A former Minister of Youths and Sports Development under the cabinet of the ex-Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi has clarified that the former president was not weak but took action to save the country of bloodshed after he lost his seat at the 2015 presidential election.
Abdullahi, a journalist and former Commissioner for Education in Kwara State, described former President Jonathan as a patriotic Nigeria who as a leader was careful not to hurt anyone, even if it takes him sacrificing his position.
The former Minister made the clarification at the weekend, during the unveiling of his book tilted “On a Platter of Gold: How Jonathan won and lost Nigeria”, hosted by an organisation, the ‘August Meeting’ convened by Mr Kingsley Wali, in Port Harcourt.
Speaking on his experience as a Minister, Abdullahi said the important lesson Jonathan taught everyone is love for th country. He added that the former president never ruled as a dictator, but obeyed the constitution in his leadership.
“Definitely President Jonathan was not weak nor clueless from my experience. Most important thing I know about him is that he is very patriotic, but as a patriot he is also some one who is careful about how he uses power.
“He (Jonathan) 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.
“So, he is some one who is careful and also reluctant to hurt people. Because of his reluctance to hurt people, it is possible that some one would integrate it as weakness. Some of the things that he did at the time that people regarded him as clueless, some other people have done the same thing or even worse.
“I think he was a victim of that kind of politics of that time. I think if he had been president of this time, he would probably have had a different approach”.
Abdullahi expressed further that “The most 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 violet the constitution, and didn’t want to do anything that will make him look like a dictator. I think it is something that the current leadership of the country scan learn from him”.
Speaking on why he wrote the book, the former Minister said “Well I just felt that I was privileged to witness a moment in Nigeria history, and I felt that it is necessary to document it for posterity. So it was like a journalist trying to practice history”.
Reacting to questions by journalists on the economy challenges and removal of subsidy by the President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Abdullahi explained “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. And the aftermath of it was not properly managed”.
He however, advised that “Nigerian leadership need to start to create a national story. We need to give Nigerians something to believe in. We need to know who we are and to understand that there is more that connect us than separate us. I do not know what the story would be, but I know that the first thing is to agree that we need a national story”.
The event also witnessed the launch Education Champions League (ECL), an Incorporated Trustee dedicated to fostering intellectual growth and community enrichment.
Speaking on the ECL, the convener of August Meeting, Wali, said competition will start in April or May in first instance for Secondary schools in Port Harcourt for logistic reasons.
He said the league will be in form of quiz competition among participating schools, pointing out that the first prize winner would take home a total of N10million prize money with 50 percent going to participants, 25 percent to the school and 25 percent to furnish the school library.
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Follow us on:
Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour has condemned the commercialisation of GMO seeds, warning of threats to Nigeria’s food…
Oleksandr Usyk has secured victory over Tyson Fury in Riyadh, successfully defending his heavyweight championship…
Albania plans a one-year TikTok ban from January after a schoolboy’s death sparks concerns over…
A suspect accused of killing five people by driving into a crowded Christmas market in…
A US Navy F/A-18 Hornet was mistakenly shot down over the Red Sea by the…
NNPC has reduced petrol ex-depot price to N899 per litre, sparking competition with Dangote Refinery…
View Comments
((08132115039) (+234_915__6089_111) a minimum price E-AUCTION E-AUCTION E-AUCTION E-AUCTION E-AUCTION Some Auction Vehicles/Cars For Sale
Mama Africa #17,000 •Tomatoes Rice # *15,000* •Cap Rice #15,000 •My Food #17,000 •Mama Gold #17,500 •Ade Brazil #15,000 •Elephant Gold #15,000 •Royal Umbrella #15,000 Etc.
Golf3= 400,000
Camry Tinny-Light=500,000
Tundra 1,300,000
Toyota Exterra=850,000
Toyota Camry big daddy=650,000
Toyota Venza= 1.7million
Toyota Avalon=850,000
Toyota Rav4=950,000
Toyota Prado=1.3million
TOYOTA HILUX=2million
Toyota Sienna=850,000
TOYOTA 4-RUNNER=950,000
Toyota Corolla=650,000
Toyota Matrix= 700,000
Toyota Highlander=950,000
Toyota Picnic=500,000
Tacoma 1.850,000
Toyota Hiace Bus=950,000
Toyota Tundra=1.5million
Toyota Sequola=900,000
BMW 5-series=1.960,000
BMW 3-series=1.640,000
BMW X6=2.670,000
Ford Edge=700,000
Ford Escape=600,000
Honda Elantra=600,000
Honda Baby-Boy=700,000
Dyna Truck 900k
TIPPER Head 6mill
((08166185400) (+234_816__6185_400)
Honda Accord=550,000
Honda CRV=650,000
HONDA CIVIC=500,000
HONDA EVIL-SPIRIT=750,000
HONDA ODYSSEY=500,000
Honda Pilot=850,000
Nissan pathfinder=800,000
Nissan Amanda=750,000
Infinity=950,000
Benz C250=N1.300,000
Benz C300=1.6MILLION
Benz ML350=2 million
Benz ML300=1.5 million
Benz ML550=2.6million
Mercedes-Benz C-Class ₦1.3Million
Mercedes-Benz E-Class ₦1.8Million
Mercedes-Benz GLK ₦3.Million
Es330 1.6
Lexus C5 350=950,000
IS250 1m
Lexus Rx300=1.2 million
Lexus Rx330=1.5 million
Is350 2mill
Gx470 1.8mill
Lexus Rx350= 2 million
ES350 2mill
Land Rover Discovery ₦3.2Million
Land Rover Freelander ₦3.6Million
Land Range Rover Sport ₦4Million
Acura MDX ₦1.8Million
Pequot 206=350,000
Pequot 406=470,000
Pequot 607=650,000
.....
((08132115039) (+234_915__6089_111