Will Dr Goodluck Jonathan contest the 2027 presidential election? Does he have s solid support base? Does he have the local and global reach that could enhance his chances, to give him an etch over the sitting president, Bola Tinubu? These questions have been on the lips of many Nigerians, since speculations became rife, about the presidential ambition of Jonathan. The man himself has not said anything along this line.
But Prof. Benjamin Okaba, president of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, told TNN in this interview that Jonathan had confided on him on this. What did Jonathan tell him?
Okaba spoke on this and also spoke on why Donald Trump, the US president, should urgently intervene over the nation’s security issues.
The interview, conducted by OFONIME UMANAH, was processed by RUTH NWORIE.
Excerpts:
There have been so much in the media space about the likelihood of Dr Goodluck Jonathan contesting the 2027 presidential election. But some people think that he does not have home support. What you think?
Well, it might be too early to make any comment as to whether he has home support or not. In the first place, he has not publicly declared, and he has not also called leaders of the Ijaw nation to say whether he is contesting or not. So, I think that will be premature. He has not offended the Ijaw nation in anyway. Yes, we wish that we got more from him(when he was the president) but again we also pretty understand the circumstances under which he was the president of this country. Whoever that is telling you that he does not have support might be saying the right thing because we have not tested (him since he has not declared) and like I said earlier, I don’t see Ijaw people going against him.
Goodluck actually governed this nation as a true Nigerian leader who was not particularly interested in selfish, nepotistic tendencies. He saw the entire nation as one and treated everybody fairly and equally and I think this is some of the reasons people outside are clamouring for him to come back, especially those who are outside Ijaw or those who are not in the Niger Delta. The important thing is that Ijaws only can not make him a president but we are satisfied with the ongoing excitement outside the region calling for his return, calling for him to come and repair this thing. Particularly, those who even fought him are now saying that they are being repentant. On a daily basis, they are saying ‘look we fought him falsely, we accused him falsely, we fought him for very bad reasons.’ There are a lot of confessions from the northern part and some of them have even vowed to say they will work for him; that he is actually the messiah of the nation.
The few points I am making is that one, we are glad that he has massive support from outside, then secondly, he has not offended Ijaw people to the extent of saying we have to reject him and that he does not have home support and all that. Whoever is saying he does not have home support might be saying that for selfish reasons.
We have had one or two persons making such comments but you know in politics, people do things for several reasons to advance their economic interest or political interest.
So, will I be correct to say that the Ijaw nation will be waiting to hear from Goodluck Jonathan on this matter?
Yes. That is very correct because he has not actually told us. Whatever discussion he has had with one or two persons, including me, is in private. He has not given authorization to declare what he told me. But I know a time will come when he will gather all the Ijaw people and say this is his intention. It is at that point we will know. There is so much clamour from outside. So, if outsiders can give him this massive support, his own base won’t reject him. That is the way I look at it. His own base will not reject him, I can assure you of that.
You said he told you something in confidence. Did he say he will not contest?
No, I have told you that I will not, it is confidential. I will not answer that question. He told me in confidence and I will not declare to anybody.
Will you like him to declare same thing to all Nigerians?
Yes. When the time comes, he will do that. There is time for everything. When the time comes, he is most definitely going to do that.
Were you happy when he told you that thing?
Journalist… let’s leave it like that. Whether I was happy or not, let’s leave it like that.
There is so much insecurity in Nigeria, especially the north. What does this mean to you, especially when you recall that in 2014, the current president, Bola Tinubu, had said that the government of Goodluck Jonathan, at that, there was no government in Nigeria, because the government of Jonathan, allegedly, was not able to protect lives and property of Nigerians. Boko Haram was everywhere. We are seeing even much more from Boko Haram today. Today, Tinubu is in power and Boko Haram is causing much more havoc. Do you think we have a government in Nigeria?
I think the question has answered itself because Tinubu who questioned Jonathan’s government in 2014 has provided the answer and that answer still applies. I don’t need to say it. He said it and also remember that Abacha also made a statement that if terrorism lasts for more than 72 hours in a country, we should suspect the leadership.
So I will want you to join these two together, what Tinubu himself said then and compare it to the magnitude of the insecurity we have today and all of that. Because again, people have said it several times and I am just going to amplify it- the major responsibility of every government is security of lives and property. What is development without security? So, the priority should be security. The way we are now is very alarming. It has come to a time we should own up as to our inability to deal with the situation and if there is foreign intervention, yes why not deploy them? So, I am actually disappointed in some persons who are saying they (Trump and his Army) are coming to take our oil and all that. Our lives should be a priority. I will just align myself with others to call for foreign cooperation and intervention.
In other words, you need Donald Trump intervention?
Yes, so that is all that is there.
