President Goodluck Jonathan, at a meeting with
leaders of the major political parties in Abuja on Wednesday, appealed
for a united front, saying he intended to run a “collective government.”
Leaders of the Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party, All Progressive Grand Alliance, Labour Party and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party attended the meeting.
The Congress for Progressive Change, which is contesting Jonathan’s victory in the April 16 election, was also invited but it abstained from the parley.
The meeting is the first in a series of consultations the President has lined up with key stakeholders in a bid to ensure the success of his administration.
The President, who sought the support of the parties in his opening remarks, said he must run a “stable government” in order to succeed.
He specifically implored the party leaders to “impress” it on their lawmakers in the coming National Assembly to cooperate with his administration in the interest of the country.
“I will not want to run a government of opposition party or main party. I want us to collectively run a Nigerian government”, Jonathan told the party leaders.
The President noted that since the challenges confronting the nation did not discriminate between political parties, they should not be left to the ruling party alone.
He said, “As we want to start a new government, I am going to consult various groups and professional bodies and I think the first group I should consult is the political family.
“No matter who the President is and no matter who the governor is, what Nigerians are interested in is to have food on their tables. They want to see our infrastructure working; they are interested in adequate security; and they want good governance.
“And I know that the ruling party alone cannot make this possible. For me to succeed and for me to give Nigerians what they want, we must run a stable government.
“I need the cooperation of all the political parties and all their leaders. That is why I called you here; to assure you that I will run a Nigerian government.
“I want to assure you that our interest is the Nigerian interest and I know that the interest of every politician, irrespective of his or her political party, is the interest of the country.
“I am not going to play politics of discrimination. I want to plead with you that I will not want to run a government of opposition party or main party, I want us to collectively run a Nigerian government.
“A government that will take the interest of the country at heart and work towards solving our problems.
“As members of parliament will be inaugurated on Monday or Tuesday, I want you to impress it on them that they are coming to work for Nigeria not necessarily for Goodluck Jonathan.
“Let us cooperate and work for the interest of this country.
Nothing that disagreements were bound to happen in all human endevours, Jonathan they could be settled without acrimony.
“Along the line, there will be differences but the President is not God and I believe we can always be able to resolve our differences without rancour. I believe that is the best way we can run this country,” the President said.
He also thanked the party chieftains for the various roles they play “in the democratic process.”
Jonathan added, “You are the leaders of the parties, those of us who won elections wouldn’t have won without you as leaders. You gave us the positions; you are the kingmakers.
“So, I have to thank you for the various roles you have played.”
Noting that their support for his government would be in the interest of the nation, Jonathan said, “We are now talking about two countries representing Africa in the United Nations Security Council. People are looking forward to Nigeria because of the political crisis in Egypt.”
After the opening remarks, the meeting went into closed door session. Discussions at the session were not made public as at press time on Wednesday.
However, a chieftain of the ACN, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, told journalists that the fact that the President invited the party leaders did not mean there won’t be constructive opposition in the country.
Tinubu explained that constructive opposition “does not stop you from opposing any bad government.”
The chat between Tinubu and the journalists went thus:
Is this meeting meant to eliminate opposition
We are not here to eliminate opposition, we did not come here to eliminate opposition and I am speaking for my own party and not for any other party.
If you are invited by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, then what he really wants is a constructive opposition.
However, that does not stop you from opposing any bad government.
The campaign is over, we are all Nigerians, patriotism dictates that you put the nation first before your personal interest, therefore you don’t have to look at the political partisan angle but look at the intention of the President, exactly what he wants to achieve.
He is the President until maybe the judiciary says otherwise.
As Nigerians, we have to respond to the call of the President and he spoke very well. The meeting was a very successful one but that does not eliminate opposition.
But it may water it (opposition) down
It does not water it down. That might be your own opinion; it is a one day meeting. It is not a regular meeting.
“There is a constructive level of opinion that you can get and use to build the nation, there is the security situation, there are judicial matters too, there are so many issues in a complex country such as this that you can share and still not jeopardise the opposition.
“Opposition is not about axes, cutlasses and guns.
Can we talk about the issues that were discussed at the meeting
I am not in a position to discuss that. You have to talk to one of the party officials but the discussions were very constructive and it was about nation building and the sustenance of democracy.
Also, the Chairman of the Labour Party, Mr. Dan Nwanyanwu, welcomed the President’s appeal.
He said, “We must change the situation in the country; Mr. President has started out on a right note, particularly now before the inauguration of the National Assembly.
“Those of us political parties that have members in the National Assembly must reach out to them that lawmakers must look out for bills and laws that would enhance the lot of the people of Nigeria.”
By Ihuoma Chiedozie, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
Leaders of the Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party, All Progressive Grand Alliance, Labour Party and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party attended the meeting.
The Congress for Progressive Change, which is contesting Jonathan’s victory in the April 16 election, was also invited but it abstained from the parley.
The meeting is the first in a series of consultations the President has lined up with key stakeholders in a bid to ensure the success of his administration.
The President, who sought the support of the parties in his opening remarks, said he must run a “stable government” in order to succeed.
He specifically implored the party leaders to “impress” it on their lawmakers in the coming National Assembly to cooperate with his administration in the interest of the country.
“I will not want to run a government of opposition party or main party. I want us to collectively run a Nigerian government”, Jonathan told the party leaders.
The President noted that since the challenges confronting the nation did not discriminate between political parties, they should not be left to the ruling party alone.
He said, “As we want to start a new government, I am going to consult various groups and professional bodies and I think the first group I should consult is the political family.
“No matter who the President is and no matter who the governor is, what Nigerians are interested in is to have food on their tables. They want to see our infrastructure working; they are interested in adequate security; and they want good governance.
“And I know that the ruling party alone cannot make this possible. For me to succeed and for me to give Nigerians what they want, we must run a stable government.
“I need the cooperation of all the political parties and all their leaders. That is why I called you here; to assure you that I will run a Nigerian government.
“I want to assure you that our interest is the Nigerian interest and I know that the interest of every politician, irrespective of his or her political party, is the interest of the country.
“I am not going to play politics of discrimination. I want to plead with you that I will not want to run a government of opposition party or main party, I want us to collectively run a Nigerian government.
“A government that will take the interest of the country at heart and work towards solving our problems.
“As members of parliament will be inaugurated on Monday or Tuesday, I want you to impress it on them that they are coming to work for Nigeria not necessarily for Goodluck Jonathan.
“Let us cooperate and work for the interest of this country.
Nothing that disagreements were bound to happen in all human endevours, Jonathan they could be settled without acrimony.
“Along the line, there will be differences but the President is not God and I believe we can always be able to resolve our differences without rancour. I believe that is the best way we can run this country,” the President said.
He also thanked the party chieftains for the various roles they play “in the democratic process.”
Jonathan added, “You are the leaders of the parties, those of us who won elections wouldn’t have won without you as leaders. You gave us the positions; you are the kingmakers.
“So, I have to thank you for the various roles you have played.”
Noting that their support for his government would be in the interest of the nation, Jonathan said, “We are now talking about two countries representing Africa in the United Nations Security Council. People are looking forward to Nigeria because of the political crisis in Egypt.”
After the opening remarks, the meeting went into closed door session. Discussions at the session were not made public as at press time on Wednesday.
However, a chieftain of the ACN, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, told journalists that the fact that the President invited the party leaders did not mean there won’t be constructive opposition in the country.
Tinubu explained that constructive opposition “does not stop you from opposing any bad government.”
The chat between Tinubu and the journalists went thus:
Is this meeting meant to eliminate opposition
We are not here to eliminate opposition, we did not come here to eliminate opposition and I am speaking for my own party and not for any other party.
If you are invited by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, then what he really wants is a constructive opposition.
However, that does not stop you from opposing any bad government.
The campaign is over, we are all Nigerians, patriotism dictates that you put the nation first before your personal interest, therefore you don’t have to look at the political partisan angle but look at the intention of the President, exactly what he wants to achieve.
He is the President until maybe the judiciary says otherwise.
As Nigerians, we have to respond to the call of the President and he spoke very well. The meeting was a very successful one but that does not eliminate opposition.
But it may water it (opposition) down
It does not water it down. That might be your own opinion; it is a one day meeting. It is not a regular meeting.
“There is a constructive level of opinion that you can get and use to build the nation, there is the security situation, there are judicial matters too, there are so many issues in a complex country such as this that you can share and still not jeopardise the opposition.
“Opposition is not about axes, cutlasses and guns.
Can we talk about the issues that were discussed at the meeting
I am not in a position to discuss that. You have to talk to one of the party officials but the discussions were very constructive and it was about nation building and the sustenance of democracy.
Also, the Chairman of the Labour Party, Mr. Dan Nwanyanwu, welcomed the President’s appeal.
He said, “We must change the situation in the country; Mr. President has started out on a right note, particularly now before the inauguration of the National Assembly.
“Those of us political parties that have members in the National Assembly must reach out to them that lawmakers must look out for bills and laws that would enhance the lot of the people of Nigeria.”
By Ihuoma Chiedozie, Abuja Courtesy Of: Punch
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