A model (opening) campaign speech for Jonathan (II) Category: Opinion Published on Tuesday, 20 January 2015 05:00 Written by Abu Najakku danbellojikanyari@yahoo Hits: 660 “On corruption, I want to put it on record that no administration can match our records. I wish to inform you today that I have reversed the presidential pardon I granted Mr Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the former Governor of Bayelsa. He is now going to face trial regarding allegations of money laundering. Each of Maina and Steve Orosanye, the former Head of Service, will also answer charges in respect of the alleged mismanagement of pension funds. I have also asked the Supreme Court to retry Bode George, however long it takes. Equally, I have asked the Attorney General of the federation to prosecute those involved in the Malabu Oil scam as well as those who fleeced our country under the guise of petroleum subsidy. Both Faruk Lawan and Femi Otedola are now to defend themselves before the court against allegations of oil subsidy bribe. Having released the investigative report on defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), I am equally going to make public all other reports commissioned by this administration and these include the Nuhu Ribadu NNPC Report, the Galtimari Report, the Architect Bunu Report, the Petroleum Subsidy Report as well as the NNPC Forensic Audit report I have mentioned earlier. “I should also inform you that I have relieved the Minister of Petroleum of her duties in line with the recommendations of the forensic audit report we are releasing today and she is expected to answer all the charges for which the report indicted her. Separately, she will appear in court to explain her role in the N10 billion aircraft charter saga and myriad of other allegations of financial graft against her. “As a leader, I have resolved to lead by example. Accordingly, I am publicly declaring my assets and have asked all federal government’s appointees to do same. Declaration of assets will no longer be in secret if we want to earn the confidence of our citizens. I implore governors and chairmen down to councillors to make public all their assets before and after holding offices as dictated by the constitution. “I am also submitting an executive bill to the National Assembly to consider the withdrawal of immunity for all those wielding executive power and hitherto shielded from criminal proceedings. People who want to offer themselves for service must submit to public scrutiny to determine if their motives are truly altruistic. The immunity clause when removed would help us eliminate questionable characters from our governance system. “PDP, Power! Power, PDP! “If I have dwelt so much on the question of corruption today, it is because of our administration is worried about it. As I have always maintained, my presidential ambition is not worth the life of a single Nigerian. To my mind, we are all in this with the sole purpose of serving the people. We must therefore eschew all sorts of violence. Accordingly, I forbid my campaign spokesmen from disparaging the person of my opponent. Though I want to win, I do not permit any PDP leader or supporter to question my opponent’s educational qualifications for this contest. Having served our country well as a courageous officer of the Nigerian Army, we must accord him due respect and assume that he is worthy of the office he is competing for. “Equally, I call on our party men and women to refrain from questioning his health. We should leave this to civil society and voters to query the state of his health and assess the answers given. In my own opinion, we need to focus on our records in office and convince Nigerians to re- elect us. “I have repeatedly warned against the resort to inflammatory statements by politicians, religious leaders and ethnic champions. As I said before, God didn’t make mistake in amalgamating Nigeria. There are many other countries in this world inhabited by multiple ethnic and religious groups indigenous to them. We must therefore jettison hate speeches that more often than not generate conflict and hinder nation building. Our diversity should serve us well by complimenting whatever shortcomings we perceive in one another. We can, and we must make our country work by inspiring our people to see themselves as citizens of a great nation where freedom, prosperity and the pursuit of happiness are available to all. “As for the PTF report, we shall continue to examine its contents because we think it is necessary for the country to have an insight into the records of service of our opponent. After all, the PTF investigation wasn’t even instituted by our government but those before us. Again, we cannot be accused of partisanship since we have released all other investigative reports that we ordered into various aspects of governance which I have mentioned before. “As you are aware, we have signed a conflict and violent free electioneering accord in which we have all undertaken to maintain peace before, during and after election. I thank all our opponents for signing into the accord and hope that we would observe both its letter and spirit. As an indication of our commitment to fight election crimes, I am sending another bill to the National Assembly to help us enact a law to combat electoral offences. It is my fervent prayer that NASS does this before the elections are over. On my part, I wish to assure you that I will sign that bill as soon as it gets to my table. “This is our only country; please let us conduct ourselves peacefully. Though I don’t envisage it, if our opponents win these elections, I shall gladly congratulate and hand over power to them peacefully.” Dear readers, if the president had said something like these, it would have illuminated and dignified the campaigns, instead of the angry sitcom we saw in Lagos and elsewhere. back to top
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 19:23:25 +0000
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