"Omololu Ogunmade's report here that the President had signed but later withdrew his assent because of advisers who pretended to be working for the President's interest is one of the most thoughtless reports I have seen in recent time. It cannot be differentiated from one of those "highly informed" opinions usually expressed in most liquor parlours in Nigeria.

This is even more the time to commend Jonathan for acting most statesmanly - removing personal interest, vindictiveness and "let them be caught in their own trap" mentality - in his most crucial final national assignment in office. Let me explain: One of the most ridiculous amendment proposed by the National Assembly was the one that says, once the assemblies agree on amendment of any section of the Constitution, the presidential assent shall stand discarded. The primary target in that proposition was Jonathan himself. They thought that Jonathan was going to manipulate his way back to office and therefore sought to create certain legal structures and lay landmines that will severely whittle his presidential powers and effectiveness. The lawmakers deceived themselves that they were copying America but without first asking themselves whether ours is exactly America's history. That's a facade, their main and only reason was to hamstring Jonathan. If Jonathan is not a statesman to the core, or were he made in the mold of his opponents, he would have rushed to sign an amendment that will tie Buhari's hand or make his office almost meaningless when he assumes it, knowing he (Buhari) belongs to the same party as most of the legislators, and because Jonathan has NOTHING PERSONAL to loose or gain if he signs it. But that's not Jonathan.

I think rather than walking on that notorious path of "advisers that misled Jonathan," serious journalists should look at the bigger picture which is Nigeria, a picture that Jonathan has considered over and above his personal interest. A serious journalist should begin to write on why "patriotic" legislators refused to guarantee local government autonomy which Nigerians trooped out to the Senate/House public hearings to demand but rushed to propose amendment which rubbishes the seal of the number one office in this country. Were Jonathan to be vindictive and not a statesman, he would have sigend the bill. The legislators left existential issues that place challenges on our corportae existence but embarked on issues of supremacy of power between the Executive and the Legislature. Jonathan did the right thing by rejecting to leave a booby trap for the incoming President. He should be commended, not redicled with beer parlour narratives."