{"id":3180,"date":"2013-05-06T01:24:53","date_gmt":"2013-05-06T01:24:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigeria-news\/acn-cpc-jonathans-aide-in-public-spat\/"},"modified":"2013-05-06T01:24:53","modified_gmt":"2013-05-06T01:24:53","slug":"acn-cpc-jonathans-aide-in-public-spat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/acn-cpc-jonathans-aide-in-public-spat\/","title":{"rendered":"ACN, CPC, Jonathan\u2019s aide in public spat"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Nigeria’s leading opposition party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, latest salvo against President Goodluck Jonathan, accusing him of sliding into dictatorship has drawn an equally combative and virulent response from presidential aides, accusing the ACN, instead, of being the abode of despots.<\/p>\n

“The paradox is that those who do not allow freedom and equality in their own party or backyard, those who are well known as self-proclaimed Godfathers and closet despots, are the same ones who are now quick to accuse others of despotism. The ACN should start by removing the log in its eyes. President Jonathan is not a despot. ACN is the real abode of budding despots in Nigeria”, Reuben Abati, presidential adviser on media and publicity said today.<\/p>\n

From Abati also came another salvo to the CPC spokesman, Rotimi Fashakin, who had accused Jonathan of not doing enough about Baga and of not visiting the town, where 187 civilians were reportedly killed by a multi-national force, including Nigerian soldiers.<\/p>\n

Abati said: It is in the character of the CPC and its spokesperson to play to the gallery even when the occasion calls for maturity and sobriety. The problem with them is that they consider everything \u201cvery unacceptable\u201d, and in particular everything relating to President Jonathan. They deserve our sympathy.<\/p>\n

\"Goodluck <\/p>\n

Goodluck Jonathan: Aide declares fire-for-fire to opposition parties<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

“If they care to know, President Jonathan has been very pro-active in dealing with the Baga incident. He ordered an immediate probe by the Military High Command and the intervention of rescue and aid agencies, who have been working with the Borno state government and other agencies of state to ensure that the victims are rehabilitated and assisted with relief materials.”<\/p>\n

The ACN started the main controversy with the statement on Sunday by publicity secretary, Lai Mohammed accusing President Jonathan of heating up the polity with his move to silence perceived enemies and opposition.<\/p>\n

The ACN accused the president and his administration of steadily descending into despotism with a brazen assault on the freedom of expression and the press, the use of national institutions against perceived enemies and a growing inclination to denigrate opposition leaders.<\/p>\n

“The Jonathan administration is anchored on a Transformation Agenda. But the only transformation that we can see is the one from a democratically-elected President to an Emperor, a despot,”said Lai Mohammed.<\/p>\n

“If the president is not prevailed upon to change course, Nigeria may be in for another season of anomie, reminiscent of the days of the maximum ruler who took the country to the brink before his sudden demise.”<\/p>\n

But the presidency responded by accusing the ACN of ‘standing truth on its head’, of indulging in ‘politics of abuse’, ‘of engaging in perfidy’ and of poor understanding of the word ‘despotism’.<\/p>\n

According to Abati: “Does Lai Mohammed know the meaning of the word, despotism, or is he just throwing the word around for onomatopoetic effect? He and his sponsors are in fact beneficiaries of the openness and freedom that this administration promotes. The paradox is that those who do not allow freedom and equality in their own party or backyard, those who are well known as self-proclaimed Godfathers and closet despots, are the same ones who are now quick to accuse others of despotism. The ACN should start by removing the log in its eyes. President Jonathan is not a despot. ACN is the real abode of budding despots in Nigeria.<\/p>\n

“The ACN\u2019s allegation that there is a disagreement between the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi is also wrong-headed and mischievous. Governor Amaechi has publicly stated that this particular allegation is a piece of fiction created by certain persons and the media. We insist that President Jonathan is not engaged in any quarrel or dispute with Governor Amaechi. And it is wrong to use the matter of the aircraft that was grounded by the aviation authorities to concoct stories of persecution. The institutions involved have offered reasons publicly why they took their decision with regard to the unlicensed aircraft, which in any case is an asset of the state, not the Governor\u2019s personal property. The President has nothing to do with that incident.<\/p>\n

“The ACN claims that there is \u201ca growing propensity to stifle the freedom of expression and freedom of the press.\u201d The report by the Committee to Protect Journalists which the ACN quotes is not a comment on government-media relations in Nigeria. This administration sees the media as a strategic partner in the business of nation-building. The government not only enjoys a robust relationship with the media, it continues to encourage the freedom of expression and of the press.<\/p>\n

In its statement, ACN said that the way President Jonathan is handling his political disagreement with a member of his party, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, has portrayed him as a leader who is willing to jettison democratic ideals and principles on the altar of personal ambition.<\/p>\n

The party wondered why national institutions have to be bastardized and compromised just to get at a political enemy, specifically citing the role being played by the Ministry of Aviation, its parastatals like the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, National Airspace Management Authority and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, as well as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the police, among others, in the presidency’s clash with the Governor Amaechi.<\/p>\n

“Like we said before, we are not perturbed by what is happening in the PDP,” the ACN said. “Our main concern is the fact that the party’s internal crisis is overheating the polity and threatening the country’s hard-won democracy.<\/p>\n

“After the theatrics of the aviation agencies and their parent ministry, the EFCC has suddenly realised that the cost of the Rivers state’s plane was inflated by US$ 10 million while the police have sacked the Secretariat of Obio-Akpro local government in Rivers.<\/p>\n

“The question is: who gave the orders for the police to sack the Secretariat, and in the process take sides with the president in the political disagreement with the Governor?<\/p>\n

“Which are the other national institutions that will be drafted into this scorched-earth campaign against a perceived non-conformist party member? If the president can go to this length against his own party man, what will he do against the opposition?<\/p>\n

“Why is it that a democratically-elected president cannot be challenged by anyone, whether or not he is a member of his party?” it queried.<\/p>\n

The party also expressed concerns at the growing propensity of the administration to stifle the freedom of expression and freedom of the press, citing the report by the media rights group, Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ, on the occasion of this year’s World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, as a global testimony to the worsening record of the administration as far as press freedom is concerned.<\/p>\n

Observers said, from the exchange of salvos today, Nigeria’s political landscape may be in for interesting political fireworks in the next few months.<\/p>\n

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Source: PM News<\/p>\n

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