Jonathan’s self appraisal: PDP, Balarabe, Afenifere, others differ

LAGOS—Mixed reactions, yesterday, trailed President Goodluck Jonathan’s self appraisal of his performance in the discharge of his mandate. The presisdent had given himself an above average rating in his Independence Day broadcast.

While partisans of the president’s Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, pushed to buttress the president’s assertion, opposition leaders and civil society advocates differed on the president’s performance, insisting it was very poor.

 

 Second Republic governor of the old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa went the middle way in his own assessment of the president’s assertion, saying the president has performed but not to the satisfaction of majority of Nigerians.

The country’s leading opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, drew back from commenting on the president’s self appraisal. Party spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the party would come out with facts and figures to rubbish the assertion described as self serving.

Among those who spoke yesterday were Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural and political group; Second Republic member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Junaid Mohammed; retired Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubarkar Tsav; Senate minority leader, Senator George Akume; minority whip of the House of Representatives, Samson Osagie; Ogbonna Nwuke, Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency, River State and erstwhile deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Austine Opara.

President Jonathan had in his Independence Day speech to the nation asserted that he had delivered on his key promises including that of holding a National Conference.

Jonathan has performed but…—Balarabe Musa
 

Reacting, yesterday, Second Republic governor of Old Kaduna State, Musa who is presently National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP said: “Jonathan has performed but not to the satisfaction of Nigerians. We should put into account the resources available to him and compare it with his performance.”

Signs of failed governance are everywhere —Tsav
 

In his submission, a retired Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tsav, said:  “Claiming that he has performed very well is his personal opinion. He is entitled to it. But I disagree with him because all the hallmarks of failed governance are everywhere. The truth is that he has not done well. The rate of corruption is still high. There is also insecurity which he has not curbed. The seizure of $9.3 million by South Africa is enough to make him resign. But we don’t have good legislators, who are supposed to checkmate his excesses. The truth is that he has not performed.”

Nigeria has never had it this bad – Dr. Junaid Mohammed
Dr. Junaid Mohammed who is also Coordinator of Northern Politicians, Academics and Businessmen, in his reaction affirmed the administration has failed in key areas of combating poverty and providing security.

“Now almost into his fourth year in office, poverty has risen to about 95 per cent according to the World Bank statistics; insecurity is almost taking over Nigeria while the country is almost being torn apart as a result of the divisive tendencies of the administration. Nigeria has never had it so bad since inception.

“When Jonathan was sworn in, Boko Haram was not in control of any village or community in Nigeria but today it is in charge of a vast number of communities and towns in the country with the army looking helpless in confronting the insurgents because the soldiers are ill equipped.

“Again, under this president, corruption has been promoted and celebrated as a way of life and seriously defended by the same president.

“Let me say that if a politician is to be elected on the basis of the promises made by him, Jonathan does not deserve to be elected into office again. It is surprising for him to believe that Nigeria is better than he met it.

“Nigerians should vote him out because he has not added value to their lives in any way and cannot move Nigeria forward,” Mohammed said.

This government has polluted the polity with endless scandals —Akume
Senate Minority Leader, George Akume, on his part lamented that it was sad that a government that promised Nigerians fresh air at inception had turned out to choke the citizenry with its failure and endless spate of scandals.

“It is regrettable that a government which came to power on the promise of providing fresh air has not only failed to live up to it’s promise but also failed to justify its own existence by providing the minimal constitutional expectations of any democratic government. The government of President Goodluck Jonathan has failed to protect lives and property.

“Boko Haram started as a small rebel group which President Umar Yar’adua was poised to crush instantly. His failing health and eventual death robbed Nigeria of a patriotic leader.

“Under Goodluck Jonathan, Boko Haram has been provided with the enabling environment to prosper to such an extent that it has overpowered the Nigerian Army and is now a threat to international peace and security.

“Instead of providing Nigeria with fresh air, the President Jonathan government has polluted the Nigerian air with an endless chain of scandals: The fuel subsidy scam in which top PDP men featured with their children; the alleged theft of $20 billion from our oil revenue and the recent illegal export to South Africa of $9.3 million by some faceless people using a jet owned by the presidents friend.”

Nigerians will tell – Osagie
 

“I don’t have any comment. Let the Nigerian people decide whether he has delivered or not. We are getting to election period. Nigerians should be able to tell. I don’t want to say anything further.”

That is his opinion— Nwuke
 

Mr. President is entitled to his opinion. The true judges of the performance of his administration are the Nigerian people and looking at the feelers that are coming from the Nigerian people, it is not certain that the government has delivered as he claimed.

Yes, he has a right to say so, but what are the yardsticks for measurement? Now, we are talking about delivering power to the Nigerian people. Can we say in all honesty that since the signing of those MOUs with the private sector there has been any remarkable improvement in all the deliveries?

There are claims that Mr. President has delivered on the railway. Can we also say in all honesty that the trains are running? Now, what of the issue of economy? All we hear is that the economy has been rebased, that Nigeria is the largest economy. How much of that has impacted the ordinary Nigerian? Can Nigerians today put food on their tables?

Can they claim to be better today than they were yesterday? Those are the real issues. If the people are not being impacted upon, government at the federal level cannot claim to have done well.

Nigeria was made ungovernable for him—Afenifere
 

Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, in its reaction stated that the president would have performed better but for the insurgency that has confronted his administration.

Speaking with Vanguard, Afenifere’s national publicity secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin said: “This is one president who has confronted the most uncommon challenge in the history of Nigeria. I don’t think when he took over power he had the mind that he was going to spend the better part of his time battling the Boko Haram insurgency. The country has been made ungovernable for him and the governable space has been reduced under his presidency.”

We should not play politics with everything— Opara
Former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Opara in his reaction said President Jonathan has performed and his achievements are there for all to see.
 

He said: “I believe he has done very well and it could be seen by everyone. Today, our train track is running and Nigerians can ask themselves when last such was seen in this country.

“Nigerians could say nothing has been achieved in the power sector but the fact remains that he unbundled NEPA and he is set for greater heights in the power sector. Insecurity is being tackled today and everybody can attest to the fact that some level of success has been recorded by the military and some of the insurgents have been submitting arms and turning themselves in. So we should learn not to play politics with everything in this country”.