VEEPEE Jonathan Fires Warning Shot; Warns Ministers, Others

PHOTO: VICE PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN.

San Francisco, Jan 16, (THEWILL) - Vice President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on Saturday issued a warning to all those working to cause chaos and disharmony in government including cabinet ministers warning that their time was up.

In a statement signed by his spokesperson Mr. Ima Niboro, he said that government was aware of moves by some top government officials and some influential persons outside the government to take advantage of the President’s absence and sponsor false and wicked campaigns against him and the federal government.

The Veepee was miffed at a newspaper report saying he was waiting to take instructions from the first lady, Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua before exercising presidential powers.

The statement titled “Mischief Makers at Work” said:

“This morning, a national newspaper published a report claiming that the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has so far refused to act upon the Justice Dan Abutu ruling of Wednesday, 13th January, 2010, to the effect that he can assume the duties of Mr. President in his absence in line with section 5(1) of the 1999 constitution, because he is awaiting a directive from the First Lady, Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua.

“This report is entirely false. The VP wants to state clearly that the last time he spoke with the First Lady was on Tuesday, January 5th, after he spoke with the president.  Indeed, it was the First Lady that called back shortly after to exchange warm pleasantries with the Vice-President.

“There is no doubt that those who packaged the report are only attempting to paint non-existent pictures to the Nigerian public in the effort to create mischievous scenarios of undecisivesness on the part of the Vice-President. If we may ask, what was the crucial significance of the Abutu judgement that went over and beyond the subsisting scenario of the Vice-President holding fort in the absence of the President? What therefore would form the directive basis for desperately seeking Mr. President’s point of view in the light of that ruling?

“May we also ask what crucial functions of the President the Vice-President has declined to take upon himself since the Wednesday ruling? Barely 48 hours after the decision, we all witnessed how the Vice-President led the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chief Justice of the Federation and the Service Chiefs, to take the salute at the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

“It is obvious that all these are part of the on-going effort by some well placed individuals, within and outside the administration, to take maximum advantage of the unfortunate situation that Mr. President, through no fault of his, has found himself health wise.  The sponsors of this false and wicked campaign are well known to the Federal Government, and in due time, they will be exposed and brought to book.

“We are aware that these same people are sponsoring ridiculous stories in the media to the effect that the Vice-President has already prepared a list of ministers and top executives of key parastatals to dismiss from the administration. There is no need to state that these are obvious lies.

“The Vice-President uses this occasion to state that key officers of government that are on top of their jobs need not harbour such fears. But those who, rather than focus on delivering this administration’s mandate to the Nigerian people, prefer to cause acrimony and disunity in order to advance personal aggrandisement have every reason to fear.

“The Vice-President appeals to Nigerians to ignore the divisive strategies of those who do not wish the present administration well, and are anxious to bring the government to its knees by all means, whether fair or foul.

“He remains eternally grateful to fellow compatriots who have continued to demonstrate unflinching solidarity to the nation in spite of these difficult times.  He also extends warm acknowledgments to the vast majority of patriots and citizens who continue to pray for the restoration of Mr. President’s health and his safe return to Nigeria.