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Former President Goodluck Jonathan
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Former President Goodluck Jonathan has stressed the need for
Nigerians to be united to enable the country to overcome some of her current
challenges.
In a chat with State House correspondents after his meeting
with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the former
leader said there was the need for all stakeholders towards the development of
the nation.
Jonathan’s comments came against the backdrop of the renewed
agitation in the Niger Delta region, resulting in the reported attempt to
declare the Niger Delta Republic earlier this week. He said the Nigeria’s unity
does not revolve around an individual.
The former president said he and other notable stakeholders
in the Niger Delta, including traditional rulers were working hard towards
ensuring lasting peace in the region
According to him, “It’s not just about me, but about all the
traditional rulers, elders and opinion leaders that are of the Ijaw ethnic
nationality. We have been in touch to see that peace reigns in the country:
those of who that have followed my thoughts when I was here…my emphasis has
been that we need a united Nigeria and I always emphasise that Nigeria is great
not just about the oil so many countries produce more oil than Nigeria, yet
nobody notices them.
“We are great because of our size, the human resources we
have, the diversity we have. If we fragment the country into small components,
we will be forgotten by the world. That has been my focal position and without
peace, there cannot be development anywhere in the world. We are all working
collectively to see that issues are resolved.”
Though some of his former ministers and aides have been
arrested and answering charges, the former Nigerian leader, however, declined
to comment on the current war against corruption by the present administration.
“I don’t want to talk about that’ (fight against corruption)
because there are too many cases that are in court. it will not be fair to make
comments, I will talk at the appropriate time when most of these things are
resolved,” said Jonathan.
Jonathan, who was just appointed to head the African Union,
(AU) Election Observer Team to Zambia, said he had come to brief the President
about his mission.
He said, “As you are aware, I will leading the AU elections
monitoring team to Zambia, I came to brief the President about some of this
external engagement. It is the tradition.
“One key thing is that having been a head of a government, a
former President you become a state property. That’s the privilege you have but
every privilege has its corresponding responsibility, and once you become a
state property, most of your international engagements, that have to do with
public addresses and some international assignments become a national
assignment, you brief the sitting President.
“Even when I was here, former presidents used to do that and
see me. I have been coming, most times I come in the night that’s why you don’t
see me. I came to brief the President about some of my engagements.”
Source: Guardian News
Source: Guardian News
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