Why I feel Jonathan was not clueless, weak – Abdullahi
Nelson Chidiebere, Port Harcourt
Former Minister of Youth, and Sports Development, Bolaji Abdullahi has clarified that contrary to the widely acclaimed posture of the former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan as being weak and clueless in leadership when he held sway, the president was careful with the usage of power so not to flout the constitution.
Abdullahi spoke recently in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during the launch of a quarterly book reading event tagged Education Champions League, put together by a book organisation named the August Meeting, to improve reading culture in the state.
While speaking on a range of issues raised in his latest book titled, “On A Platter of Gold -How Jonathan Won and Lost Nigeria” Abdullahi, as an insider and cabinet member of Jonathan’s Presidency, explained that the President was honest with how he piloted he affairs of the country but he was a victim of the kind of politics that played out in his era, adding that some incidents like Arab spring, the forces of the opposition coupled with insurgency contributed to his exit.
“President Jonathan was not weak nor clueless from my experience. The most important thing I know about him is that he is very patriotic, but as a patriot, he is also careful about how he uses power. He understands the enormity of the power of the president and he used to say that if the president of Nigeria uses 30 percent of his disposal he would become a dictator. He is careful and also reluctant to hurt people. Because of his reluctance to hurt people, it is possible that someone would integrate it as weak,” he explained.
He, however, noted that some of the things that Jonathan did at the time that people regarded him as clueless are what other administrations have done even worse especially the remover of subsidy, arguing that if he had been president of this time, he would probably have had a different approach.
“Subsidy removal in 2012 was a good policy but implemented at the wrong time. There ought to have been a lot of consultations which did not happen, a lot more constituencies ought to have been carried out but was not done, ” he said.
The Ex-Minister, further stated that the most important lesson Jonathan taught everybody is love for country, and care in the use of power, saying; “The important thing that Jonathan had to teach everybody is love for country.
“And the care in the use of power. He was very particular, he didn’t want to break the law, he didn’t want to violate the constitution, and he didn’t want to do anything that would make him look like a dictator. I think it is something that the current leadership of the country can learn from him,” he advised.
