We’ll Recapture Adamawa, Yobe, Borno Before Elections, Says Jonathan
Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja
Nigerian Nation
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday assured the international community that the military will recapture major areas currently under the control of the Islamic Boko Haram in the North East before the new dates for the 2015 general elections.
He gave the assurance during the annual Presidential cocktail for members of the diplomatic corps in Aso Rock, Abuja.
According to him Nigeria will recaptured 100 per cent all the areas under Adamawa and Yobe states.
For Borno State, he said that the government will also try to reclaim it 100 per cent before the election or at worst reclaim at least 70 per cent of the state from the insurgents.
He thanked the diplomats for their countries’ support to Nigeria on the insurgency in the North East and the improving bilateral trade with their countries.
He said: “So the adjustments, yes the Boko Haram issues are there and definitely more states though for now three states are in the enclave of Boko Haram, whereby conducting elections maybe difficult.
“This period will give them the opportunity to clean up the three states. If at all they cannot clean up the three states at least two states will be recovered completely and more local governments even from the remaining state, so that elections could be conducted even in Borno State.”
“Even if we don’t take over all the territories in Borno State, definitely in Adamawa and Yobe states, we will take over completely and even Borno State, the headquarters of Boko Haram, even if we don’t take over completely, at least 70 per cent of that state will be free for elections to be conducted. Because democracy can only be meaningful if people are allowed to select who rules them.”
He added: “We recognise the real threats terrorism poses to our nation’s development and national security. The Boko Haram insurgency has today become the biggest manifestation of terrorism not only in our country Nigeria, it has become a regional problem. The activities of Boko Haram has shown that no single country can effectively tackle terrorism and insurgency alone.
“For effective and successful containment of this challenge, it is through regional and international collaboration and cooperation. We are therefore forging collaboration with all our immediate neighbours, sub-regional allies and even partners beyond the region to deal with this mortal challenge to our security and development.”
He said that just like Nigeria dealt with the threat of Ebola, it is determined to decisively deal with insurgency and thereby securing the nation.
He said: “We are already beginning to turn the trend. Let me reassure you very clearly that we will surely win the war against Boko Haram. We are moving faster now. In n the next few weeks the whole world will know that we are totally committed and that we are in position to save our people.
“We are now in position to tackle the Boko Haram and especially with the position taken by the AU.
Our neigbouring countries – Chad, Cameroon, Niger are also keying in. Before this time, Boko Haram would create problems in Nigeria and sometimes go to northern Cameroon to hide. At times, they would create problem in Cameroon and move into Nigeria.
“It was always difficult for Nigerian security personnel to move into Cameroon because there was no intentional agreement or binding force. But now the barriers had been handled and so we will move faster and in the next few weeks you will witness significant changes.
“You can’t talk about wiping terror because it operates differently. But when you talk of holding territories, we are more committed than ever before because of the level we have reached and the cooperation we are getting from neighbouring countries in terms of taking these territories back, so that these internally displaced persons can be relocated into their communities.”
On the election, he said: “The next issue that is very important now is the issues of elections. Of course, you are aware of the colourful campaigns, especially campaigns that are led by the key political parties: the PDP and the APC.
“There is so much of tensions, especially when elections (dates) were readjusted. Initially the international community thought that readjusting the elections would automatically means shifting the date for inaugurating the new president.
“We insisted that for one, INEC adjusted the dates in 2011, the adjustments is within the constitutional provision that in Nigeria, elections have to be conducted not less than 30 days to the inauguration of the president and not more than 150 days of the inauguration.
“Unfortunately this illicited some kind of controversy. Ordinarily, people suppose not to bother. But for one reason or the other, it illicited some kind of debates and some people started even doubting whether this administration is even ready to go on with these elections or whether another president will be inaugurated on May 29th.
“So let me use this platform to clarify this issue, that the adjustments are within the constitution and not just the electoral law. Elections will be conducted as scheduled by the electoral body, March 28th and April 11th. On 29th of May this year, the President will be inaugurated. You should convey this to your country. “
On the frequently asked question of whether the military will wipe out insurgency in six weeks, he said: “The security people are not saying that they will wipe out Boko Haram before elections will be conducted. But there are Boko Haram related security issues and there were other security issues that were noticed during the period of campaigns which if we don’t prepare properly and modify, the security architecture we normally use for elections, the country may go up in flames.
“In a situation where you have maybe 30 per cent of people having voters card to vote, that is some kind of security threat. As at the time INEC was to conduct the elections, in fact when we had the Council of State meeting, a state like Lagos, Lagos is the most important state in this country, though the seat of government is in Abuja but Lagos controls 52 per cent of our economy. So it is a key state.
“So as important as Lagos is, only 38 per cent of those who registered to vote got their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs). And that points to some kind of dangerous signal which we must avoid.”
“So when they say security issues, it was not limited to Boko Haram, and the security people didn’t say they must wipe pout Boko Haram before the elections will be conducted. Even in 2011, there was Boko Haram and elections were conducted.
“So we will surely conduct elections as scheduled, I promise you. So communicate this to your home country as scheduled and on the 29th of May inauguration will take place to bring in the next president of this country.”
Nigerian Nation
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday assured the international community that the military will recapture major areas currently under the control of the Islamic Boko Haram in the North East before the new dates for the 2015 general elections.
He gave the assurance during the annual Presidential cocktail for members of the diplomatic corps in Aso Rock, Abuja.
According to him Nigeria will recaptured 100 per cent all the areas under Adamawa and Yobe states.
For Borno State, he said that the government will also try to reclaim it 100 per cent before the election or at worst reclaim at least 70 per cent of the state from the insurgents.
He thanked the diplomats for their countries’ support to Nigeria on the insurgency in the North East and the improving bilateral trade with their countries.
He said: “So the adjustments, yes the Boko Haram issues are there and definitely more states though for now three states are in the enclave of Boko Haram, whereby conducting elections maybe difficult.
“This period will give them the opportunity to clean up the three states. If at all they cannot clean up the three states at least two states will be recovered completely and more local governments even from the remaining state, so that elections could be conducted even in Borno State.”
“Even if we don’t take over all the territories in Borno State, definitely in Adamawa and Yobe states, we will take over completely and even Borno State, the headquarters of Boko Haram, even if we don’t take over completely, at least 70 per cent of that state will be free for elections to be conducted. Because democracy can only be meaningful if people are allowed to select who rules them.”
He added: “We recognise the real threats terrorism poses to our nation’s development and national security. The Boko Haram insurgency has today become the biggest manifestation of terrorism not only in our country Nigeria, it has become a regional problem. The activities of Boko Haram has shown that no single country can effectively tackle terrorism and insurgency alone.
“For effective and successful containment of this challenge, it is through regional and international collaboration and cooperation. We are therefore forging collaboration with all our immediate neighbours, sub-regional allies and even partners beyond the region to deal with this mortal challenge to our security and development.”
He said that just like Nigeria dealt with the threat of Ebola, it is determined to decisively deal with insurgency and thereby securing the nation.
He said: “We are already beginning to turn the trend. Let me reassure you very clearly that we will surely win the war against Boko Haram. We are moving faster now. In n the next few weeks the whole world will know that we are totally committed and that we are in position to save our people.
“We are now in position to tackle the Boko Haram and especially with the position taken by the AU.
Our neigbouring countries – Chad, Cameroon, Niger are also keying in. Before this time, Boko Haram would create problems in Nigeria and sometimes go to northern Cameroon to hide. At times, they would create problem in Cameroon and move into Nigeria.
“It was always difficult for Nigerian security personnel to move into Cameroon because there was no intentional agreement or binding force. But now the barriers had been handled and so we will move faster and in the next few weeks you will witness significant changes.
“You can’t talk about wiping terror because it operates differently. But when you talk of holding territories, we are more committed than ever before because of the level we have reached and the cooperation we are getting from neighbouring countries in terms of taking these territories back, so that these internally displaced persons can be relocated into their communities.”
On the election, he said: “The next issue that is very important now is the issues of elections. Of course, you are aware of the colourful campaigns, especially campaigns that are led by the key political parties: the PDP and the APC.
“There is so much of tensions, especially when elections (dates) were readjusted. Initially the international community thought that readjusting the elections would automatically means shifting the date for inaugurating the new president.
“We insisted that for one, INEC adjusted the dates in 2011, the adjustments is within the constitutional provision that in Nigeria, elections have to be conducted not less than 30 days to the inauguration of the president and not more than 150 days of the inauguration.
“Unfortunately this illicited some kind of controversy. Ordinarily, people suppose not to bother. But for one reason or the other, it illicited some kind of debates and some people started even doubting whether this administration is even ready to go on with these elections or whether another president will be inaugurated on May 29th.
“So let me use this platform to clarify this issue, that the adjustments are within the constitution and not just the electoral law. Elections will be conducted as scheduled by the electoral body, March 28th and April 11th. On 29th of May this year, the President will be inaugurated. You should convey this to your country. “
On the frequently asked question of whether the military will wipe out insurgency in six weeks, he said: “The security people are not saying that they will wipe out Boko Haram before elections will be conducted. But there are Boko Haram related security issues and there were other security issues that were noticed during the period of campaigns which if we don’t prepare properly and modify, the security architecture we normally use for elections, the country may go up in flames.
“In a situation where you have maybe 30 per cent of people having voters card to vote, that is some kind of security threat. As at the time INEC was to conduct the elections, in fact when we had the Council of State meeting, a state like Lagos, Lagos is the most important state in this country, though the seat of government is in Abuja but Lagos controls 52 per cent of our economy. So it is a key state.
“So as important as Lagos is, only 38 per cent of those who registered to vote got their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs). And that points to some kind of dangerous signal which we must avoid.”
“So when they say security issues, it was not limited to Boko Haram, and the security people didn’t say they must wipe pout Boko Haram before the elections will be conducted. Even in 2011, there was Boko Haram and elections were conducted.
“So we will surely conduct elections as scheduled, I promise you. So communicate this to your home country as scheduled and on the 29th of May inauguration will take place to bring in the next president of this country.”
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