My fears for Jonathan

Sun News

3 July 2011

My fears for Jonathan

–Prof Okoko

Former President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and incumbent President of the Conference of Ethnic Nationalities of the Niger Delta (CENND), Prof Kimse Okoko has expressed fears over the Jonathan Presidency.

Okoko, a Professor of Political Science in an exclusive interview in Port Harcourt said the Nigerian structure controlled by dominant powers would not allow Jonathan who is of the minority to effect fundamental changes needed to move the country forward.

While identifying the National Assembly as the place those opposed to Jonathan would seek to frustrate him, he enjoined the President to forge ahead with all his intentions for the people to see his attempts at transforming the country.

Among other issues, he pleaded with Jonathan to discontinue his relationship with former President Olusegun Obasanjo as he cannot learn any good thing from him

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You are right if you say I don’t have confidence in Nigeria politicians. How can I have confidence in someone who is being paid N42 million quarterly in a country people find it difficult to eat. I can’t have confidence when an ordinary local government chairman earns more than a Professor. Impostors are those given appointments. The system is rotten. A rotten system produces rottenness, and then I should have confidence in them, no way. When Obasanjo was there, huge sums of money was expended on roads, where are the roads? The National Assembly shamelessly hikes up the budget far above what the executive budgeted, and then I should have confidence in such people. Day by day, Nigerians are dying. Now the average age to die is being out at 39 and you expect me to have confidence in them, no I can’t.