Jonathan’s ministers attack Buhari, APC: Stop discrediting us, our government

…Jonathan administration did not encourage corruption, rather… …We are proud to have served Nigeria ...Electric power sector became competitive and attractive

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NIGERIA: EX-MINISTERS, under ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, have risen in defence of their boss and themselves, over “deployment of blackmail, persecution” from President Muhammadu Buhari and his lietenants.

To them, what has been going on since Buhari assumed power were attempts to denigrate and rubbish achievements recorded under the Jonathan administration which they served “diligently and to the best of our abilities.”

According to the former ministers, Buhari and his spokespersons have embarked on “vilification of the Jonathan administration, to be ill intentioned, unduly partisan, and in bad faith.”

The ministers’ grievances were contained in a release issued on Sunday and signed by the former National Planning Minister, Dr. Abubakar O. Suleiman.

They expressed shock that Buhari and his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) that benefited from Jonathan’s electoral institutions, were the same that have been castigating its preceding administration.

“It should also not be forgotten that the Jonathan administration strengthened electoral institutions and created a peaceful environment for democracy to thrive,” the angry ministers said.  “On this score, it is sad and ironic that the chief beneficiaries of that same legacy are the most vociferous today in condemning President Jonathan and his team.”

They said: “We, the Ministers who served under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, have watched with increasing alarm and concern the concerted effort by the Buhari administration and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to condemn, ridicule and undermine the efforts of that administration, in addition to impugning the integrity of its individual members.

“While we concede that every administration has the right to chart its own path as it deems fit, we nevertheless consider the vilification of the Jonathan administration, to be ill intentioned, unduly partisan, and in bad faith.”

According to them: “The effort that has been made to portray each and every member of the Jonathan administration as corrupt and irresponsible, in an orchestrated and vicious trial by media, has created a lynch mentality that discredits our honest contributions to the growth and development of our beloved nation.

“We are proud to have served Nigeria and we boldly affirm that we did so diligently and to the best of our abilities. The improvements that have been noticed today in the power sector, in national security, and in social services and other sectors did not occur overnight. They are products of solid foundations laid by the same Jonathan administration.”

On corruption, they said: “Contrary to what the APC and its agents would rather have the public believe, the Jonathan administration did not encourage corruption, rather it fought corruption vigorously, within the context of the rule of law and due process. For the benefit of those who may have forgotten so soon, it was the Jonathan administration that got rid of the fraud in fertilizer subsidies, which had plagued the country for decades. This helped to unleash a revolution in agricultural production and productivity.”

The peeved ministers further went: “It was also the Jonathan administration that supported the institutional development of strong systems and mechanisms to curb corruption in the public service and plug revenue leakages. These included the development of the Government Integrated Financial Management Platform, The Single Treasury Account (TSA), and the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Management Systems (IPPIS), in addition to the biometric registration of civil servants and pensioners which saved the country over N100 billion paid to ghost workers and ghost pensioners.

“To ensure greater transparency and integrity in the oil and gas sector, the Jonathan administration ordered investigations and put mechanisms in place to check the theft of Nigeria’s crude oil. It was also under the Jonathan administration that a Nigerian Content policy was introduced, which opened up that sector to Nigerians in a manner that was not previously the case.

“It was also the Jonathan administration that mobilized and secured the support of our neighbouring countries to ensure a robust multinational response to the menace of terrorism and insurgency, resulting in notable advancements in the fight against terror. President Jonathan personally initiated the collaboration that led to these advancements and ensured that Nigeria provided the needed financial support for the Multinational Joint Task Force.

“It was the Jonathan administration that repaired and rehabilitated over 25, 000 kilometres of our nation’s roads. Nigeria also became a profitable and preferred investment-friendly destination. It was under President Jonathan, for example, that Nigeria’s electric power sector became more competitive and attractive to local and foreign investments.”

While giving kudos to their former boss on the rule of law, free speech, fundamental human rights, and a robust freedom of information regime, they stressed that the rights of women, to participate in public life and the Federal Character principle as well as other Constitutional principles, were also respected under the immediate past administration.

“In every respect, our administration promoted inclusive governance and encouraged all stakeholders including the private sector to play key roles in the transformation of Nigeria,” the erstwhile ministers said.

They added: “Perhaps the new administration and the APC would be sincere enough to publish the details of the hand over notes they received.  In addition, the Buhari administration should be fair enough to acknowledge the good works of the Jonathan administration. No administration can be either completely bad or completely good.

“President Jonathan’s achievements in moving this country to greater heights deserve to be duly acknowledged. We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to build on these achievements.

We also urge him to press on with the anti-corruption fight, but in a fair and non-partisan manner, in line with due process, and not as a political witch-hunt.”

According to them, the “various lies and fabrications being peddled by some self appointed spokespersons of the administration may entertain the unwary, but such sensationalism may achieve the unintended effect of de-marketing our country within the international community.”

“All such persons playing to the gallery for whatever gains should be called to order,” they said, while futher stressing: “The name-calling of members of the Jonathan administration and the trial by news media should also stop.”

They also said: “We encourage President Buhari to continue with the probes, but this must be in strict accordance with his oath of office to treat all Nigerians equally and with the fear of God.

We have reserved our comment until now, in the fervent hope that once the euphoria that may have inspired the various attacks on the past administration wears off, reason will prevail.

“But we are constrained to speak up in defence of the legacy of the Jonathan administration, and shall do so again, for as long as those who are determined to rubbish that legacy, are unrelenting in their usual deployment of blackmail, persecution, and similar tactics.”