The Northeast Intellectuals
Forum, NIF, a group of academics in the region, has lambasted former President
Goodluck Jonathan on his attacks on President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor
Kashim Shettima.
Their position was contained in a
statement issued on Sunday by the forum’s Secretary, Dr Stephen Yunusa.
Jonathan had alleged that
Shettima was one of those working towards rubishing his new book, “My
Transition Hours”, launched in Abuja on Tuesday.
Responding, NIF said after
reviewing the book, it expected the former leader to more concerned by damning
reaction from one of his Ministers, Mohammed Bello Adoke, (former Attorney
General of the Federation) “who, on behalf of two other former Ministers,
publicly issued a statement saying Jonathan told lies in his book”.
“Adoke wrote on behalf of former
Ministers of Finance and Transport (Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and Chidoka) and he
said as published in the front page of The Nation Newspaper last Thursday, that
Jonathan misrepresented facts in his book in which he claimed that the three
former Ministers under him, Adoke, Ngozi and Chidoka, were against him
(Jonathan) conceding defeat to then candidate of the APC, Muhammadu Buhari in
2015. Adoke clearly spoke the position of his two colleagues because he
mentioned them in his statement and none of the two other ministers have so far
distanced themselves from the statement by Adoke.
“We expected President Jonathan
to be seriously worried that his own very senior Ministers, amongst his closest
appointees, are discrediting his book. In fact, in one media report, Adoke has
promised to provide information that will correct Jonathan’s falsehood in his
own account when he releases a book soon.
“We think there is no bigger
discredit to Jonathan’s book that such a statement by three of his own
Ministers. The fact is there are sharp inaccuracies in Jonathan’s especially on
page 31 in which the former President said the Boko Haram demanded that he
denounces his Christian faith in preference for a Muslim President. We have
thoroughly cross-checked and found that at no time did Boko Haram ever made
such a demand.
“Besides, as Governor Shettima rightly
observed, the first attack by the Boko Haram in both Bauchi and Borno States
took place in July 2009 under late President Umaru Yar’adua, who was a Muslim
from the northwest. We therefore urge Jonathan to do a critical reflection on
his book and issue apology.
“As academics, we avoid getting
involved on fights between politicians because somehow, worst enemies amongst
politicians end up becoming friends when interests realign. However, we are
constrained to interject on the ongoing relaunch of media fight between former
President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor of Borno, Kashim Shettima from the
Northeast because of two reasons. Both of them were academics who had worked as
University lecturers and also, the issue in question concerns a book authored by
former President Jonathan. Books are our natural areas of interest.
“We read President Jonathan’s
recount as well as Governor Shettima’s reaction to chapter four of the book in
which the former President laid series of accusations against the Governor. The
Governor’s rather academic observation was that while President Jonathan did
acknowledge on page 30 that he had appointed a panel to investigate the Chibok
abduction, the former President refused to say in his chapter four, what
information was found by his own panel whereas the panel submitted report to
him since January 20, 2014. We think the Governor’s observation was very
academic especially since it was Jonathan who set up that panel for the purpose
finding facts on what led to the abduction,” the group added.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
ok,
ReplyDeleteAll we know is that the Northern s cannot kill Jonathan, you guys are just ungrateful fellow for all what he did for you people
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete