The national secretary of the Congress for Progressive
Change, CPC, Alhaji Buba Galadima, has blamed the
inability of President Goodluck Jonathan to perform on his
penchant for appointing persons into strategic government
positions based on tribalism.
Galadima, who was one of the activists, who spearheaded
the Jonathan presidency in 2010 via the Save Nigeria
Group, SNG, also accused the president of using his office
to confer undue advantage on his kinsmen, thereby
alienating the north and other sections of the country.
In an exclusive interview with leadership weekend,
Galadima pointed out that the president’s style of
leadership had largely infuriated the majority of the people
of the north who have so far not felt the impact of the
administration.
Asked to explain how the president has alienated the north
from the scheme of things, he said, “Jonathan has done
that through his utterances and actions and balkanized us
into ‘we and them’.
“Through his actions and those of his aides, they want to
tell people that these ones are Christians and these ones
are Muslims; these ones are northerners and these ones
are southerners.”
The CPC national secretary said that President Jonathan
would also not be able to solve the country’s problems
since he had surrounded himself with inexperienced and
myopic persons from one part of the country, thereby
‘ethnicizing’ governance.
Galadima also lamented that the north had been
discriminated against in the training of youths by the
federal government all in its bid to give an edge to the
southerners.
But reminded that the training programme was actually
started by the late President Yar’Adua under his amnesty
package for Niger Delta militants, Galadima responded:
“Let me tell you something practical; Jonathan has been
sending people from the Niger Delta and the south-south
in their thousands overseas for training since he came on
board.
“How many has he sent from the north or other parts of
the country? Do we all have to be militants before we are
recognized and given attention by his administration?
“If he can do that to the ones they call militants, then, it
means he can do the same to Boko Haram members who
have also become militants. They should send them to
Egypt or the Emirates to go and learn trades so that you
and I can have peace and sleep with our eyes closed.”
He however said that prominent northern leaders did not
want the country to break up based on their strong belief
that the Jonathan era will pass away for a leader who
would be able to unite the country and bring about
national transformation and reconciliation.
Galadima pleaded with Jonathan to change his leadership
style and bring in experienced persons to be able to move
the country forward.
Efforts to speak with the PDP national publicity secretary
proved abortive, as he was said to be out of town when our
correspondent visited his office.
He could also not be reached by the telephone, but a
source in the party said it would amount to dignifying Buba
Galadima if the party responded to his wild allegations.
“Who is Galadima for us to respond to his wild allegations
against the president and the party?” the man asked
angrily.
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