President Goodluck Jonathan has said  that he did not sign an agreement with any group or persons not to contest the 2015 Presidential election for a second term in office.  Also, he has described as unfair, the continuous strike by  the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), despite efforts by his government to address the infrastructural decay in institutions of higher learning.

The President also disclosed that he met with service chiefs yesterday with an order to end the embarrassing attacks by Boko Haram, adding that the state of emergency declared had been successful but the insurgents now look for soft spots like schools to frustrate and embarrass government.

Jonathan, during a Presidential media chat anchored by Senami Ohiemohia of AIT, with Shehu Dauda of Capital Post, Nosa Igiebor of Tell Magazine, Gloria Ume-Ezeoke of Channels Television and Shola Oshunkeye of The Sun Newspapers, challenged those who insist that he signed such agreement to publish it for Nigerians to see.

He said that his remarks at an interaction in Addis Ababa with some Nigerians that, if the seven-year single tenure passed, he would not run, were misconstrued.

“I didn’t sign any agreement not to contest. If I did, they would have shown you. What I said was, if Nigeria accepts the single tenure agreement, I will not run because it will be assumed I’m greedy, that having served four years as a president and two years completion of Yar’Adua’s term following his demise, adding additional seven years will amount to 12 years on the seat.”

President Jonathan insisted that the time was not right for him to declare his intentions on whether or not to contest the 2015 election, saying doing so will be against the Electoral Act and a criminal offence.

He said: “It is even against the Electoral Law for me to declare that I would contest when the electoral body has not blown the whistle,” adding however that his silence should not be a stumbling block to other people interested in contesting because they must prepare to convince Nigerians that they are the better alternatives.

On the allegations that his aides were already erecting billboards announcing his intention, President Jonathan expressed surprise at the development and said it would be investigated and corrected since he had ordered after the 2011 elections that all billboards bearing his campaign should be pulled down.

On ASUU’s strike, Jonathan said the union’s continuous demand for earned allowance was not part of the Federal Government’s responsibility as they are supposed to be paid from internally generated revenue, adding that touting infrastructural decay despite efforts meant to address it was unfair. He appealed to the lecturers to return to class.

He said the government had fulfilled the major part of the 2009 agreements and that the others would be fulfilled as time goes on.

President Jonathan said he personally ordered the inventory of all the universities in the country with the aim of exposing the problem and gradually addressing them.

“That is why we released N100 billion to uplift the infrastructures of the universities across the country. We cannot solve all the problems overnight.”

Presidential Jonathan expressed surprise that in spite of his goodwill to the universities, ASUU had decided to remain adamant, hinting that it was high time labour laws were looked into to check some of the excesses of striking workers.

He said: “ASUU strike is very unfortunate. Throughout this period, government decided to take inventory in schools. Our technical team set up, visited all the schools and presented  video and pictures to the Federal Executive Council and I directed the Vice President to ensure that the same report was presented to the National Economic Council meeting, which has governors as members.

“After seeing those documentations, we said this must change. For us to take that inventory, it means we are committed to improve the university infrastructure. So, for ASUU to go on strike on this, is unfair. They didn’t prompt us to take this inventory, we did it voluntarily.

“No government wants to expose itself, so, for me to do this it shows we are committed. I didn’t expect the strike to last this long, that it has lasted this long is unfortunate.”

On the immediate steps to end the strike, President Jonathan said: “I call on ASUU, for the sake of our children, to return to class. Their earned allowances is supposed to be paid from internally generated revenue. We are only assisting them, it is not mandatory.

“Even if we have all the money in the world, we can’t solve all the problems now and we have released N100 billion outside the line budget, they should return to class.”

The President described the seat of power as hot because “whatever happens in the country, people look up to the President to solve it,” adding that despite the numerous challenges, Nigeria was better off under his administration.

He listed the establishment of more federal universities, stemming corruption in the agriculture and petroleum sectors as well as the successful sale of power generating and distribution companies to the private sector as part of his achievements, saying the results would soon be felt.

President Jonathan denied that the Nigerian economy was bankrupt, describing those behind such assertions as unpatriotic.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/cover/i-didnt-sign-agreement-not-to-run-in-2015-jonathan/