Another edition of the Presidential Media Chat that broadcasted live on the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Voice of Nigeria (VON) at Yesterday, Monday, February 24, 2014. During the programme, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan responded to questions from a panel of journalists and media executives on current national issues and developments. All radio and television stations in the country hooked to NTA and FRCN to relay the programme to their listeners and viewers.
The Presidential Media Chat was a well articulated one from President Goodluck Jonathan chose his words carefully,Though he failed to expressly declare his 2nd term ambition, however he gave a very reasonable reason for that.He also said there was nothing like Kerosine subsidy scam as alleged by Sanusi, Jonathan gave an elaborate answer to that allegation
GEJ: For us to have stayed together for 100 years, we need to celebrate it
GEJ: We selected 100 people to honor as we celebrate 100 years
Que: How much would the centenary cost and where is the money coming from?
GEJ: I cannot say exactly the particular cost, but we will accommodate the governors, and feed them. Every other thing is being sponsored by private sector, from America, Dubai, it’s purely commercial enterprise. SEE MORE AFTER CUT>>>>>>
Que: Regarding the national conference
GEJ: We are not saying that without that (National) Conference, Nigeria will break, people make provocative statements.
GEJ: Only one person made submission on disintegration of Nigeria to the committee on National Conference
GEJ: We won’t allow the disintegration of Nigeria to be debated in the National Conference
GEJ: We won’t allow the disintegration of Nigeria to be debated in the National Conference
The conference is definitely not to prevent disintegration. Nigeria will not disintegrate.
GEJ: National conference will not impact on my administration, the idea is not to create any distraction.
GEJ: I don’t want to dictate for the National Conference, the result of the conference will not affect my government significantly
GEJ: The outcome of the National Conference will guide future administration
GEJ: It is so difficult to accommodate all interest group, the National Conference committee came up with different options
GEJ: All political parties with lawmakers will have only two representatives at the National Conference.
INTENTION TO RUN IN 2015
GEJ: The President of Nigeria, based on the PDP manifesto, is the leader of the party (PDP)
GEJ: Even if today am not contesting election, I’ll lead my party to victory.
GEJ: Presently the political atmosphere is really hot
PDP is still the dominant party in Nigeria. I won’t want to use this platform to campaign for PDP but it remains the dominant party in the country
GEJ: Days of Mr President or Governor imposing his will on the people is over. The days where Mr. Governor imposes his will on Nigerians is over. Even if today I am not contesting election, I will make sure I lead my party to victory
QUE: Are you contesting in 2015 or not?
GEJ: I’ll rather leave that. If I said today am contesting, there would be issues. If I said I am, the political atmosphere is presently hot. So I’ll rather leave that.
QUE: Regarding the suspension of Lamido Sanusi
GEJ: Forget whether you like Jonathan or not, as the president, the president has absolute power to suspend the CBN governor or anybody.
GEJ: Sanusi is still the governor of the CBN. Sanusi can come back tomorrow to continue his work. Sanusi only stepped aside. The issue of suspension and removal are very different.
GEJ: If somebody says the CBN is a different country, it’s not true. CBN act is anomalous.
GEJ: When you are dealing with the treasury if a nation, you have to be careful. You have to consult widely. No President will just wake up and take a decision.
GEJ: CBN reports from 2012 had issues and queries raised
GEJ: Some of the write ups on Sanusi’s sack is very unpatriotic
GEJ: Jonathan is not going there to audit CBN. It’s the FRCN that is auditing CBN
GEJ: Even in village meetings if a member commits an issue, he’s got to step aside first
GEJ: On Sanusi We must allow the financial reporting auditing to work.
GEJ: Sanusi is not the first person to be suspended by my government
QUE: REGARDING THE MISSING $20 BILLION
GEJ: The issue of $20B, I don’t know what to believe in his figures. But we must follow due process and rule of law. We were all alarmed, at first it was $49.8 Billion then 20, or 10 or whatever! I don’t even know which one to believe.
GEJ: I did not suspend Sanusi because he was blowing the whistle, nobody is covering anybody up.
GEJ: Government normally place people on suspension pending investigation. When he completes his suspension, he could go back.
GEJ: Suspension Is so you will not stay in that office and frustrate the process of investigation.
QUE: Is the government planning to prosecute Sanusi?
GEJ: Nigerians should wait, they should not just talk about prosecution. If Sanusi has no case to answer, how do you prosecute Sanusi?
JONATHAN DISCUSSES POSSIBLE AMENDMENT OF CBN LAW
GEJ: Definitely the CBN law would be looked into. There are aspects of the CBN operations that must be autonomous.
GEJ: If CBN wants to devalue the Naira they don’t need to ask permission from Mr. President. They are meant to be insulated from politics
GEJ: We have not convicted Sanusi, the deputy governor is acting. You cannot remove everybody (in CBN) then the house will collapse!
QUE: REGARDING SUBSIDY
GEJ: I was involved in Kerosene subsidy as Vice President to Yar’Adua. Kerosene subsidy was never removed.
If I had been allowed to remove oil subsidy all the stories of money missing won’t be coming up
QUE: SECURITY ISSUE/BOKO HARAM/BORNO MASSACRE
GEJ: We are not happy when people are killed, and we're working very hard
GEJ: No country should get to where we are right now in terms of terror
GEJ: The Boko Haram bombings started in Abuja here. If the security men have not been working hard I don’t think there’ll be peace in Abuja
GEJ: I can assure you that we’ll get over it. Pakistan is also facing it, and I don’t want to talk much, but I can assure you we’ll get over it.
GEJ: We have pushed Boko Haram away from Abuja, they are now restricted to the fringes
GEJ: Niger Delta militants don't just kill anyhow
GEJ: The dialogue thing is still working. I promise Borno communities that we will continue to improve
GEJ: The issue of Borno state is very unfortunate. I didn't expect the governor to say such.
GEJ: If the Governor of Borno state thinks Nigerian army are not useful, I will pull soldiers out for one month, just one month! Then may be the governor will know they are working
ABOUT THE POWER SECTOR
GEJ: Global peers accepted that the privatization (of the power sector) was the best anywhere.
GEJ: They’ve even tried more than I anticipated
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