What Are Jonathan’s Ministers Afraid Of? – Presidency

For asking President Muhammadu Buhari to be sincere enough and publish the reports the former administration handed over to him, the Presidency has taken a swipe at the former ministers in the immediate-past president Goodluck Jonathan administration, saying they should reflect on the deplorable state of the government they handed over to the President.

According to the Presidency, the former ministers should allow the President the peace he requires to handle the reconstruction of the economy and the nation in a manner that most serve Nigeria’s best interests, adding that President Buhari does not need the distraction presented by the so-called association of former ministers.

Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said in a statement that the Presidency asked the country’s latest trade union, the Association of Ex-Jonathan Ministers to do a bit of self-reflection on the sort of government they handed over to President Muhammadu Buhari back in May to determine for themselves if it would have been right for any incoming government, not just this one, to ignore the issue of the brazen theft of public assets, perhaps the first of its kind we have ever seen in this country.

”In this regard, there is no witchhunt or malice against anyone in the pursuit of the country’s stolen assets. This war against corruption knows no friend or foe.

“There is no intention to deny anyone of their good name where they are entitled to it and that President Buhari reserves the highest regards for the country’s former leaders including Dr Goodluck Jonathan who he continues to praise to the high heavens for the way and manner in which he accepted defeat in the last election.

“That singular action remains a feat that has earned the former president and Nigeria as a country befitting commendations all over the world, the latest coming from Mr Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations who visited a week ago.

“For the purpose of emphasis, the issue of fighting corruption by President Buhari is non-negotiable. It is sine qua non to the overall reconstruction of the economy and social systems which suffered destruction and severe denigration under the last administration. President Buhari will not be deterred or blackmailed into retreat and surrender.

“No one in the PDP can accuse President Buhari of undermining the economy when all they handed over to him is at best, a tottering economy hobbled by corruption and the absence of due process.

“Things have become worsened by the continuing fall of oil prices, which is expected to fall even further with the imminent full return of Iran to the market. All he has been doing while around is to put things together, organizing to defeat Boko Haram, paying outstanding salaries, cleaning up the mess left behind, improving security and restoring our relationships with neighbours and the world.

“So what are former ministers afraid of in these things? Have they become a new trade union?

“Let this collection of ex-VIPs allow the President the peace he needs to handle the reconstruction of the economy and the nation in a manner that most serves Nigeria’s best interests. President Buhari does not need these types of distraction presented by the so-called association of former ministers.”

Comments

comments