(NIGERIA) 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)
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