#GEJisworking trending as aide gives State by State achievements of Jonathan

dun Alade, @biodunpen

2015 seems to be the year of President Goodluck Jonathan as the hashtag GEJisworking (#GEJisworking) created by his special Assistant on New Media, Reno Omokri to give a state by state account of achievements of the president is trending on the social networking site, twitter.

The hastag which Omokri started 9 hours ago is among the popular topics on twitter at the moment. He had declared two weeks ago that there is no state in Nigeria that Jonathan hasn’t impacted via projects and to drive home his point, he gave state by state details, using the #GEJisworking.

Check out some of the achievements of Jonathan according to the tweets of Omokri.

In Abia, Jonathan completed power plants in Aba and Alaoji and reconstructed and reopened Ohafia barracks to stem kidnapping. #GEJisworking

In Adamawa Jonathan constructed 5 Almajiri schools and the NAF Comprehensive Sec School and a Terminal at the Yola airport. #GEJisworking

In Anambra GEJ completed Onitsha River Port, repaired Onitsa-Owerri Rd and kick started the process of the 2nd Niger Bridge. #GEJisworking

In Akwa Ibom Jonathan established a new Federal Polytechnic in Ukana and the Nkari Earth dam and rehabilitated FG rds. #GEJisworking

In Bauchi Jonathan equipped the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital Bauchi and built 5 Almajiri schools. #GEJisworking

In Benue Jonathan is building the Loko-Oweto bridge, completed the Makurdi Water Supply Scheme supplying to 1 million people. #GEJisworking

In Borno, Jonathan has fought desertification with the Great Green Wall Project and rehabilitated the Uba – Mbalala Road. #GEJisworking

In Cross River GEJ rehabilitated the Margaret Ekpo Int’l Airport and Modernised the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. #GEJisworking

In Delta GEJ has taken Itakpe-Ajaokuta-warri railway to 80% completion and kick started the $16B Gas City Project at Ogidigben #GEJisworking

In Ebonyi Jonathan established the Fed University in Ndufe – Alike, repaired over 250km of roads and built power substations. #GEJisworking

In Edo Jonathan completed the Ihovbor power Station, reconstructed the Benin-Ore-Sagamu and equipped UBTH. #GEJisworking

In Ekiti Jonathan established the Federal University in Oye – Ekiti, and repaired hundreds of kilometers of Federal Rds. #GEJisworking.

In Enugu Jonathan gave the S. East the 1st International Airport and revived the PH-Enugu rail line. #GEJisworking.

In Gombe Jonathan established the Federal University in Kashere and built 5 Almajiri schools #GEJisworking.

In Imo Jonathan rehabilitated the Sam Mbakwe International Airport and completed power stations and built sub stations. #GEJisworking.

In Jigawa Jonathan established the Federal University in Dutse, built 5 Almajiri schools and built silos. #GEJisworking.

In Kano Jonathan revived the Lagos-Kano rail, built 5 Almajiri schools, renovated the MAKIA Int’l Airport and built silos. #GEJisworking.

In Kaduna, Jonathan has just completed the Standard Gauge Kad-Abj rail that enables you work in Abuja and live in Kd. #GEJisworking.

In Katsina Jonathan established the Federal University in Dutsin-ma, built 5 Almajiri schools and multiple silos. #GEJisworking.

In Kebbi Jonathan established the Federal University in Kalgo, built 5 Almajiri schools and multiple silos. #GEJisworking.

In Kogi Jonathan established the new Federal University in Lokoja, and completed the Geregu power plant. #GEJisworking.

In Kwara GEJ revived Jebba-Kano & Ilorin–Offa rail lines, built Almajiri schools, ongoing reconstruction Ibadan Ilorin Rd. #GEJisworking

In Lagos Jonathan revived the Lagos-Kano rail, introduced inter city air conditioned diesel trains and is rehabilitating MMIA. #GEJisworking

In Nasarawa Jonathan established a new Federal University in Lafia and rehabilitated the Lafia–Makurdi Rd. #GEJisworking.

In Niger Jonathan dredged River Niger up to Baro, Baro Port at 95% completion, Zungeru power plant ongoing. #GEJisworking.

In Ondo Jonathan completed and commissioned the 500 MWs Omotosho Power Plant Phase 2 & renovated the Akure airport. #GEJisworking.

In Ogun Jonathan rehabilitated the Sagamu-Ore road as well as the Ijebu Igbo Ajegunle–Araromi–Ife-Sekona Road (Section II). #GEJisworking

In Osun Jonathan re-equipped OAUTH, constructed silos, built power substations, repaired Efon Alaaye-Erinmo Ijesha-Iwarga Rd #GEJisworking

In Oyo Jonathan is reconstructing (not repairing) Lag-Ibadan Rd and has commenced constructing the Lag-Ibadan hi-speed rail. #GEJisworking

In Plateau Jonathan repaired the Vom-Manchok Rd, construction of earth dam in Heipang and power substations. #GEJisworking.

In Rivers GEJ revived the PH-Enugu Rail, Rehabilitating the PH International Airport & upgraded Uniport Teaching Hospital. #GEJisworking

In Sokoto Jonathan is fighting desertification with the Great Green Wall and built 5 Almajiri schools. #GEJisworking

In Taraba Jonathan established the Federal University in Wukari and constructed the Kashimbila Multi-Purpose Dam Project. #GEJisworking.

In Yobe GEJ established Fed University of Gashua, Almajiri schools & Gashua–Hadejia 132KV double circuit trasnsmission line #GEJisworking

In Zamfara Jonathan established the Federal University Gusau, built multiple Almajiri schools and constructed silos. #GEJisworking.

Buhari: Which South-west?

There is tragic irony in the choice of Professor Yemi Osinbajo as the South-west answer to the Muhammadu Buhari deficit in Yoruba-land. To be counted as a credential of the nominee would be the fact that he is married to the granddaughter of the late political juggernaut, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. I expect that very soon a much orchestrated campaign visit to Ikenne would materialise where the reinvented Buhari would plant a specially packaged millennia peck (sharia permitting) on Mama HID Awolowo’s century old cheeks.

Yet one of the mindless cruelties and victimisation of Awolowo’s political camp by then military head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari, was the seizure of Awolowo’s international passport, which resulted in the consequence of not being able to go for his annual medical check-up for the first time in his adult life (Awolowo died two years later in 1987). In tandem, the residential abode of the political icon in Lagos and Ikenne were besieged and ransacked by Buhari’s security goons.

Beyond the factor of the compensatory concession of the presidency to the Yoruba in 1999, the next crucial determinant of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s success at the presidential election in 1999 was the political reciprocity of the ‘north’ to his candidacy. Shunned by his geo-political constituency of the South-west, he was practically adopted by the north as political payback for his generous identification with the region in deed and precept, when he was the military head of state.

By the same token, the question begs to be asked — what is the political debt of gratitude that the South-west owes Buhari? At the time Buhari seized power, the government of Alhaji Lateef Jakande had embarked on a turnkey infrastructural project that would have had a revolutionary mobility impact on the economy of the South-west in particular and Nigeria in general.

The project was the construction of a light rail city wide system known as the Lagos metro line-an infrastructure that had proved indispensable to the evolution of all developed economies. Can we for a moment imagine the consequence of the absence of the sub-way rail transportation system for the London or New York mega polis?

One of the first steps Buhari took as military head of state was the cancellation of this socio-economic transformative project. And the tragedy did not stop there. For violating the terms of the contract of the project, Nigeria had to pay a penalty of about $600 million. And again, the tragedy did not stop there. The penalty of $600 million actually translated to over 60 per cent of the entire cost of delivering the project-yet this was the choice Buhari made.

How a man so socially and economically obtuse and cruel can now be peddled as the solution to the problems substantially created by the megalomaniac misdeeds of rulers like him beats the imagination hollow.
On October 13, 2000, Buhari led a delegation of prominent Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) personalities including General Buba Marwa, Alhaji Aliko Muhammed, Alhaji Abdulrazak,  Alhaji Hassan and some others to confront Governor Lam Adesina of Oyo State in Ibadan on his characteristic divisive platform.

Said Buhari: “Your Excellency, our arrival here is to discuss with you and your government our displeasure about the incident of clashes between two peoples, my people and your people…The Fulani cattle rearers and merchants are today being harassed, attacked and killed in Saki like in any war. In the month of May 2000, 68 bodies of Fulani cattle rearers were recovered and buried under the supervision and protection from a team of Mobile Police from Oyo State Command.”

The unfounded allegation provoked a response from the Oyo State police commissioner:
“First to speak was the Commissioner of Police who debunked all the claims made by the General.  Instead of the claims by the General that the natives were killing the Fulanis, the police commissioner said pointedly that the opposite was the case. The killings of the natives by the Fulanis were duly reported to the police and, of course, we can’t make arrest because as soon as they kill they migrate to other areas. Who are you going to arrest? So that is the problem.”

Governor Adesina concluded by questioning Buhari’s patriotism and nationalism and made a telling reference to the subversive role he was, at the material time, playing against the Obasanjo government:

“My appeal will be that effort must be made to unite this country and that will be to the best interest of all Nigerians. I am appealing to the Arewa Consultative Forum under which auspices our distinguished Nigerians are here. In recent times, they have been sending wrong signals to a number of us who believe in the unity and peace of Nigeria. You have been too critical of the efforts of the federal government. I am saying this because Nigeria at this point cannot afford to break and words you northern leaders utter are very weighty. At the South here, we normally analyse them critically.”

In a rather self-debasing manner Nigerians are being told they lack discipline and are in dire need of task master Buhari as antidote, but is there a greater act of indiscipline imaginable than an army officer taking arms against the state to overthrow a democratically elected government?
If in the improbable event of Buhari been elected president, on what ground would we stand to condemn a military coup against his government? And consistent with this treasonable predisposition, his campaign organisation recently went on record as openly declaring support for Army mutiny.

What greater lack of discipline is there than a former ruler of Nigeria habitually lapsing into parochial laden ethno-regional fulminations; regularly throwing Buharispeak tantrums on his preconceived sense of entitlement to the presidency of Nigeria-the dog and the baboon will soak in blood; not treating the Boko Haram insurgents like the Niger Delta militants amounts to an injustice against the North…
What of the anti-corruption avenging angel platform? We may not need to wait too long for substantial answers to this query-as we eagerly await the release of the report of the inquiry into the activities of the defunct Petroleum Trust (special) Fund (PTF) under his executive chairmanship.

Did saint Buhari not absolve the late General Sani Abacha (under whom the PTF was established and lasted) of any iota of corruption even as governments and banks the world over were returning tonnes of Abacha stolen dollars to Nigeria?
And is it not instructive that even before the election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been begging off from its candidate’s vaunted platform of anti-corruption? – as attested by the amnesty on corruption issued by party chairman, John Oyegun, a few days ago “the future of the people of this country is too important for us to spend valuable time trying to dig into the past”.

Buhari: A Leopard Does Not Change Its Colour

Wole Soyinka

The grounds on which General Buhari is being promoted as the alternative choice are not only shaky, but pitifully naive. History matters. Records are not kept simply to assist the weakness of memory, but to operate as guides to the future. Of course, we know that human beings change. What the claims of personality change or transformation impose on us is a rigorous inspection of the evidence, not wishful speculation or behind-the- scenes assurances.

In Buhari, we have been offered no evidence of the sheerest prospect of change. On the contrary, all evidence suggests that this is one individual who remains convinced that he is one ex-ruler that the nation cannot call to order.
Buhari enslaved the nation. He gloated and gloried in a master-slave relation to the millions of its inhabitants. It is astonishing to find that the same former slaves, now free of their chains, should clamour to be ruled by one who not only turned their nation into a slave plantation, but forbade them any discussion of their condition.

Nor must we omit the manner of Buhari coming to power and the pattern of his corrective rule. Responsibility for the national condition lay squarely at the door of the ruling party, obviously, but against whom was Buhari’s coup staged? Judging by the conduct of that regime, it was not against Shagari’s government but against the opposition.

The head of government, on whom primary responsibility lay, was Shehu Shagari. Yet that individual was kept in cosy house detention in Ikoyi while his powerless deputy, Alex Ekwueme, was locked up in Kirikiri prisons. Such was the Buhari notion of equitable apportionment of guilt and/or responsibility.

Recall, if you please, the judicial processes undergone by the septuagenarian Chief Adekunle Ajasin. He was arraigned and tried before Buhari’s punitive tribunal but acquitted. Dissatisfied, Buhari ordered his re-trial. Again, the tribunal could not find this man guilty of a single crime, so once again he was returned for trial, only to be acquitted of all charges of corruption or abuse of office. Was Chief Ajasin thereby released? No! He was ordered detained indefinitely, simply for the crime of winning an election and refusing to knuckle under Shagari’s reign of terror.

One is only too aware that some Nigerians love to point to Buhari’s agenda of discipline as the shining jewel in his scrap-iron crown. To inculcate discipline however, one must lead by example. For the exercise of a changeover of the national currency, the Nigerian borders air, sea and land had been shut tight.
The story of the thirty something suitcases it would appear that they were even closer to 50 – found unavoidable mention in my recent memoirs, YOU MUST SET FORTH AT DOWN. For the exercise of a changeover of the national currency, the Nigerian borders air, sea and land had been shut tight. Nothing was supposed to move in or out, not even cattle egrets. Yet a prominent camel was allowed through that needles eye.

Not only did Buhari dispatch his aide-de-camp, Mustapha Jokolo, later to become an emir- to facilitate the entry of those cases, he ordered the redeployment as I later discovered – of the Customs Officer who stood firmly against the entry of the contravening baggage.

What does one choose to include or leave out? What precisely was Ebenezer Babatope’s crime that he should have spent the entire tenure of General Buhari in detention? Nothing beyond the fact that he once warned in the media that Buhari was an ambitious soldier who would bear watching through the lenses of a coup-detat. Babatope’s father died while he was in Buhari’s custody, the dictator remained deaf to every plea that he be at least released to attend his father’s funeral, even under guard.

•Professor Wole Soyinka wrote this in 2011. It is reproduced here for its contemporary relevance.

WE WILL ROUT BOKO HARAM AND BRING THEM TO JUSTICE – Jonathan

(We will not forget; we will not look the other way. We have done a lot of painstaking planning and work to resolve the current security challenge. We will bring justice to the savage terrorists known as Boko Haram. They will be defeated

–President Goodluck Jonathan) QUOTE

 
In a solemn commitment as President of the Federal Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday pledged that the Islamist terror group, Boko Haram, would not get away with its atrocities, would not win the war to Islamise Nigeria, and would be routed and brought to justice.

He equally reassured Nigerians and the international community of his administration’s commitment to free, fair and credible elections this year, adding that his commitment to free elections on the basis of “one man, one vote” remained unwavering.

Making this known yesterday in his New Year nationwide broadcast, Jonathan also told Nigerians that the 2015 budget was targeted at making the nation a non-oil economy.

According to him, in 2015, his administration would continue to lay the foundation for a vibrant economy that attracts significant Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and promote policies that would ensure economic stability.

The president paid special tributes to the nation’s armed forces and other security agencies, which have been in the vanguard in the war against terrorism and violent extremism in our country and sub-region.

He equally commended all Nigerians who had remained vigilant and cooperative with the security agencies in the fight against “the common enemy”.

“We are re-equipping and re-positioning our armed forces to enhance their capacity to win the ongoing war against terror and insurgency.
“Regrettably, terrorists have unleashed much pain and agony on our land. They have made widows of our mothers and sisters and orphans of our children. They have shut down businesses, desecrated places of worship and brought untold hardship to both men and women.

“They have violated the culture and peaceful way of life in our country, which took generations to build.
“They have destroyed countless schools and displaced people from their communities, driving them into exile.

“I want to assure you that the terrorists will not get away with their atrocities: they will not win; they will be routed. As president, I feel the pain of all affected communities and families. I hear their cries and share their sorrow and pain.

“We will not forget; we will not look the other way. We have done a lot of painstaking planning and work to resolve the current security challenge. We will bring justice to the savage terrorists known as Boko Haram. They will be defeated,” he promised.

He added that his administration had worked hard in previous elections to prepare all key stakeholders including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the electorate optimally, to ensure a progressively improved electoral process in the country, and as such this year’s elections will not be an exception.

“We will continue to provide adequate funding to INEC and maintain the commission’s independence and isolate it from any form of interference or meddling in its day-to-day affairs.  This shall continue to guarantee its impartiality and ability to conduct more credible and acceptable elections.

“National security agencies will also be given all the necessary support to enhance their ability to ensure that the elections are peaceful and violence-free. The Nigeria Police has already established an Elections Security Planning and Monitoring Unit.

“I am optimistic that with the cooperation of all law-abiding citizens of the country, our commitment to have a peaceful and violence-free election will be actualised.

“I will like to say this, once again, to my fellow politicians and political leaders. None of our political ambitions is worth the blood of any of our countrymen, women and children.

“The improvement of their lives and living conditions ought to be our primary motive and the driving force of our quest for political power and leadership positions.

“Let us not promote sectionalism, disunity, intolerance, hate, falsehood or the malicious abuse of political opponents. Whatever we feel or seek, we must have a nation and a people before we can dream of political ambitions. Let us put the nation and the people first.

“Let us all conduct our electoral campaigns with the highest possible decorum and civility towards political opponents. Let us give INEC the fullest possible support and cooperation it requires to conduct credible and violence-free elections in 2015.

“After the 2011 general election, some unpatriotic elements embarked on an orgy of violence, resulting in the destruction of lives and property. That will not be allowed to happen this time around. This government will act decisively against anyone who disrupts the public peace, before, during or after the 2015 general election.

“All Nigerians of voting age are free to vote based on their convictions. It is our duty to defend and protect that basic right, and let no one be in doubt, we will.

“Fellow Nigerians, I urge all of you to enter the New Year with renewed zeal and patriotism, to serve our fatherland with love, honesty, faithfulness and hope for a greater tomorrow,” he said.

Jonathan maintained that none of the challenges before the country was insurmountable and called on the public to work together as a people and work with single-minded unity of purpose to overcome them.

“Nigeria is a key country in Africa. We must work together to maintain our strategic position and collaborate with others to move the continent forward. I call for peace in Africa and an end to all conflicts in our continent.

“I urge all Africans to promote democracy in their respective countries to ensure faster development of the continent and faster economic and political integration,” Jonathan said.

Jonathan also said the government would continue to pray and offer hands of fellowship and assistance to our fellow Africans suffering from the Ebola Virus Disease and urged all Nigerians to show compassion and contribute in whatever way they could to help their African brothers and sisters.

He added that the people’s collective prayer and efforts, “we will grow our economy and our people will become wealthier. Government will continue with programmes deliberately designed to create more jobs for our youth, to enable them contribute more to the growth and development of our nation”.

Also, during the New Year service at the Dunamis International Church, Abuja, the president acknowledged that there is corruption in Nigeria, but stressed that it could be successfully curbed with the collective efforts of Nigerians.

According to him, Nigerians lament daily of insecurity in the North-east occasioned by the attacks of Boko Haram, as well as the issue of corruption.

Jonathan stated that his administration had been working hard to curb widespread corruption.
“We are monitoring the airports now, which was never done before. We are coming out with programmes and plans to clean up these ills.

“So it is not just about shouting about corruption, it is not about looking at one person and you arrest the person and show him/her on the television, it is about strengthening institutions and coming up with concrete plans to make sure that anybody who gets involved in corruption, the system must have a way of detecting and punishing them.

“Until you set up such structures on the ground, you cannot talk about elimination corruption, instead you will be celebrating corruption,” he elaborated.

The president thanked the congregation for the warm reception accorded him on the first day of the year and promised to do his best to continue to come up with programmes that will help the ordinary people.

Commenting on the president’s pledge to conduct free and fair elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said it was impressed with the stated commitment of the president to conduct of free, fair and violence-free elections this year.

The party however urged him to ensure that he matches his commitment with action.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party expressed satisfaction that the president and his party have come out publicly to join the APC in pledging commitment to successful and violence-free polls next month.

“In a statement we issued on December 28th 2014, we assured Nigerians that we will do everything in our power to make the 2015 elections violence-free. Since then, PDP National Chairman Adamu Mu’azu and the president have joined us in making similar pledges.”
According to the opposition party, “This is a welcome development that will gladden the hearts of our citizens who are very apprehensive about the forthcoming elections.”

APC however said the best way to make the elections free, fair and devoid of violence is for the federal government to ensure a level playing field for all the parties by not tampering with the independence of INEC, not using the security agencies to persecute the opposition and not deliberately disenfranchising all those who are qualified to vote.

“If an election is free, fair and transparent and seen to be so by all, it will be easy for all concerned to accept the outcome, and there will be no violence. Violence only occurs when there is a realisation that the process has been skewed against some and in favour of others,’” the party said.

It restated its assurance to Nigerians and the international community that it would do all in its power to make sure that the 2015 general election is violence-free.

The party wished all Nigerians a happy New Year, and urged them to be prepared to use their votes to instal a government that will make their dreams come true and make Nigeria a proud member of the comity of nations.

THISDAY