President Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday, said that by 2013, he will prove critics of his administration wrong, when the dividends of new policies introduced in the various sectors begin to trickle in.
Jonathan stated this when he declared opened the 52nd Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.
“I think I am the most criticised president in the whole world, but I tell this noble audience that before I leave, I will also be the most praised,” he said. “I have experienced that before in my governor journey in Bayelsa State. In fact, people who were close to me will tell you that even after the election, I told them that in my first 12 months please cover your ears because you will hear all kinds of things. But as we progress, there will be changes.
We are working very hard to stabilise power. We are working very hard to resurface our roads. We have security challenges which we are also working very hard to bring to reasonable control. It is not easy, because we don?t have the magic wand; except for a miracle worker that with the wave of the hand, probably will help to throw all these challenges away and prosperity will appear. But in pure governance issues like these take time. Sometimes, people who have held offices in government criticise me, even to the extent of personal abuses.
Then I asked, were there roads across the country and Jonathan brought flood to wipe out these roads; or we have power and I brought hurricane to break down the entire infrastructure? If they say Boko Haram is because of poverty, were there massive irrigation projects in the North where agriculture can thrive or massive farms that Jonathan brought drought to wipe out these farms under two years?
Were all these possible? Well, time will tell. What I can tell Nigerians is that let those who criticise continue to criticise. We will do our best and as we progress, Nigerians will know the truth and will see that we are committed and will surely transform this country.”
The President also said he had promised to deliver credible elections before the conduct of the 2011 general polls and the assessment by local and international observers was a testimony that he had kept his promise.
He said his administration had put in policies and new structures in place that would ensure the political, social and economic transformation of the country.
Jonathan said the federal government had proposed a new Anti-terrorism Bill 2012 which will address the current security challenges being faced by the country.
The President disagreed with the position of the NBA on the urgent need to create State Police in addressing the nation?s security challenges.
Jonathan said that the country was not ripe for State Police because it could be abused by the governors and further worsen the security situation.
He said the Police became worse for it, when they introduced the policy of deploying their men from the rank of Inspector downward to their states of origin.
Jonathan said his administration considered the NBA as partner in progress and commended the association for choosing a topical theme for the conference.
The theme – ‘Nigeria as an Emerging Market: Redefining our Laws and Politics for Growth’ – according to him, was in line with the public-private-partnership oriented policies of his administration.
Jonathan also urged the association to review its rules of engagement which bars its officers from directly getting involves in the government of the day either in advisory or participatory capacity.
