Presidency: Jonathan won’t contest if excluded by amendment

Presidency: Jonathan won’t contest if excluded by amendment

Written by Mohammed S. Shehu Friday, 29 July 2011 05:20

The Presidency yesterday berated the opposition  for what it terms “abusive and insulting” criticism of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s  proposed bill for single term tenure, saying , however, that the president would not run if the amendment excludes him.

Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati told newsmen yesterday at the State House, Abuja, that Jonathan had already ruled himself out when he said in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, before the elections that he would not seek for a second term in office.

Abati said, “I believe what it means in very clear term is that the President will not be a beneficiary. In other words, the President will not come in 2015 to benefit if the amendment says so. Because, if he tries to do that, those who are saying it is an attempt at tenure elongation will have been vindicated.

“What I find again in some of the reactions of the opposition is that some of the reactions have been patently abusive or if you like insulting; it’s been suffused with a lot of name calling. I think that politicians have a right to be partisan because it is the nature of politicians to be partisan. However, where national interest is involved a certain level of objectivity is important and people should

Abati said the proposal was not personal and that as a  “citizen and as a man who is the leader of Nigeria at this moment, has every right to express his vision to say this is where I want the country to go this is what I think is in the best interest of  Nigeria given our current level of political development.”

Abati was apparently reacting to the public outcry that greeted the proposal especially from major opposition parties against the proposed bill.

He said that the tenure extension is not a new issue and that Jonathan must have consulted widely before coming out with the proposal.

He also noted that Nigerians would have the final say on the matter, noting that, “The third point to note is that this is a democracy and the statement that has been made by Mr. President is not in any way a military order, it is just a proposal. The fact that it is not a military order means the proposal does not have an immediate effect, the decision at the end of the day will be that of the Nigerian people.”

Abati maintained that the single term proposal by the President would not in any way affect the running of governance, saying that the proposal was not a distraction as being insinuated by the opposition.

On whether the proposal was coming too early in the life of Jonathan’s administration, Abati said that since 1999, there had been debate on constitutional amendment, saying that it is a continuous process.

He explained that Jonathan’s proposal for the single term was not for selfish interest but for the interest of the nation, adding that it would curb the level of election violence and use of money by politicians.

He noted that the Bill would be forwarded to the National Assembly in August, adding: “We have to wait until that proposal become a Bill and the National Assembly debates it and we all know the details.”

Abati added that the President has made it clear from the word-go that his proposal is not meant for him to pursue any personal interest.

SOURCE: Daily Trust Newspaper, (29 July 2011) www.dailytrust.com