AMANPOUR:

Thank you very much, indeed, for joining us on this program.

JONATHAN:

Thank you for finding time to discuss with me.

AMANPOUR:

Can I ask you first what an extraordinary name. How did “Goodluck” come to be your name?

JONATHAN:

I don’t know. I have to ask my father.

AMANPOUR:

Have you had good luck? And do you think you’ll need more than good luck to face down the incredible array of challenges that’s on your plate?

JONATHAN:

Well, the issue of good luck, I don’t really believe that the good luck an issue. But at the present, I’ve been facing a lot of challenges. What some people will attribute to good luck could have been disastrous under some circumstances.

AMANPOUR:

Well, let me ask you this. You are now acting president, because the president, Mr. Yar’Adua, is unwell.

JONATHAN:

Yes.

AMANPOUR:

Have you seen him since he has come back from his medical absence in Saudi Arabia?

JONATHAN:

No, I have not seen him.

AMANPOUR:

Why not?

JONATHAN:

The thinking of the family is that they should isolate him from most of the key actors in government. I have not seen him. The Senate president has not seen him , and at every single government function, I have not seen him.

AMANPOUR:

Doesn’t that cause anxiety amongst the people?

JONATHAN:

Yes, it does. It does. Obviously, it does, but we cannot influence his family’s thinking.

AMANPOUR:

Would you prefer that the family allowed you to visit him?

JONATHAN:

Yes, of course. But I will not want to force.

AMANPOUR:

What is his actual state of health? This also is a mystery.

JONATHAN:

I can’t say exactly. Only the medical doctors can.

AMANPOUR:

Have they told you?

JONATHAN:

No, they haven’t.

AMANPOUR:

Have they made any public statements?

JONATHAN:

Not quite. Not now. At the beginning, yes, but (Someone’s name - unclear) left for Saudi Arabia, I think in the second week or so, within the first week, we are told that acute pericarditis. After that, no other statement has been issued.

AMANPOUR:

So if he can receive religious leaders, why can he not receive at least the acting president who’s acting in his name?

JONATHAN:

Well, religious leaders are there for (inaudible) blessings. Probably that is why they asked the religious leaders to go and pray for him. We are a very, very religious society.

AMANPOUR:

Do you believe that those around him are trying to undermine you or your new cabinet?

JONATHAN:

I wouldn’t say they are trying to undermine me, because the laws of the land are very clear. And, of course, that is why in the first place constitution is designed for two people to be in charge of government at every time, one superior and one inferior.

AMANPOUR:

Do you think he will ever come back to government?

JONATHAN:

I can’t say that. It’s difficult for any of us as mortals to say so.

AMANPOUR:

So you are now acting president, and you have essentially a year, because elections will be held this time 2011.

JONATHAN:

Yes.

AMANPOUR:

What is your most pressing issue?

JONATHAN:

The most pressing issue for Nigerian now, in terms of basic infrastructure, is power.

AMANPOUR:

You mean electricity?

JONATHAN:

Electricity. Outside that, what is central to the minds of Nigerians now is an election that their votes will count, free and fair elections because we’ve been accused of as a country that our elections somehow are questioned. And I promise Nigerians that they will surely get that and I’ve done some experiments.

The next thing that Nigerians worry about is issues of corruption. You know we’ve been accused of as people who are in a privileged position in government amassing wealth at the expense of society. So they expect us to take these two issues seriously.

AMANPOUR:

So what can you do to take those issues seriously?

Obviously, the issue of good governance, of free elections, free of corruption is central, and you heard the United States has also said just now that you must remove the head of the election commission, Maurice Iwu. Will you do that?

JONATHAN:

You see, the issue of the - the electoral body - in fact, I even told the audience I addressed this morning, the issue is whether the present electoral body can conduct free and fair election or not. And I told them that, yes, they can, because I have done it with the same people.

On issue of the people at INEC, I told them that, look, between now and ending of June, most of the officials at the national level - they’re called commissioners - their tenure will end, and we’re going to review them on individual merit.

Within this period that I have been acting president, I have conducted three elections. They are conducted by INEC and it was free and fair. Only on Saturday, we conducted local council elections in the federal capital territory and all the information is that, apart from one or two that had some few discrepancies, they have been very peaceful, very credible, So that is the issue. So the issue is beyond one person.

AMANPOUR:

But let me just ask you,

JONATHAN:

I’m not defending the chairman.

AMANPOUR:

Do you think he will stay or will he be removed?

JONATHAN:

All of them we’ll review. And any one of them that we feel is not competent definitely,

AMANPOUR:

Do you feel that Mr. Iwu is competent?

JONATHAN:

(Laughs) No, no, no, no. I know that this question continues to come up.

What I’ve said is, the issue is beyond Mr. Iwu.

AMANPOUR:

I know. But I’m specifically talking about him, because it’s come up in your meetings with U.S. officials.

JONATHAN:

Yes, I agree that within the period that is (inaudible) there are quite a number of controversies. I agree. There are quite a number of concerns. There are quite a number of controversies. So I know what I’m telling you; that this very Iwu, I’m not trying to argue for him. The Iwu we are talking about has conducted free elections these past three elections that I’ve made reference to that are credible.

So the issue is beyond Iwu because we must set up an electoral system and our regulations and laws that will make sure that anybody who is appointed to that office should be able to conduct acceptable elections. And that is my focus.

AMANPOUR:

OK. Will you run in 2011? Will you present yourself as a presidential candidate?

JONATHAN:

For now, I don’t want to think about it, because the circumstances that - the circumstances of the day are quite worrisome.

I came in as the vice president to run with President Yar’Adua, of course, getting close to period of election, he took ill. And I have to take over under somewhat controversial circumstances. Only last week, I reconsidered the cabinet. So let us see how Nigeria will move forward first. I had a similar experience when I was governor of my state.

I said, nobody should ask me whether I will contest election or not. I must first of all see whether the state is moving. If the country is not moving, what what will I tell Nigerians I want to contest?

The full interview will air on ‘Amanpour’ at 2000 BST on Wednesday 14th April www.cnn.com/amanpour

Link:

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5554356-146/i_wont_force_myself_to_meet.csp

hmmmmm
nice insight. Maybe Johnny boy wants to retain Iwu so he can help deliver him that coverted number 1 position come 2011 elections.

I don't know why Amanpour wanted him to look as if he is taking direct orders from the the U.S, but he deftly wriggled out of it. Jonathan is a sharp guy.

Em~' em~' dis Amanpour guy wan force word out of person mouth! GJ sharp pass am! Thats d kind of president we need.

wey Beaf?
This Jonathan your brother seems more intelligent than i first believed o!!
Anyway these are earlier days.
I wish him the best.

Jeez!! This guy is sound!

See as he deftly itemized the key challenges our nation is facing and intelligently warded off Christiane's leading questions with apt answers. .

I'm more than impressed.

Lol. Nigerians! Anything Joe does now is the right thing abi? I give you guys six months, you will all start singing different songs about this same guy. No be naija?! Lol

^^^ I pray we wont have cause to do so. For now, I'm truly impressed.

Nice interview; IWU is not really the problem but he gats to go.

desgiezd:

^^^ I pray we wont have cause to do so. For now, I'm truly impressed.

<< I hope so to, but only words can't impress me. We had enough of lips service in Nigeria before now. I reserve my support for Joe till six months from now. These gimicks ain't gonna work on me. No! Not again.

Jonathan is a smart guy, he is just being his own man.
The angle he is putting forward is that he'll do what he wants, regardless of what the US demands. He has been very diplomatic and firm about it; I can bet you that in the end Iwu and anything remotely smelling of Iwu will be uprooted from INEC.

mbulela:

wey Beaf?
This Jonathan your brother seems more intelligent than i first believed o!!
Anyway these are earlier days.
I wish him the best.

I deh here o! Catching fish for my side.

I told you guys that down that area, quiet but incisive folk like Uncle Joe are very common (not the best example, but you might also remember the shy, unassuming, but deafeningly deadly Tompolo).
I believe he will deliver, we can only pray for the best.

Nice and intelligent response from GJ.

This guy is definitely intelligent. See critical and deductive thinking at work. That is practically a PhD mind. Look at this line-

" I don’t really believe that the good luck an issue. But at the present, I’ve been facing a lot of challenges. What some people will attribute to good luck could have been disastrous under some circumstances."

I now understand why Ghali Umar N'Abba is worried.

Well the good part is that he is slowly opening up on the hidden state of disaffection between himself and the deranged Turai.
now i sense some sort of assertion from his part!

I don’t really believe that the good luck an issue. But at the present, I’ve been facing a lot of challenges. What some people will attribute to good luck could have been disastrous under some circumstances."

Some idiots especially those Hooligans In Power alas military men in civilian clothing, would have fallen prey to Yaradua’s CSO and ADC trap by confronting a needless and planned crisis head-On.

Thereby heating up the polity further, this would invariably lead to the Military taking over, insisting and sighting an irrevocable power struggle between the Presidency and the Vice-Presidency. Jonathan’s intellect and foresight helped in avoiding what would have been an open and confrontational war-fare between those two exalted offices.

Having said that the CSO and ADC wouldn’t have threatened a rascal, a mean and unrelenting dictator like IBB, hence why some quarters in Nigeria and International concerns gravitates towards the assurance and the expediency an IBB candidacy guarantees in the next dispensation.

good responses so far from GJ in this interview.

If it was our Honorable Minister of Information in the chair being grilled with such questions, you guys will have been privileged to read a shambolic and disgraceful ton of undiplomatic response.

The way Jonathan answered without resorting to name calling as well as a charismatic approach which is deeply rooted in the act of thinking before talking or even acting is a habit that most leaders in Nigeria find difficult to cultivate.

Let the acting president focus on moving the nation forward rather than yardua cos no single individual is greater than nigeria

Jonathan must contest. There are groups working for that purpose, and my dad is involved in one of the groups secretly working.

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Em~' em~' dis Amanpour guy wan force word out of person mouth! GJ sharp pass am! Thats d kind of president we need.

Amanpour na woman oh , see picture above wey she dey with Joe boy

An intelligent GJ
I wish him the best of Luck on his administration.
GJ Please pay attention to Power first then the rest,

God bless you Jonathan. Can everyone see a truely educated and an intellegent man answering questions with sound mind, may God give Jonathan more wisdom. All those miseducated(Cabals) ones who claimed to be at the pick of education and lack common sense and no single wisdom shame on them, we can see the kind of education they had all they have upstair  is blablabla, looting and no common sense.

Come rain or sunshine I will always support Jonathan not for anything but for the way those vulture head cabals treated him as nobody really upset me a lot. They treated him as if Aso Rock is meant only for particular people, and the way he was be disrespect by this cabals and to worst it the way silly rock-head power hungry Turai treated Jonathan and make Nigeria look like her village annoyes me a lot.

Jonathan I am proud of you please carry on your job any one among them who feel unhappy with your presidency should leave Nigeria.

If we look at this interview which is the first interview Jonathan is granting since he got into the presidency, we will appreciate my assertion that Jonathan is indeed the grandest politician in Nigeria so far.

Quote from Ag President Goodluck Jonathan

I wouldn’t say they are trying to undermine me, because the laws of the land are very clear. And, of course, that is why in the first place constitution is designed for two people to be in charge of government at every time, one superior and one inferior.

The import of dis statement is deep, nobody can undermine him, nobody can use him as an errand boy like Aonaoaka and Ruma wanted to, Jonathan also admits here that two of them are incharge of govt at everytime and he is only inferior to the president not his special advisers or special ministers and this was what Jonathan tried to teach members of Yaraduas kitchen cabinet, he deliberately allowed the nation seemed to be grinding to a halt, cos nobody would impose himself on Yaradua so nobody should think of imposing on Jonathan in the name of Yaradua.

This takes tact and experience and that is y i supporty Jonathan for President come 2011

can there be a more elusive guy as a president?

wadin tru the valley of the shadows of death and holdin his head high,

this guy is an epitome of eternal loyalty, high code HUMILITY,  adept SMARTNESS and one who does not bliv in the general doctrine  that politicS is a dirty game u got to have power at all cost and by all means,


inculcated into me frm tym immemorial, is d fact that POLITICAL LANGUAGES ARE DESIGNED TO MAKE LIES SOUND TRUTHFUL, MURDERERS RESPECTABLE AND TO GIVE AN APPEARANCE OF SOLIDITY TO PURE MINDS,

BUT NOW? i fink i am seeing fins frm GJ angle, he who the Gud Lord raises, he is able to substain!

Long Live Nigeria
Long Live GJ
Long Live DON LEGEND

Goodie .J. keeps impressing me more and more with each passing day

What is 2000 BST in Nigerian time?

for the very first time in the history of my country, Nigeria has an educated mind at the helm of affairs.
sharp guy. Good luck to u bros.

i cant wait to watch the full interview.

plc group:

Jonathan must contest.  There are groups working for that purpose, and my dad is involved in one of the groups secretly working.

may i know who your dad is so that i can invite efcc to investigate him and the groups working for jonathan since your revelation shows that he has been using state funds to mobilise support for his presidential ambition.

HARDDON:

can there be a more elusive guy as a president?

wadin tru the valley of the shadows of death and holdin his head high,

this guy is an epitome of eternal loyalty, high code HUMILITY,  adept SMARTNESS and one who does not bliv in the general doctrine  that politicS is a dirty game u got to have power at all cost and by all means,


inculcated into me frm tym immemorial, is d fact that POLITICAL LANGUAGES ARE DESIGNED TO MAKE LIES SOUND TRUTHFUL, MURDERERS RESPECTABLE AND TO GIVE AN APPEARANCE OF SOLIDITY TO PURE MINDS,

BUT NOW? i fink i am seeing fins frm GJ angle, he who the Gud Lord raises, he is able to substain!

Long Live Nigeria
Long Live GJ
Long Live DON LEGEND

so goodluck has achieved a feat for meeting obama and granting interview to amanpour?.i sorry for my people

Thank you Goodluck for your good responses. I am impressed.

plc group:

Jonathan must contest. There are groups working for that purpose, and my dad is involved in one of the groups secretly working.

@plc let us know how we can join, this is one issue i can join a protest for and risk loosing my job

KnowAll:

I don’t really believe that the good luck an issue. But at the present, I’ve been facing a lot of challenges. What some people will attribute to good luck could have been disastrous under some circumstances."

Some idiots especially those Hooligans In Power alas military men in civilian clothing,  would have fallen prey to Yaradua’s CSO and ADC trap by confronting a  needless and planned crisis head-On.

Thereby heating up the polity further, this would invariably lead to the Military taking over, insisting and sighting an irrevocable power struggle between the Presidency and the Vice-Presidency.  Jonathan’s intellect and foresight helped in avoiding what would have been an open and confrontational war-fare between those two exalted offices.

Having said that the CSO and ADC wouldn’t have threatened a rascal, a mean and unrelenting dictator like IBB, hence why some quarters in Nigeria and International concerns gravitates towards the assurance and the expediency an IBB candidacy guarantees in the next dispensation.

Jonathan & IBB's paths to ascendancy are completely different, there's no basis for comparison. While a mean rascal like IBB would never find himself playing second fiddle to a wan.ker such as Yar'Adua, Jonathan has acquitted himself admirably well under treacherous circumstances. Jonathan is a pure politician/technocrat, IBB is a bloodthirsty dictator. Everything IBB got, he took for himself, either by violence or deceit.

The biggest mistake Nigerians are never going to make is to give our mandate to that thoroughly evil creature IBB who took us for an eight-year long ride while spending (and at the same time stealing) a mint of money in the process. Only God can avenge Nigerians of IBB.