Jonathan, in a live media chat apparently organised to
douse the tension generated by the postponement of the
general elections, spoke among others, the alleged plot to
sack the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral
Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, insurgency and
corruption.
Before and after the polls were shifted from February 14
and 28 to March 28 and April 11, there were rumours that
the President and the Peoples Democratic Party were
nursing a sinister plot not to hand over power.
But Jonathan told a panel of interviewers that he was not
desperate to remain in power. He said such “insinuations
and wrong information” were meant to discredit him by his
political opponents.
He said,“Let me assure Nigerians that a new government
will be formed on May 29.They should not be perturbed
about rumours that we are planning to send Jega on a
terminal leave and other rubbish that is being circulated.
“In 2011, I said I will conduct a free and fair election and
that if I lose, I will happily move on and that it should be
recorded.
“Then I just concluded the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s
tenure. I said I will be happy to go if I lose. I said this nation
is more important than anybody. Anyone who wants to hold
the office of President and feels he is more important than
the nation is not right.
“So if as of 2011, I made a commitment that if I lose I will
go, it should tell you more about my stand on free and fair
elections.
“But now, Nigerians have given me the opportunity to be
here for four good years and so if the elections are
conducted and I lose, of course, we will inaugurate a new
government.
“The rumour that I will not hand over or that I am scheming
to prolong my tenure are insinuations; they are not true.
Those are insinuations; it is quite unfortunate that so much
wrong information is floating in the system.”
Jonathan faulted the claim by Jega that INEC was ready for
the elections. He said the information given to him by
security chiefs was that poor distribution of Permanent
Voter Cards could have caused a security challenge in the
country.
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