Immediate past president of Ijaw National Congress (INC), Chief Joshua Benemesia, has said people, who are canvassing for President Goodluck Jonathan not to run for the presidency in 2015 are doing that for their own greed and they should not be called Nigerians. Read more
Chief Benemeisia is of the belief that nobody has the right to stop anybody from exercising his constitutional rights in the country.
In a chat with Daily Sun, Chief Benemesia describes the amnesty programme of the Federal Government , as successful, among other issues.
Has amnesty achieved its goal?
Amnesty is a pardon given to a set of people, who have done one thing or the other to the state. The programme that came out of amnesty has achieved a lot for the country. Before amnesty came into being, Nigeria was at zero level of oil production, as it was put on standstill. We lost so many thousands barrels of oil daily which was killing Nigeria economically and after the amnesty programme of late President Yar’Adua, and the people handling it now, we can see that the oil production has risen up again. And Nigeria has benefited much from it and money should be pumped into the programme as it will bring stability into the economy of the country. It has helped to bring more investors into the country and the president should not stop at these. There should be a post amnesty programme that will involve the true reason for which the freedom fighters fought for. What Nigeria has been interested in, stability has been given to Nigeria but the development of the area should be the phase two of the programme. There should be development of the area and the Federal Government should allow people currently in charge to continue in the phase two of the amnesty programme.
What is your take on the issue of marginalisation of some sections in Nigeria?
We were seeking for political space along regional lines. Now, we are saying that Nigeria must call for National conference so that the people can determine their own future. Almagamation of Nigeria came in 1914 and in 2014, it will be a century and it will only be proper for all Nigerians to come together to discuss our feature. Because we were forcefully married in 1914 and let us not allow those who got us married dissolve us in 2014. In other for these not to happen, Nigerians must determine their own future in a national conference.
The National Assembly should imbibe in our constitution a room for national referendum to take place. I cannot see how over 150 million Nigerians will decide how they can live; it is not possible. A thousand people cannot determine how over 150 million people will live. I don’t know what our people are thinking. It is not possible.
We can have regions like we used to have in the country before now. We have made representations for 10 regions in Nigeria along ethnic divides so that each region will be responsible for itself.
Should Jonathan run for 2015 elections?
Anybody that is saying that Jonathan should not run for 2015 elections, I think the person is overwhelmed by his self-greed and such persons should not be called Nigerians. This is because you know the constitution of your country does not allow for a thing like that. Then such persons should say that as a fiat, Jonathan should leave the presidency now; I don’t know why people with intellect who should know the constitutions of the country, to now give Jonathan a condition publicly that Jonathan should not run, they are calling Nigerians fools and they are infringing on the rights of our people directly. Nobody has the right to stop anybody according to the constitution of the country, except if they want to suspend the constitution now.
Do you agree with those who insist that Jonathan is a weak president?
The man that I know there is a lion-hearted man. He has the heart of a lion, nobody should undermine or underestimate him. He is not a weakling. Anybody who thinks that Goodluck Jonathan is a weakling, I think the person is lost completely. His quietness does not make him a weakling. Everything that he does, he knows what he is doing and I can guarantee you that. Nigerians must learn to live with it amidst all these security challenges. Jonathan has tried and he has done much within the short time that he has ruled.
Is the present government winning the war against corruption?
We are in a corrupt society and the world itself is corrupt because if the world is not corrupt, I don’t see what America or Britain wants to go and do in Syria leaving their own country and they also have internal problems there, where unemployment is on the increase, what is their interest in Syria. Any country that they go to, the place will be finished, people should face realities. Let us learn to solve our problems ourselves. The whole world is corrupt and I believe that we are winning the war of corruption in the county, the anti corruption agencies are working and they have stopped corruption in the country. Nigerians should stop saying the country is corrupt but we are improving by the day in whatever that we are doing.
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