Former President Goodluck Jonathan said he is ashamed that Nigeria is
now being used as a negative example in the international community.
He cited recent instances when the Ghanaian president, Nana Akufo-Addo,
allegedly mocked the poor state of security in Nigeria and the naira’s
weakening status, The Punch reports.
Jonathan spoke at the inauguration of the first bridge built by Governor
Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Friday, May
25.
The former president lamented that things were so bad in the country
that Nigeria had lost its respect in Africa.
He said: “He (Ghanaian President) said Ghana is not like Nigeria where
cattle roam the streets.
At another occasion in the United Kingdom, he made scathing remarks
about Nigeria’s currency. “I feel ashamed as a former president that the
president of a neighbouring country used Nigeria as negative examples.
“If a neighbouring African president will use Nigeria to make negative
examples, then we as leaders must know certain things are wrong in the country.
That means we as leaders must change the way we do things.”
The former president, therefore, urged Nigerian leaders to show serious
concern, noting that many things had gone wrong in the country.
Jonathan also reportedly advised President Muhammadu Buhari to resist
pressure to rig the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti state and subsequent
elections in the country.
He said: “I use this opportunity to call on Mr President because I was
there before. When you are there, there is so much pressure on you to use your
power to subjugate democracy.
“Don’t do that because when you are going; the only thing you leave
behind is your good name. If you use it wrongly, posterity will haunt you.
I call on Mr President to use his
power to strengthen democracy.” He praised the people of Ekiti for their
support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), urging them to support the
youthful candidates of the party in the election.
The party has elected 50-year-old deputy governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola,
and 39-year-old Deji Ogunsakin as his running mate.
Jonathan described Fayose as an exemplary leader and loyal party man,
who had done the PDP proud in all areas.
He said: “I don’t believe anybody can defeat the PDP in Ekiti if
election is going to be held.”
Jonathan also defended Nigerian youths, saying they were one of the best
in the world and should not be branded lazy as recently remarked by Buhari.
“We must encourage young people to work hard. I don’t think Nigerian
youths are lazy, I have worked with some of them in my cabinet as governor and
president. Nigerian youths are great people with intelligence,” he said.
At the event, Governor Ayodele Fayose said the 77-member election
committee raised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Ekiti
governorship election showed the desperation of the party to win at all costs. “I
will defeat them by the grace of God,” he said.
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