• Says he had no developmental strides
• Jonathan in Sokoto, warns troublemakers
Second Republic President, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, yesterday broke his silence on burning national issues, declaring that former Head of State and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, was a failure in office.
The elder statesman said unlike President Goodluck Jonathan, who had achieved a lot in office, there was nothing he can point to that Buhari achieved for the whole period he was Head of State between 1983 and 1985.
Shagari who spoke for the first time on the quality of the leader that Nigerians need 32 years after his administration was overthrown by Gen. Buhari, declared that the APC standard bearer had no developmental strides during his regime.
He said: “Now I may ask Nigerians, what are Buhari’s developmental strides as Nigeria’s head of state for the period in question?” Your answer is as good as mine, NONE for his whole time in office. Jonathan may not be the best, but I can mention three to four breakthroughs in Nigeria that occurred under his five years in office.”
Shagari said that unlike the leaders before President Jonathan, he can mention three to four areas where the incumbent president had fared better.
In a rare interview with African Independent Television, AIT reporter in Sokoto, yesterday, the elder statesman said after several years, the trains are back on track, noting that even his 27-year-old grandchild boarded one for the first time in his life in 2014.
Shagari also said that President Jonathan’s administration was the first to construct 125 modern Almajiri Schools and 12 universities in a short period of time.
According to Shagari, President Jonathan also scored first in the agricultural sector, where his administration has become the first Nigerian government to eradicate the high level corruption in the distribution of fertilisers and ghost workers in the civil service.
He said Jonathan may not be the best, “but I can mention
three to four breakthroughs in Nigeria that occurred under his five years in office.”
The full text of the interview reads:
Shagari: “Jonathan may not be the best, but I can mention three to four breakthroughs in Nigeria that occurred under his five years in office.
“Under Jonathan’s administration, the trains are back in Nigeria after about 30 years of neglect. In fact, my 27 years old grandchild boarded train for the first time in his life in 2014.
“His (Jonathan) administration is the first government to construct over 125 modern Almajiri Schools and 12 universities in a short frame of time.
“He is also the first Nigerian leader to construct cargo airports and ensure all zones in Nigeria have an international airport.
“And the very first government to start diversifying Nigerian economy back to agriculture after Nigeria lost its agricultural glory in the 70s.
“Now, I may ask Nigerians, what are Buhari’s developmental strides as Nigerian Head of State?” Your answer is as good as mine, NONE for his whole time in office. Jonathan may not be the best, but I can mention three to four breakthroughs in Nigeria that occurred under his five years in office.
Interestingly, Shagari’s rating of the two presidential candidates coincided with President Jonathan and his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s campaign to Sokoto.
Addressing the mammoth crowd that gathered at the rally, President Jonathan warned politicians who are planning to cause trouble during the forthcoming elections not to test the might of the Federal Government.
He said instead of threatening to throw the country into chaos if they lose the polls, they should join hands with him to ensure a peaceful conduct of the elections in the interest of the country.
President Jonathan said: “I want to use this opportunity to plead with my fellow politicians, especially the younger ones, that we must not fight ourselves. As I came in, the Sultan of Sokoto told me about some aggressions between some rival political parties even in Sokoto State, where you will put billboards and people will go and damage it; you put posters and people will destroy it. It is not a good omen; this is what led to the collapse of other republics. Politicians must work together to make sure that we develop our young people, the future belongs to the young people.”
President Jonathan urged politicians to emulate what transpired during his recent campaign visit to Ogun State.
According to him, he stayed at the Governor’s Court even though Governor Ibikunle Amosun is from the opposition APC.
He said: “Ogun State is an APC state; I spent time with the governor in the Presidential Lodge discussing state issues. That is how politics should be played. He is a governor from the APC but I stayed in his lodge, he did not poison me; he did not kill me. So why should people be encouraged to kill one another? That is too primitive and our politicians who are doing that must stop it.”
Jonathan maintained that the country already has problem of terrorism in three northern states and cannot afford the creation of another band of terrorists in the name of politics.
Source: Nigerian Pilot
• Jonathan in Sokoto, warns troublemakers
Second Republic President, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, yesterday broke his silence on burning national issues, declaring that former Head of State and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, was a failure in office.
The elder statesman said unlike President Goodluck Jonathan, who had achieved a lot in office, there was nothing he can point to that Buhari achieved for the whole period he was Head of State between 1983 and 1985.
Shagari who spoke for the first time on the quality of the leader that Nigerians need 32 years after his administration was overthrown by Gen. Buhari, declared that the APC standard bearer had no developmental strides during his regime.
He said: “Now I may ask Nigerians, what are Buhari’s developmental strides as Nigeria’s head of state for the period in question?” Your answer is as good as mine, NONE for his whole time in office. Jonathan may not be the best, but I can mention three to four breakthroughs in Nigeria that occurred under his five years in office.”
Shagari said that unlike the leaders before President Jonathan, he can mention three to four areas where the incumbent president had fared better.
In a rare interview with African Independent Television, AIT reporter in Sokoto, yesterday, the elder statesman said after several years, the trains are back on track, noting that even his 27-year-old grandchild boarded one for the first time in his life in 2014.
Shagari also said that President Jonathan’s administration was the first to construct 125 modern Almajiri Schools and 12 universities in a short period of time.
According to Shagari, President Jonathan also scored first in the agricultural sector, where his administration has become the first Nigerian government to eradicate the high level corruption in the distribution of fertilisers and ghost workers in the civil service.
He said Jonathan may not be the best, “but I can mention
three to four breakthroughs in Nigeria that occurred under his five years in office.”
The full text of the interview reads:
Shagari: “Jonathan may not be the best, but I can mention three to four breakthroughs in Nigeria that occurred under his five years in office.
“Under Jonathan’s administration, the trains are back in Nigeria after about 30 years of neglect. In fact, my 27 years old grandchild boarded train for the first time in his life in 2014.
“His (Jonathan) administration is the first government to construct over 125 modern Almajiri Schools and 12 universities in a short frame of time.
“He is also the first Nigerian leader to construct cargo airports and ensure all zones in Nigeria have an international airport.
“And the very first government to start diversifying Nigerian economy back to agriculture after Nigeria lost its agricultural glory in the 70s.
“Now, I may ask Nigerians, what are Buhari’s developmental strides as Nigerian Head of State?” Your answer is as good as mine, NONE for his whole time in office. Jonathan may not be the best, but I can mention three to four breakthroughs in Nigeria that occurred under his five years in office.
Interestingly, Shagari’s rating of the two presidential candidates coincided with President Jonathan and his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s campaign to Sokoto.
Addressing the mammoth crowd that gathered at the rally, President Jonathan warned politicians who are planning to cause trouble during the forthcoming elections not to test the might of the Federal Government.
He said instead of threatening to throw the country into chaos if they lose the polls, they should join hands with him to ensure a peaceful conduct of the elections in the interest of the country.
President Jonathan said: “I want to use this opportunity to plead with my fellow politicians, especially the younger ones, that we must not fight ourselves. As I came in, the Sultan of Sokoto told me about some aggressions between some rival political parties even in Sokoto State, where you will put billboards and people will go and damage it; you put posters and people will destroy it. It is not a good omen; this is what led to the collapse of other republics. Politicians must work together to make sure that we develop our young people, the future belongs to the young people.”
President Jonathan urged politicians to emulate what transpired during his recent campaign visit to Ogun State.
According to him, he stayed at the Governor’s Court even though Governor Ibikunle Amosun is from the opposition APC.
He said: “Ogun State is an APC state; I spent time with the governor in the Presidential Lodge discussing state issues. That is how politics should be played. He is a governor from the APC but I stayed in his lodge, he did not poison me; he did not kill me. So why should people be encouraged to kill one another? That is too primitive and our politicians who are doing that must stop it.”
Jonathan maintained that the country already has problem of terrorism in three northern states and cannot afford the creation of another band of terrorists in the name of politics.
Source: Nigerian Pilot
