The Presidency on Thursday defended the
prevention of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State from exchanging
pleasantries with President Goodluck Jonathan by a security operative during
dinner at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.
prevention of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State from exchanging
pleasantries with President Goodluck Jonathan by a security operative during
dinner at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.
It said the incident was purely a security
issue that should not be politicised,especially by opposition political
parties.
issue that should not be politicised,especially by opposition political
parties.
The governor, who was sitting two tables away
from the President, had risen to greet him but the security operative
attached to the President stopped him halfway.
from the President, had risen to greet him but the security operative
attached to the President stopped him halfway.
In order not to create a scene at the event
that had nearly all his colleagues and two heads of government (Joyce
Banda of Malawi and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia) in attendance, Amaechi
quietly returned to his seat and waited for about five minutes before
leaving the venue.
that had nearly all his colleagues and two heads of government (Joyce
Banda of Malawi and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia) in attendance, Amaechi
quietly returned to his seat and waited for about five minutes before
leaving the venue.
But as the Action Congress of Nigeria and
Congress for Progressive Change berated Jonathan over the incident, the
Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Dr. Ahmed Gulak,
said it was tantamount to a breach of protocol and security if Amaechi was
allowed access to his boss who was already seated
before the governor arrived.
Congress for Progressive Change berated Jonathan over the incident, the
Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Dr. Ahmed Gulak,
said it was tantamount to a breach of protocol and security if Amaechi was
allowed access to his boss who was already seated
before the governor arrived.
Gulak said, “The President has a good
relationship with all state governors and he meets with them regularly. The
case in point is a pure security issue and it should be treated as a security
issue that should not be politicised.
relationship with all state governors and he meets with them regularly. The
case in point is a pure security issue and it should be treated as a security
issue that should not be politicised.
“The question the ACN and others who may want to
politicise this issue need to ask is whether the President arrived at the venue
of the dinner and was already seated before the governor arrived.
politicise this issue need to ask is whether the President arrived at the venue
of the dinner and was already seated before the governor arrived.
“Usual practice across the world is that once the
President arrives a place, nobody whether a governor or not, is allowed
entrance. That is the protocol. Even(Barack) Obama of the United
States cannot be on his seat and a governor will be allowed to come in.
President arrives a place, nobody whether a governor or not, is allowed
entrance. That is the protocol. Even(Barack) Obama of the United
States cannot be on his seat and a governor will be allowed to come in.
“If that was the situation in this case that the
President was already on his seat, it would have been a breach of
protocol and security for any security person to allow the governor access to
the President. Such a security person would have been sanctioned if he had done
that.”
President was already on his seat, it would have been a breach of
protocol and security for any security person to allow the governor access to
the President. Such a security person would have been sanctioned if he had done
that.”
Wondering why the ACN was interested
in the matter, the presidential aide advised the opposition political
parties to “concentrate on issues concerning them and stop
politicising everything.”
in the matter, the presidential aide advised the opposition political
parties to “concentrate on issues concerning them and stop
politicising everything.”
The ACN had in a statement by
its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, condemned the
action of the operative and called on Jonathan to order an immediate
probe into it.
its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, condemned the
action of the operative and called on Jonathan to order an immediate
probe into it.
It said, “We are making this call because we do
not believe that, in spite of the reported frosty relations between the two,
President Jonathan – as the father of the nation – will lend the weight of his
high office to such a demeaning action as exhibited by the presidential
security personnel.
not believe that, in spite of the reported frosty relations between the two,
President Jonathan – as the father of the nation – will lend the weight of his
high office to such a demeaning action as exhibited by the presidential
security personnel.
“To believe that anyone occupying the esteemed
office of the President of one of Africa’s most important nations will be a
party to a situation in which any security aide will wilfully fence a state
chief executive from paying his respect to the President at such an open
gathering will be to think the worst of the occupier of that office. That is
why we have chosen not to believe that this indeed occurred, and why we are
calling on Mr. President to tell Nigerians that ‘it ain’t so’ “We shudder to
think of what efforts are being made – including the use of national
institutions – to undermine Gov. Amaechi if the treatment reportedly meted out
to him at the dinner has the approval of the powers that be. We are even more
worried at what will happen to a governor from the opposition who falls out of
favour with the President, if a governor from the same party as the President
can be so publicly humiliated.”
office of the President of one of Africa’s most important nations will be a
party to a situation in which any security aide will wilfully fence a state
chief executive from paying his respect to the President at such an open
gathering will be to think the worst of the occupier of that office. That is
why we have chosen not to believe that this indeed occurred, and why we are
calling on Mr. President to tell Nigerians that ‘it ain’t so’ “We shudder to
think of what efforts are being made – including the use of national
institutions – to undermine Gov. Amaechi if the treatment reportedly meted out
to him at the dinner has the approval of the powers that be. We are even more
worried at what will happen to a governor from the opposition who falls out of
favour with the President, if a governor from the same party as the President
can be so publicly humiliated.”
ACN said it was particularly incumbent on the
President to clarify the report because Amaechi, the authentic Chairman
of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, extended an olive branch to him by
attending the dinner, despite the fact that he (President) was publicly
supporting the losing faction of the NGF, in what was being seen as a
“democratic faux pas.”
President to clarify the report because Amaechi, the authentic Chairman
of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, extended an olive branch to him by
attending the dinner, despite the fact that he (President) was publicly
supporting the losing faction of the NGF, in what was being seen as a
“democratic faux pas.”
The party said the President must learn to
separate politics from governance by rising above petty partisanship as he
steered the affairs of state.
separate politics from governance by rising above petty partisanship as he
steered the affairs of state.
On its part, the Congress for Progressive
Change said it was clear to many discerning minds that “the
government of President Jonathan is being run like a mafia organisation
where you have the head at the Villa.”
Change said it was clear to many discerning minds that “the
government of President Jonathan is being run like a mafia organisation
where you have the head at the Villa.”
“This is the kind of price we pay when we
sacrifice competence on the altar of exigency,” the CPC said through
its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin.
sacrifice competence on the altar of exigency,” the CPC said through
its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin.
The party added, “We have always said it that the
way President Jonathan is running this country; he will run
it aground.
way President Jonathan is running this country; he will run
it aground.
“No Nigerian can be proud of what is happening in
a situation where nations of the world are improving their democratic
credentials; we are going towards further isolation.
a situation where nations of the world are improving their democratic
credentials; we are going towards further isolation.
“A situation where a chief executive is
being blocked by security apparatus of the President, you ask yourself what
hope mortals like us have under the Jonathan government.”
being blocked by security apparatus of the President, you ask yourself what
hope mortals like us have under the Jonathan government.”
Source: Punch
