…says they
want to swallow Jonathan ahead of 2015
want to swallow Jonathan ahead of 2015
Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Senator
Jubril Aminu, yesterday, pleaded with the Presidency and patriotic Nigerians to
restrain governors from ruining the country.
Jubril Aminu, yesterday, pleaded with the Presidency and patriotic Nigerians to
restrain governors from ruining the country.
Aminu, who spoke in an exclusive interview with
Sunday Vanguard, accused the governors of arrogating to themselves
roles that were not in the Constitution thereby conferring illegal advantage on
themselves to the detriment of majority of Nigerians.
Sunday Vanguard, accused the governors of arrogating to themselves
roles that were not in the Constitution thereby conferring illegal advantage on
themselves to the detriment of majority of Nigerians.
The former minister pointed out that, apart from
acting as a clog in the wheel of progress, governors had also constituted
themselves into an army against the Nigerian people by destroying the local
government system and their Houses of Assembly, which used to act as a check on
the executive.
acting as a clog in the wheel of progress, governors had also constituted
themselves into an army against the Nigerian people by destroying the local
government system and their Houses of Assembly, which used to act as a check on
the executive.
According to him, the governors now want to
determine everything at the local, state and federal levels, thereby stripping
the president of his statutory powers.
determine everything at the local, state and federal levels, thereby stripping
the president of his statutory powers.
Describing the action of the governors as
inimical to the progress of the nation, the professor of medicine asked
well-meaning Nigerians to rise against “the malevolent attitude of the
governors before they plunge the nation into avoidable chaos that could consume
the country”.
inimical to the progress of the nation, the professor of medicine asked
well-meaning Nigerians to rise against “the malevolent attitude of the
governors before they plunge the nation into avoidable chaos that could consume
the country”.
Aminu said: “The governors are against all of us
and the president. They have organised to stop the government from doing what
is right for this country. You can see that they have organised to stop
anything functioning in Nigeria without them. This is what is happening.
“Governors are the ones imposing things on the rest of us. The problem with the
governors is that they meet regularly and have their way by threatening the
president that they would not support him for second term. You can’t do
that because it is wrong. They must realise and be told that as governors their
first responsibility is to their states.
and the president. They have organised to stop the government from doing what
is right for this country. You can see that they have organised to stop
anything functioning in Nigeria without them. This is what is happening.
“Governors are the ones imposing things on the rest of us. The problem with the
governors is that they meet regularly and have their way by threatening the
president that they would not support him for second term. You can’t do
that because it is wrong. They must realise and be told that as governors their
first responsibility is to their states.
“Many of the
states are in a very parlous state and their governors are moving about in
Abuja trying to fight Jonathan in a needless war. Number one, they have stopped
the local government from functioning.
states are in a very parlous state and their governors are moving about in
Abuja trying to fight Jonathan in a needless war. Number one, they have stopped
the local government from functioning.
“They decide what amount to give to the local
governments under their control. They decide what the LGA chairmen should spend
up to the last kobo. It is a complete negation of the provisions of the
Nigerian Constitution and they must be told so in clear terms to desist
forthwith from such unholy practice in the interest of the country and its
people. But they keep on doing it with impunity.
governments under their control. They decide what the LGA chairmen should spend
up to the last kobo. It is a complete negation of the provisions of the
Nigerian Constitution and they must be told so in clear terms to desist
forthwith from such unholy practice in the interest of the country and its
people. But they keep on doing it with impunity.
“Unfortunately, there is nobody to call the
governors to order because they have already swallowed the House of Assembly
that would have served as a check on them. Today nobody gets any job or
appointment at the state level without the approval of the governors. Even
election into the National Assembly is controlled by governors. So they
have super powers and nothing gets to anybody except the governor approves
same.
governors to order because they have already swallowed the House of Assembly
that would have served as a check on them. Today nobody gets any job or
appointment at the state level without the approval of the governors. Even
election into the National Assembly is controlled by governors. So they
have super powers and nothing gets to anybody except the governor approves
same.
“Not satisfied with the powers they have already
usurped, the governors now want to extend their power to the president. They
want to dictate to him what he should and should not do when it is not their
right to do so. This is not right and that is not what the Constitution
envisaged. This is not the federal system we hope to get”.
usurped, the governors now want to extend their power to the president. They
want to dictate to him what he should and should not do when it is not their
right to do so. This is not right and that is not what the Constitution
envisaged. This is not the federal system we hope to get”.
Turning to the crisis rocking the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) in his state of Adamawa, Aminu blamed the development
there on the inability of Governor Murtala Nyako to perform and meet the
expectations of the people.
Democratic Party (PDP) in his state of Adamawa, Aminu blamed the development
there on the inability of Governor Murtala Nyako to perform and meet the
expectations of the people.
The PDP Board of Trustees member noted that the
party made a mistake by facilitating the emergence of Nyako as governor
in 2007.
party made a mistake by facilitating the emergence of Nyako as governor
in 2007.
He said, “It is also my fault that we put Nyako
there as our governor. Nyako is not good enough. The state is not moving
forward. We don’t know what he has been doing with our resources and not much
has happened under him.
there as our governor. Nyako is not good enough. The state is not moving
forward. We don’t know what he has been doing with our resources and not much
has happened under him.
“Some of us believe he should go and he does not
like that and almost all of us who were responsible for his emergence are
uncomfortable with his style of leadership and the state is going backward.
like that and almost all of us who were responsible for his emergence are
uncomfortable with his style of leadership and the state is going backward.
“In fact, I may say that our state is the most
backward in terms of development and even younger states have overtaken Adamawa
in terms of progress. You can see what has happened in younger states like
Taraba, Gombe and Yobe. So the people are asking us, what did you people send
to us? And we have no answer to give. The man has failed woefully to change the
state in any form. That is the problem.”
backward in terms of development and even younger states have overtaken Adamawa
in terms of progress. You can see what has happened in younger states like
Taraba, Gombe and Yobe. So the people are asking us, what did you people send
to us? And we have no answer to give. The man has failed woefully to change the
state in any form. That is the problem.”
Source: Vanguard
