Another
opportunity for the resolution of the festering crisis in the ruling
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to have been lost again:
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday postponed his meeting with the G7
governors, citing health challenges.
The meeting, earlier billed for last night at the presidential
villa, will now hold on an unscheduled day within the week, according to
the president.
The president said the deferment of the parley became necessary
considering “an almost six-hour flight”. He spoke to reporters on
arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after a
five-day visit to London.
The president, whose plane arrived at the Abuja airport from London
about 7:08pm, said he would continue to dialogue with the governors in
line with the tenet of politics which is all about discussions.
But as President Jonathan spoke, the G-7 governors with whom he was
to hold the peace meeting were also in a closed-door session at the
Sokoto Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.
Jonathan had fallen sick in London where he had been since Wednesday
for the meeting of the Honorary International Investors’ Conference
(HIIC). He could not attend the opening ceremony on Thursday last week
following abdominal pains which doctors described as acute. The doctors
had reportedly advised him to take some time off to rest.
On arrival at the presidential wing of the Abuja airport, Jonathan,
who rarely addressed the press on his return from foreign trips, told
State House correspondents that he was very grateful to Nigeria for the
birthday wishes he received in torrents on the pages of newspapers.
On the seriousness of his illness, he said: “The most important thing
is that I’m back. Of course you should expect that when you are holding
a political office as the president of the country or governor of a
state, anything that affects you can create a lot of apprehension. So,
even if it is that the president is sick alone, even if you don’t know
the ailment, definitely it will cause apprehension.”
On whether he was meeting with the G7 governors last night, he said:
“Tonight? No, I don’t think I will be able to hold any meeting tonight.
You know six hours’ flight is quite a distance. Also following from my
health challenges, I think the meeting will be rescheduled. But we will
meet within the week.”
Asked to specifically announce the actual date he was going to meet
with the governors this week, he said, “I don’t know; I’m just coming
in, but I believe within the week we would be able to meet.”
President Jonathan disagreed with those who claimed that his meeting
with the G7 governors was not yielding any fruitful result since some of
them were already deeply rooted in the camp of the opposition against
him, just as he noted that he and the governors belong to the same
party.
“You see, politics is all about discussions. This is all about
politics. We belong to the same political party; even people from
different political parties engage in discussions. Political discussions
are continuous processes. Even during elections people discuss. So, we
will continue to discuss.”
Thanking Nigerians for their goodwill towards him on his birthday, he
said, “First, let me thank and appreciate Nigerians for the show of
love and concern since Wednesday, that even though I was in London I
read from the papers how people congratulated me, remembering my
birthday that I don’t normally celebrate. But people know and so they
normally congratulate me. I read in the papers and I have to thank
Nigerians.
“And especially, the issue of my health because I really had health
challenges. I have to thank God again for the concern shown by Nigerians
and the love. We thank God that I’m very okay to resume work, I
believe, from this night.”
Asked about his position on the ongoing investigation into the N255
million bullet-proof cars bought for the aviation minister, Princess
Stella Oduah, Jonathan admitted that the three-member panel he set up
about a month ago to probe into the matter has submitted its report to
him. He however refused to comment further on the matter.
The car scandal had generated a serious controversy with some
Nigerians from the opposition camp alleging that the decision by the
president to set up the panel of inquiry which has former head of
service Isa Saleh as chairman and the national security adviser (NSA),
Col. Sambo Dasuki, as member was diversionary.
On whether he was satisfied the performance of his ministers at the
HIIC meeting, while he was indisposed in the UK, he said: “Yes, all of
them performed. I think there is some kind of misconception. The
Honorary International Investors’ Forum meets two times a year, one time
in Nigeria and one time outside Nigeria, in most cases London -- and
the last time, I think it was France and so on. Ministers are not meant
to sit throughout the period.
“Ministers are meant to go and make presentation, even in Nigeria.
The only minister that normally sits throughout is the minister of
industry, trade and investment that we are having in the HIIC. Some
ministers don’t normally sit for two days. In one day, you may not
normally see a minister if the minister is meant to make presentation on
the second day.
“So, it is not that from the beginning to the end for the two days,
you will expect all the ministers. I read the stories that the minister
of communications technology and the minister of petroleum were not
there on Thursday. They were not meant to make presentation on Thursday;
they appeared on Friday and they made their presentations. Even in
Nigeria, I even stayed more because it is a group that advises the
president; if I am not there, the vice president takes over.
“Myself and the vice president exchanging our positions and the
minister of trade and investment are those who really stay throughout.
The ministers, CBN governors, chief economic adviser, the finance
minister, minister of planning and everybody come and make presentation
and sometimes they sit during the plenary session. So, there is no issue
about ministers. People make a lot of insinuations out of nothing”
Aliyu, Kwankwaso, others meet in Abuja
Meanwhile, governors Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Aliyu Wamakko, Rotimi
Amaechi, Abdulfattah Ahmed, Sule Lamido, Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso and
Murtala Nyako of Niger, Sokoto, Rivers, Kwara, Jigawa, Kano and Adamawa
respectively were in what a source called “strategic meeting on the way
forward”.
The meeting was on at the Sokoto Governor’s Lodge in the Asokoro District of Abuja at the time of going to press.
But a source close to the meeting said the governors needed to
“brainstorm on the next move as a result of the postponement of their
meeting with the president”.
Full transcript of the president’s interview:
First, let me thank and appreciate Nigerians for the show of love and
concern. First, on Wednesday, even though I was in London I read how
people congratulated me, remembering my birthday that I don’t normally
celebrate anyway. But people know, so they normally congratulate me and I
read in the papers. I have to thank Nigerians and especially on the
issue of my health, I really had some health challenges. I have to thank
God again because the concern shown me by Nigerians and the love --
thank God that I am very okay to resume work, I believe, from this
night.
On meeting with G-7 governors?
I don’t think I will be able to hold any meeting. You know six hours’
flight is quite a distance and also following from my health
challenges, but we will meet.
How soon?
I don’t know; I am just coming in. I believe within the week we will
be able to meet. Politics is about discussion. We belong to the same
political party or even people from different political parties engaged
in political discussion, and political discussion is a continuous
process: even during election, people discuss. So we will continue to
discuss.
On the report on the aviation minister (Stella Oduah)?
The committee I set up – the members have submitted their report.
Is it true ministers abandoned the conference in London?
All of them performed very well. I think there are some kinds of
misconception. The Honorary International Investor Forum meets two
times in a year -- one in Nigeria and one outside Nigeria, sometimes in
London; most cases is London. The last time it was France or so.
Ministers are not meant to sit throughout the period. Ministers are
meant to go and make presentations even in Nigeria. The only person that
normally sits throughout is the minister of trade and investment that
warehouses the HIIC. Some ministers don’t normally sit for two days; in a
day you may not see a minister. If a minister is meant to make a
presentation on the second day, it is not that for the two days you will
expect all the ministers. Because I read some of the perceptions in the
media: that the minister of communication technology was not there on
Thursday; the minister of petroleum was there on Thursday. They were not
meant to make presentation on Thursday; they appeared on Friday and
made their presentations. Even in Nigeria, I even sit more in the
meeting because this is a group that advises the president. If I’m not
there, the vice president takes over. Myself or the vice president,
trade and investment, CBN governor, economic adviser, finance minister,
planning are the ones are the ones who stay more. So there is no issue
about ministers -- people make a lot of insinuations out of nothing.
Was the illness serious?
The most important thing is that I am back. You will expect that when
you are holding a political office as the president of a country,
anything that affects you attracts a lot of attention. So that the
president is sick alone -- even if you don’t know ailment -- definitely
it will cause apprehension.
People place flowers and light
candles in front of the Maxima supermarket in Riga, Latvia, on Saturday,
November 23, two days after dozens of people reportedly died in a roof
collapse. Riga Mayor Nils Usakovs said authorities suspect building
materials stored on the roof caused it to collapse Thursday.
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