ABUJA—The Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, yesterday, dismissed as
an empty outburst, the threat by former Niger Delta warlord, Asari
Dokubo, that there would be no peace in Nigeria if President Goodluck
Jonathan was not returned for a second term in 2015.
The party asked Nigerians to “ignore the selfish campaign by the
controversial ex-militant to remain relevant in the political arena,
when he is not in any way working for the collective interest and well
being of the generality of Nigerians, who are looking for genuine change
and leadership come 2015.”
The
arrogance of Shekau and his group is unislamic. Which President if not
Goodluck, will accept somebody to tell him to become a Muslim or resign?
The National Publicity Secretary of the CPC, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, told Vanguard,
yesterday that Dokubo was merely seeking undeserved attention from the
Presidency for pecuniary reasons, adding that he would change his
position when the time comes.
Although he did not say who will be the President in 2015, Fashakin
was categorical that Dokubo will eat his words and line up behind the
new administration.
Fashakin said: “Dokubo will adjust the statement when that time
comes. It is very easy for anyone to say anything when his stomach is
full. When a truly people-oriented regime comes into power, he will
adjust to the reality!
“Let no man’s heart fail on account of Dokubo’s boast. Nigeria
belongs to all of us and its well-being is our collective
responsibility,” the CPC spokesman said.
At a news conference in Abuja last Friday, Dokubo had warned that
there would be no peace in Nigeria if Jonathan was not re-elected for
another term in 2015.
The Ijaw youth also claimed that the relative peace in Nigeria today
was because of Jonathan’s presidency and not the amnesty granted by late
Umaru Yar’Adua and that Jonathan had performed more than any other
Nigerian leader contrary to insinuations that he was weak.
He boasted that contrary to claims of his critics, Jonathan had
transformed Nigeria in a way no other Nigerian leader had ever done. He,
however, did not give the statistics to buttress his claims.
Avoid tribal warmongers — Shettima
But the President of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Alhaji
Yerima Shettima, in a swift reaction asked the President to distance
himself from those trying to give the impression that they love him more
than other Nigerians.
Yerima said: “Jonathan should remember that most of these tribal
warmongers, who are claiming to love him more than others, were working
assiduously to frustrate his emergence as President, when some of us in
the Save Nigeria Group were working round the clock for him.
“They should not forget all in a hurry that some persons particularly
from the South-West and the North, stood their grounds against zoning
and supported Jonathan’s emergence as the President. Why are they trying
to appropriate the Presidency to a particular ethnic group today?
“But our sincere advice is that they should encourage Mr. President
to work hard and earn the support of the people of Nigeria for a
re-election rather than threaten to cause havoc in the country.
“Dokubo should desist from threatening and blackmailing other
Nigerians over his kinsman because he does not have the monopoly of
violence.”
We ‘ll not be pushed aside —IYC
Reacting to the threat from the ex-militant, National President of
the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Mr Miabiye Kuromiema said the Niger Delta
people will no longer be pushed aside as second class citizens. In a
telephone chat with Vanguard, Mr Kuromiema, who justified the
threat by Dokubo, however, warned that Dr Jonathan may be the last
president Nigeria will have.
His words: “The case is very simple. When we were outside
government, they pounded our communities, killed everybody around us.
Now we are in government, they are out there, pounding and making the
place ungovernable for the system. What do you expect? What do you
expect from us? Are we second class citizens in this country? I think we
should wait for that day and see how it plays out.
“My position is very simple: let us wait for that day and see how it
plays out but Nigerians should watch out. When I assumed office, we made
it clear that Jonathan may well be the last president Nigeria will have
and I repeat that.”
Asari is doing more harm than good to Jonathan —Afenifere
On its part, Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, urged the president to caution the ex-militant, noting that he (Dokubo) is doing more harm than good to him.
In a telephone chat with Vanguard, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere,
Mr Yinka Odumakin said: “People like Asari Dokubo are doing more harm
than any good to President Jonathan. For the Ijaw nation that Asari
speaks for, they are only located in Bayelsa State out of 36 states in
the country and I don’t see how the Ijaws can make somebody the
president of Nigeria. Asari Dokubo should know that when they are
talking about the election of the President of Nigeria, it is not the
election of a militant group, where guns are what wins the presidency.
Getting the president of Nigeria is about negotiating with other groups
within Nigeria, getting consensus and not threatening.”
Everybody has a right under the law —OPC
Commenting on the threat, founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC,
Dr Fredrick Fasehun said every Nigerian has a right under the law just
as he urged that people should be allowed to enjoy their rights.
Dr Fasehun said: “I believe that the constitution is there for all of
us to comply with. The constitution guarantees two terms for everybody
and I think people should be allowed to enjoy their constitutional
rights.”
I have always said that Nigerians have the opportunity to enjoy their
own right and their rights includes voting in favour or voting against.
So, everybody must be allowed to enjoy their rights.”
source: vanguard newspapers
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