTRUCTION AND WRATH FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ENRICHED THEMSELVES ILLEGALLY WITH THE RESOURCES OF THIS NATION TO THE RUINS OF THE NATION AND THE SUFFERING MASSES. THE JUDGEMENT OF GOD COMES DOWN HARD ON JONATHAN AND HIS PATRONS THIS DAY. THERE IS NO 2015 UNTIL THE JUDGEMENT OF JEHOVAH HAS BEEN FULLY EXECUTED ON THIS CRIMINAL PRESIDENT AND HIS BAND OF LOOTERS AND ADVISERS. AMEN AMEN.
GENERAL BUHARI HAS NOTHING TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT BECAUSE NO EVIL CAN TOUCH A MAN WHO LOVES AND CARES FOR THE POOR MASSES. THE LOOTERS AND OPPRESORS OF THE POOR ARE THE ONES THAT ARE IN DANGER OF BEING CONSUMED BY THE MASS REVOLT OF THE POOR FOR THE SHALL BE CONSUMED, THEY AND THEIR HOUSEHOLD. YOU INCLUSIVE, MR GAA. THE MASSES ARE BEHIND HIM AND THE STORM IS GATHERING. ITS ABOUT TO ERUPT. THE WRATH OF JEHOVAH AGAINST ALL YOU LOOTERS OF THE NATIONS RESOURCES.
buhari is a great man …he has an ecperience of governing a nation like nigeria..but gej is a dumbes fool.