As former president Goodluck Jonathan continues to receive flaks from all angles following his criticism of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu has vowed to expose him if he continues to attack the president.
Okechukwu asked Jonathan Jonathan to quietly retire to any part of the country of his choice and stop challenging the APC and the Buhari government to a public debate.
He also threatened to open the pandora box on the former president.
Okechukwu told The Nation in a telephone interview that the former President cannot challenge the current government to any public debate because his government failed the nation, leaving major infrastructure to decay, while public funds were freely diverted.
He challenged the former President to show the nation any project that he was able to complete during his six-year in office as President, adding that even the development he did at the nation’s airport was not commensurate with the money voted for such projects.
Okechukwu who was reacting to a statement by the former President that the APC won the 2015 election using lies and propaganda and challenging the party to a public debate in its achievement in office said: “Mr President was very clear that the man left almost an empty treasury, consequent unpinned which we have a huge infrastructure deficit.
The world knows that almost all infrastructure that Jonathan inherited went bad. We are challenging him to show us one project he completed.
”Is it the Green Field refineries. He told us on May 13, 2010, that he is going g to build three greenfield refineries at $23 billion. The contract was awarded to the Chinese under Public Private Partnership. One was to be located in Bayelsa, one in Lagos and the other in Kogi state.
“We challenge him to show us the three greenfield refineries or tell us where the money he voted for the project is. I am talking at a time when our Excess Crude Account was in the excess of short $17 billion. The Chinese came back and told him they were going to contribute about 80 percent of the three greenfield refineries. We have not seen any of them.
“If we had seen the three greenfield refineries which he publicly announced, the billions we lost in the importation of refined petroleum products and the gross unemployment engendered by the looting of that fund would have been avoided and that is what we are talking about.
“Before and during his regime, there was money voted for the cleaning of Ogoni environment that was degraded by oil spill. It is The Buhari regime that started that project now. Did Jonathan do anything there, did he complete the East/West road? That is a road that covers the nerve Centre of the Niger Delta where he comes from.
“If there is any project that he promised to implement that he has done, he should tell us. Don’t forget that the average price then was about $100 per barrel. I don’t see how he can be calling for a public debate because I am talking of just one region.
“Even the development he did in the Nigerian Airports, is it commensurate with the amount of money voted or the amount of money borrowed? He said he did this or that. Is it commensurate with the amount of money voted?
“If I am in his shoes, I should retire back to the village or any city of my choice and keep my cool because if he talks of a debate, we will bring out what happened during his time.
“The fact that his wife was coming to claim $15 million saying it was out of her handwork borne out of being the First Lady and a Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa state. Is it that other Nigerians are not working hard to be worth $15 million. So, let us not go into Jonathan ‘s matter.
“We are not talking of Dizeani who was Minister of Petroleum under his government who failed to do anything to develop the Niger Delta, rather resorted to an illegal accumulation of wealth. I have great respect for him as a former President and being gracious enough to accept his defeat. But if he wants to open the vault, then we can go back and open the pandora box for him. So, let us leave it at that.”
APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi could not be reached for the party’s official reaction as at the time of this report, but he was quoted as saying that the former President may have been misquoted.
Bolaji was quoted as saying “I doubt that President Jonathan actually said these words you have reported because he would be exposing himself to reactions that would not be edifying of his status as a statesman by so doing. Secondly, I know the former President to be of even temperament.
“Only a few days ago, I read that he was counselling his party on the choice of Chairman and Publicity Secretary. Statements like these wouldn’t represent an example of the kind of attitude he was canvassing. But if he truly said that I will say with due respect that he may need to commission a more dispassionate study of how and why APC won the 2015 Presidential elections.
“To say that APC won the election simply by deceiving the people would be too simplistic and may even be interpreted as an insult to the millions of Nigerians that voted the APC into power.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Osita Okechukwu, you're a fraud. If Goodluck Jonathan refrains from challenging Buhari to a public debate on national issues, then you will not tell the country what you know regarding Jonathan's past administration. What you're saying indirectly is that you will cook up lies against him if he doesn't keep quiet. That's a plain threat and it's not good for national development.
ReplyDeleteGo and expose him in a debate...
ReplyDeleteHe challenged you guys to a debate and you guys are already looking for ways to avoid it, shame on you guys...
See who is talkin! Osita Okechukwu that is a master fraud star and a betrayer of conscience. I will start opening your own can of worms bit by bit henceforth. Who told you that you have any morals to talk on national issues? Is it the stippend you are receiving at VON just to save you and your family from extinction that is getting you drunk? Shut up please and let those who have their own issues slug it out among themselves.
ReplyDeleteHe who comes to equity must come with clean hands. Does GEJ has clean hands? I think the man should just respect himself as he as always done, so that he can manage his fragile reputation
ReplyDeleteJonathan will be exposed to the dirty level if APC agreed for him. Because even what VON boss said let Jonathan answer them. And here is another questions, What happened to the monies voted for purchasing Arms fighter jets helicopters to fight Boko Haram terrorist group? ,why did Dasuki become an ATM with NO secret number ??, Why did Jonathan cancelled the dredging of kwara river to lokoja when Yar Adua died and where did he carried the money to???.
ReplyDeleteOsita, you are saying this just for cheap favor. Why not expose him all this while? Don't worry, 2019 shall tell. Just look at hunger and starvation you caused people since the inception of this admininistration because of your unintelligent way of governance. You are not even ashame to talk. Engage Jonathan and Buhari to public debate and see who will win. We are not talking of lies and deceit here, but reality. The era of sai baba has gone...
ReplyDeleteAs an elder stateman, GEJ should remain quiet because there is a wisdom in silence. I hope his real true friends will tell him this
ReplyDeleteRemain quiet for what...what's wrong in challenging this useless administration to a simple debate...stupid comment...
DeletePrince Nwoye, God bless you!
DeleteThis Osita should also be jailed for blackmail and accomplice to fraud. You knew all these and kept quiet right?
ReplyDeleteJonathan Jonathan Jonathan - how many times did I called you? You should remember that if not 'cos of Former Presidents Abdulsalami Abubakar and Babangida, your case would have been like tha of a Lizard who falt from a tree and shake his head by saying that "thank God am alive". I don't want to go into details but for the interest of one Nigeria at heart, we respect you as an elder statesman and peace ambassador. But when it comes to corruption matter, just keep silent ' cos it's golden.
ReplyDelete