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How Jonathan saved Nigeria from grave crisis, by Buhari

By Mohammed Abubakar, Abuja
31 May 2016   |   4:20 am
President Muhammadu Buhari in more glowing terms than he had used before, yesterday commended his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who conceded defeat to him.
President Muhammadu Buhari (middle); Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu (left); the oldest journalist in the State House, Alhaji Abubakar Ladan; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the Chairman, State House Press Corps, Kehinde Amodu during a meeting of the president with  members of the State House Press Corps in Abuja…yesterday. PHOTO: PHILIP OJISUA

President Muhammadu Buhari (middle); Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu (left); the oldest journalist in the State House, Alhaji Abubakar Ladan; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and the Chairman, State House Press Corps, Kehinde Amodu during a meeting of the president with  members of the State House Press Corps in Abuja…yesterday. PHOTO: PHILIP OJISUA

• President admits it’s been a tumultuous year in the Villa • Leader explains failure to release looters’ list
President Muhammadu Buhari in more glowing terms than he had used before, yesterday commended his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who conceded defeat to him.He said that but for that singular act, the country would have been in turmoil.

The president who spoke at a press luncheon he hosted for State House Press Corps as part of the activities to commemorate this year’s Democracy Day at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Aso Rock, however, regretted while the former president displayed a high level of patriotism by conceding defeat, his ministers did not share such a disposition with him.

“Jonathan’s disposition on the phone that fateful evening when he personally called me to congratulate me on the election victory, even before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was done with the announcement of the results still baffles me,” he said.

Buhari said he was shocked because for someone who was a deputy governor, a governor, a vice president and a president for six years to concede that easily showed Jonathan’s “great sense of patriotism.”

He recalled that another former military Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, advised him to visit Jonathan for his “statesmanship and decision to save the Nigerian state.”

Buhari also said Jonathan belonged to a party that was at the helm of affairs for 16 years and for him to still go ahead and concede “was definitely not an easy decision.”

The President added that during the visit to thank Jonathan, Abubakar again advised that in order to smoothen the transition process, he, Buhari, should set up a committee to meet with the outgoing ministers of Jonathan to begin the process of handover at that level.
“Jonathan sincerely agreed to the suggestion and I got one of the best bureaucrats, in the person of Ahmed Joda, and told him to look round the country and come up with a team for the task.

“However, when Jonathan told his government this is what I have decided, they simply refused and said how can you hand over to Buhari when he has not been sworn in? That was the end of that good intention.

“So really, it was a nasty exper ience for us. It was also a nasty experience for some of the ministers who were never in government, for them to sit down day and night to work. I saw them, some of them literally lost weight because they were sleeping less and eating less, working on every kobo to be spent,” he said.

The president who admitted that the first year in his second coming as the leader of Nigeria has been tumultuous, owing to the years of damage done to the nation’s governance, however, lauded the media for keeping faith with his administration’s change agenda, even in the face of obvious challenges of economy, insecurity and unemployment facing the country.

“Because we became a mono-economy of oil-rich Nigeria, everybody relied on oil and forgot about solid minerals, agriculture, making and exploring things. We recently just found out that we are poor because we don’t have anything to fall back on. This is the condition we found ourselves and this change mantra had to go through hell up till yesterday.”

The president said when he assumed office he had to trim down the number of ministries from 42 to 24, while many permanent secretaries were also dropped for one reason or another.

He, however, said his government was still shocked when it realised that “those below were still living in the past” which, he said led to the infamous “budget padding.”

“The budget padding was our nasty experience, for me and many ministers who were not in government. We had to work day and night to correct the ills and I noticed that some of them were actually losing weight,” he said.

The president also spoke briefly about his inability to release the list of those who looted the nation’s treasury, adding: “We realised that we can’t talk too much or technicalities would come in and we may realise what we should have realised.”

Buhari advised the reporters covering the State House to always conduct research on those visiting him whenever they plan to ask them questions,
“so that when next they come, they will do some research themselves.”

Earlier, the chairman of the press corps, Kehinde Amodu, said yesterday’s event was the first time that a serving president would host the corps to a lunch and thanked Buhari for the gesture.

Yesterday’s luncheon was the second time that Buhari would meet with reporters covering the seat of power in his one year in the Villa.
The first of such interaction was on Monday, June 22, 2015, a day after he moved into the Villa as the country’s fourth democratically elected president.

34 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    “Jonathan’s disposition on the phone that fateful evening when he personally called me to congratulate me on the election victory, even before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was done with the announcement of the results still baffles me,” he said.

    Buhari said he was shocked because for someone who was a deputy governor, a governor, a vice president and a president for six years to concede that easily showed Jonathan’s “great sense of patriotism.”

    He recalled that another former military Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, advised him to visit Jonathan for his “statesmanship and decision to save the Nigerian state.”

    Buhari also said Jonathan belonged to a party that was at the helm of affairs for 16 years and for him to still go ahead and concede “was definitely not an easy decision.”
    THE PRESIDENT HAS SPOKEN. NO OTHER COMMENT IS HAS MORE VALUE THAN THESE GOLDEN STATEMENTS. GEJ SAVED NIGERIA, PERIOD!

    • Author’s gravatar

      The Question is ”What would have Buhari done if he were Jonathan—Deputy Governor, Governor, VP, and Latter President for six years, and in a party that held power for siteen years”? Buhari is a fool at forty and remains so forever.

      • Author’s gravatar

        In the spirit of magnanimity, is it not time for the insults to stop? Direct your energy now towards project Nigeria and help Buhari. Oh yes you may to check my record over these waves and you will notice that I was equally mistaken of the patriotic integrity of Buhari over the past years leading to his successful election to the hot seat. Now give him space and the time to help build a Nigeria for us all including himself.

        • Author’s gravatar

          My friend, he is the one not giving himself space. His utterance gave reason for my comment. Why should he be baffled that a man held the peace of the country and her unity above his own prestigeous ambition? You should note from his unguided utterance that he will not be willing to hand over to another winner come 2019. Buhari has no integrity,so if your doubt about him has diminished, I do not see why. Better resurrect it.

          • Author’s gravatar

            Be hopeful. No one remains the same from day to day, not even the gods. GEJ has shown that we can be dignified as Nigerians. Buhari is not getting any younger and he will be aware of this, so expect him to work towards a legacy that will hope to erase some of the fouls attributed to him over the years. He has the perfect opportunity now.

          • Author’s gravatar

            Legacy of a President that died on the Presidential chair.

          • Author’s gravatar

            Citizens like GEJ are rare and they have immeasurable influences far and wider that the immediate. I suspect that Buhari will never be the man he was who vowed unguardedly that ‘should he fail … ‘ he will make the nation ungovernable. The shower of grace and magnanimity from GEJ can be expected to have the incredible changing effect on political attitudes even as I note the cowardly defections to APC by those unable to mount a meaningful role in opposition. Take heart child of Nigeria. The spirit of our ancestors are helping us in a way we didn’t dare to wish. We now need stable systems and small government to create a dynamic and agile family of Nigeria and Nigerians.

      • Author’s gravatar

        Bros, he said it “still baffles” him.

  • Author’s gravatar

    This comment on GEJ by PMB shows that genuine reconciliation and peace in going to return to all parts of Nigeria. Well said PMB. Maturity at play.

    • Author’s gravatar

      He did not say he has peace with him or reconciling with him. Read well,digest, disect before you comment. He has said nothing that warrants this flattery of yours. You should understand that he never innitiated any good move, but was compelled to go and do what he had not in his blood and character to do.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Dr Goodluck demonstrated pure patriotism and love for his country by Buhari’s confession. Can such character be ascribed to him (Buhari)? No! His tactical resolve to shield his kinsmen who are killing Nigerians in the rural communities of NC and the Southern states for their animals to feed speaks volume of an evil character. Buhari keeps claiming victory in fighting insecurity in Nigeria while it has become so bad that Kogi state governor is crying that he has lost his ancestral home to killers from Buhari’s ethnic people without a single arrest made.

    • Author’s gravatar

      What it tells me also is that Buhari would not concede defeat easily whenever he loses

      • Author’s gravatar

        You got it. He is wonderiny why Jonathan should be foolish to concede power to him, that he Buhari can not do that. It is showing the way his defeated Governors are behaving. Look at Amechi and Peter Side as they fight Wike, instead of allowing the man to do his work,such a stupid addition to the famous and great name Peter,look at Sylva of Beyalsa? These are the typicals of Buhari attitude and get it at all cost ambition.

        • Author’s gravatar

          The number of inconclusive elections already shows how difficult it may be for this regime to handover to an opposition.

          • Author’s gravatar

            All that is thiefnubu’s little brain working in overdrive . They will all be bundled out of office when the time comes.

      • Author’s gravatar

        But I do not see Buhari serving out his first tenure as president. He does not have what it takes to do so.

    • Author’s gravatar

      Bros, leave Kogi. It is only painful that the innocent there are the victims. I wish they can get the rogue Governor who took what is not his,I wish they can get him and cut his dog like throat.

      • Author’s gravatar

        Am concerned about the lives of innocent rural dwellers. I plead never to be mistaken for a politician. Let me also state that I was referring to Benue State governor and not that of Kogi. Life if sacred and must not be exposed to Islamic extremism

  • Author’s gravatar

    Buhari should tell Nigerians why he intends to destroy the country if Jonathan had not conceeded defeat as he called it because Jonathan was not defeated in the true sense of defeat but was intimidated and rigged out by Jega,Buhari and Boko Haram. Jonathan knew that Buhari was bent on sending Boko Haram against the innocent Nigerians in the North, because he would not have sent them to the South, hence he kept his word that ”His ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian”. Can this wicked devil incarnate see the difference in Leadership, godliness,honesty and patriotism? Can Buhari say he is a patriot? Can a man who itended to throw the country into avoidable war claim to be a patriot? Does Buhari care for the lives of Nigerians less than his inordinate ambition or does he place his quest for power above the lives of the people he wants to lead and is leading today? Does he have the blood of a normal person running in his veins or does he possess the heart, mind and blood of a beast? Buhari is here by implication saying that he was ready for nothing but war if PDP had not handed over to him–whether he won or not. That is either he becomes the President or every body should die. Oh! God, Thank you for compelling this him to reveal this hidden agenda of his, but God, why has this man not died? Can he do that to the next person that will take over in 2019,because we are not ready to sustain the dearth and scotching of hunger any longer? Can he call the person and congratulate him/her? Has Buhari congratulated any opposition leader that won election since he became president or does stay behind the scene and encourage unacceptance and court actions? Hear this shameless man. Here we see who is a man with fatherly heart and a war monger with blood thirsty heart. Afetr Buhari has gone the last mile of his life, what would he leave as legacy? Legacy of human rights abuses and violations or respect for human dignity and rights? On the day when all men shall stand,those he killed by starvation and by deprivation of their lands and farm products, using his employed herdsmen shall be looking at him while he wails in fiery furnace. It wount be long.

    • Author’s gravatar

      Have we all already forgotten the innocent Youth Coppers that were publicly burnt to death after the elections of 2011, all because Buhari incited hatred against all Southerners for losing the election ? We hope Buhari repents for Nigeria’s sake because having such a villain at the helm is the cause of all the recent bad luck faced by Nigeria.

      • Author’s gravatar

        Bros, Peters, do you see Buhari as one that can repent? The man is a saddist. He hates joy, he hates peace, he wishes there will be trouble, real trouble. He breathes trouble, dreams war and drinks blood.

  • Author’s gravatar

    For once I commend Buhari for this personal confession and appreciation of the person of GEJ. Most Nigerians do not know the catastrophy that would have befallen this nation had he not acted in the manner that he did. Reason he has continued to receive accolades and commendations from far and near just for that singular act of conceding defeat. GEJ is God sent and indeed a hero to the political generation of our time.

  • Author’s gravatar

    While Buhari and his co-travelers in APC were spoilling for war, Jonathan surprised them by accepting defeating to confirm his position, “that his political ambition is not worth the blood of any innocent Nigerian”. The difference is clear.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Jonathan saved Nigeria from crisis with the hope that if Buhari implement the Confab agreement, his sacrifice will pay-off as Nigeria depart from unworkable polity to a viable constitutional framework. But Buhari failed to appreciate the hard work and the sacrifice because he does not understand the tenets of democracy. So he did not realize that the Confab Agreement Jonathan handed to him was a blueprint to a new-beginning in Nigeria where the dreams of the founding fathers( Though tribe and tongue may differ in brotherhood we stand) should have started to come true. But Buhari discarded the Confab Agreement and opted for a Juntocracy/Mullahcracy making Nigeria to continue sinking more and more into the irredeemable ditch El-Rufia found her.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Buhari will leave ASO Rock one day,2019 or before only God knows,what people will say about him ,his party APC and his fulani herdsmen lies ahead,GEJ was humble to have handed power to an agressive man from a selfish supporters by a gullible party APC,the voices of their supporters are waning in 2016,unlike 2015

  • Author’s gravatar

    All that will be put to test by 2019 as an enduring precedent or just as we are used to In Nigeria about: All talks and nothing achieved – I. e. window dressing, folks! They should not over dwell on the disposition of Jonathan but carry on to show that leaders are now rational in their thinking; that way, we may get it right by next election i.e. 2019 when results are announced!

  • Author’s gravatar

    This statement credited to President Buhari tell us that Nigeria was in dare consequence had Jonathan refused to relinquish power to Buhari. To every intent and purpose, Jonathan relinquished power to the incumbent president, not because Buhari worn the election. Jonathan did not relinquish power because Buhari defeated him clean and clear, but because he knew what would have befallen Nigeria and Nigerians had he retained power. Buhari did not defeat Jonathan in 2015 general election. Jonathan has enough ground and power to have contested the election result up to the Supreme Court, but because of the evil intention of Buhari, the northern oligarchy and the south western Nigeria, who all wanted power by all means; and would have done everything possible to throw Nigeria into a perpetual turmoil, he (Jonathan) decided to congratulate him (Buhari) and to hand over because he has always maintained that his ambition is not worth the shading of blood of any Nigerian, even the least person. President Buhari has repeated this statement the up-tenth times, both within Nigeria and in foreign lands. Buhari, we all know is a violence man and he was ready to pull down Nigeria in order to achieve his ambition. He was surprised that Jonathan showed magnanimity to surrender power to him. For a man, who has been in power for so long a time, tasted the sweetness of power and all the boisterous ingredients of power to hand over just like that looked stupid to Buhari. But God knows why Jonathan called to congratulate him at that material time, and to vacate office when he did. God is creating another vacancy for Jonathan somewhere, which would be greater than the office of President of Nigeria. Very soon, Nigerians and the world would celebrate Jonathan in another dimension. My advise for President Buhari is that he should toe the line of humility, respect to rule of law, fear of God, tolerance to shared opinions, patriotism and try to unit the diverse regions and tribes in Nigeria. He should respect the principle of federal character and have regard for all the regions in Nigeria without neglecting any part during his time.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Personally, i dont think so. Let us go deeply a bit. Jonanthan, as president, then, after trying his utmost best to change the nigerians mandate, spent every last kobo left in the tresury, to come back a second time, tried to force himself in power, realised finally that the finger GOD, has spoken. We are still picking pieces, today. He did not release power because of love of country. He did so because the handwritting was clearly on the wall, that if he forces issues, he will not live to see or be part of that victory. It was a choice of life and death, for him.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Please NDA sheat your swords. Please we plead with you.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Grave Crisis? Indeed all weapons of war must have been put in place by the opposition party to ensure that Nigerians experienced Bloodbath. My question is, of what use is a king without a kingdom or a leader without a follower? I hope those who seek power by all means will learn this great lesson and understand that no political position is worth the life of any citizen. Do not destroy what you can’t create, cos the creator will demand from you that which He spent time to create. May God help us.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Buhari made the most patriotic and state-manly statement about GEJ. If GEJ had remained in power as the venomous politicians around him wanted, it would have been more terrible for the nation. Not because Buhari or a political party would take up arms and start bombing the nation, but the nation would have gone practically down due to the weight of looting of national treasury under GEJ’s watch. There is no way GEJ would be able to muster the political will to prosecute the set of people being prosecuted now for looting the national purse. There would not have been hope for any recovery of stolen funds as we have witnessed in recent times. Nigeria would have gone totally bankrupt and left to the mercies of mercenaries of foreign interests around GEJ who mortgaged the nation on the platform of their personal greed. GEJ knew he would not be able to cope with the reality, so the most honorable step for him was to allow a neutral person come in to clean up the mess. GEJ was a victim of those he worked with. He was whipped to silence by those he trusted, not knowing that he belonged to Nigerians and not to some cronies around him. Wish GEJ well where ever he is and hoping he will have the same mindset like Buhari by cooperating with him to rebuild the nation rather than allow some miscreants soil his image in the name of militancy.

  • Author’s gravatar

    By this disclosure, is Buhari indirectly saying that he will not hand over power to the winner if he happens to lose the general elections in 2019? We need to read between the lines! Buhari is unlikely to concede defeat if the elections of 2019 do not go in his favour. Watch out folks, we are in for interesting times.

  • Author’s gravatar

    why should the president be baffled? the truth is simply Jonathan could not have done otherwise. the kind of loss Jonathan suffered in the north was such that could weaken and scare anyone, no matter how stubborn the person might be. Jonathan knew his refusal to accept defeat in that election meant monumental disaster for him. He would never survive the onslaught that would be unleashed on him. The man felt betrayed by everybody and everything in the north. and so that call was not genuine, it was just a ploy to save his skin and it was a well calculated plot that is yielding dividends for Jonathan today. without that call he would have been cooling his feet in detention today, what with all the revelations that he ordered the misappropriation of government funds.