2015: Presidency Replies Northern Elders Over Chibok Girls Ultimatum

                     

Odogwuemekaodogwu.blogspot.com reports that the Presidency has replied to the threat by the Northern Elders Forum that President Jonathan should forfeit 2015 re-election if he refused to bring back the  Chibok secondary school girls who were abducted in April, 2014 by the dreaded Boko Haram.

In a statement titled ”re:ultimatum issued by northern elders forum”,signed by the  Senior Special Assistant to the president (Public Affairs), Dr. Doyin Okupe,  he reminded the NEF that the President does not require a reminder or threat to perform his duties to his people.

The Northern Elders Forum in a press statement signed by Barrister Solomon Dalung and Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, had given the President from now till October to provide the chibok girls or kiss his reelection goodbye.

The statement reads ‘“In the light of our firm conviction that the insurgency and related security challenges pose threats to the 2015 elections and the survival of our nation, we strongly advise President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to bring an end to the insurgency in all its manifestations and produce the Chibok girls before the end of October, 2014. The circumstances under which our fellow citizens in and around Gwoza in Borno state in particular live and die will not be tolerated by any people who have a government and a leader sworn to defend them, and they must be reversed immediately. In the event that President Jonathan fails to do this, Nigerians will be left with the only conclusion that he has forfeited his right to ask for our mandate beyond 2015.”

Responding to what seems  like a threat, the Presidency said  ”President Jonathan does not require any threat or ultimatum from any group of persons to be alive to his responsibilities to the Nigerian People.”

”Islamic extremism is a global phenomenon and requires tact, military capability, serious de-radicalisation techniques and community based counter insurgency programmes to ensure success.

In the fight against the insurgents, the Presidency said ” We are improving on our operational capabilities and efficiencies by acquiring more advanced weapons and technologies for our military and security agencies.

”We have drafted more military personnel to the region to strengthen the fighting power of our armed forces.

”We are taking advantage of the offers from our international military and intelligence allies to assist in identifying key locations.

”We are working with our neighbours to secure the borders and limit the movements of the Boko Haram fighters, building on the agreements reached at the recent summits in Paris and London.

”We are deploying more resources to maximize operational efficiency, acquire more advanced and relevant weaponry and boost the general morale of our combatants. This is why the Government recently requested for an additional funding of $1bn.

”And the last piece in the puzzle is targeting the domestic and international funding, and stopping the money flows into the coffers of the terrorists. With all these efforts and the support of our allies, these steps will help fight the threat of the Boko haram and move us closer to bringing the girls back safely.

To counter the accusation that the Presidency is allegedly involved in the continuous attack in the North by the sects, to destablized the togetherness and cooperation enjoyed by the people, politically and otherwise, the presidency said ”The suggestion that the Government is carrying out any scheme to annihilate any section of the country for political gain is preposterous, contrary to common sense, divisive and essentially a deliberate attempt to disseminate “hate mentality” and cause mischief.

”President Goodluck Jonathan was voted for by an overwhelming majority of Nigerians across the board, and he will never promote any policy that is either divisive or inimical to the wellbeing of any section of the polity.
What the country needs today is total co-operation, of all its citizens and stakeholders, with the Government and our military and the security agencies.

”We wish to assure Nigerians that in spite of this and many more distractions, the President is focused on continued successful executions of his transformation Agenda; and the guarantee of the security of lives and properties of the Nigerian people.

It would recalled that the former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako wrote a similar letter to the Northern elders forum, accusing President Jonathan of using  the soldiers to commit crime against humanity, reducing the population of the north through genocide, which, according to speculations, landed him in his present impeachment saga.

 Courtesy Naija Center