PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday, said he will never make empty promises to Nigerians, adding that all his life, he had never failed on any promise.

Jonathan, in a message posted on the social networking site, Facebook, said he was determined to ensure that Nigeria solved its power problem in no time.

The president said he would “give power to Nigerians by whatever means we can,” adding that he had ensured that Nigeria tapped into the coal and solar power sectors to ensure power was available to Nigerians.

In the message, entitled Thank God for little drops of water, the president said he was committed to resolving not only the power challenges, but also the educational problems facing the country.

He said all his life, he had made very few promises, but had also ensured that he delivered on all his promises.

“We are making progress with the new super grid to transmit power throughout Nigeria, while also moving full steam ahead in building new power plants and maintaining the old ones.

“However, we still have to think nationally and act locally and make sure that where there is opportunity we make use of it to give power to Nigerians by whatever means we can.

“This is why I have committed the Federal Government to developing coal-powered and solar turbines to generate power for the Nsukka campus of the University of Nigeria (UNN) and its environs.

“This is no empty promise. I wish to remind Nigerians that I have a track record of making few promises, but delivering on the few that I make. Just as an example, very close to Nsukka is the Akanu Ibiam Airport. As a fallout of the recent Certificate 1 certification granted to Nigeria by the United States Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), I promised that this airport will be upgraded to international status to prepare Nigeria to become a regional aviation hub, being the only West African country with this level of certification.

“I am glad to report that work has begun, as I write, at the Akanu Ibiam airport and a new terminal is already being built,” Jonathan said.

The president also asked corporate citizens to put down their money in support of the nation’s educational system.

In the message on Facebook, Jonathan said “I also want to use this opportunity to thank those responsible corporate citizens, who have put their money where their mouth is and have contributed to the development of education in Nigeria by building a N3.8 billion ICT Infrastructure programme for the University of Nigeria.

“Many thanks to Google Inc which led this programme under its Africa University Access Programme, in collaboration and partnership with several ICT firms, including MTN Nigeria, Main One Limited, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft Corporation, BCX Networks, Wavion Inc, and Xirrus Limited of Israel.

“Let me assure all parents and guardians of university undergraduates, as well as the undergraduates themselves, that I am from the academia and I know where the shoe pinches. I have the will to do what is right to restore the glory years of the Nigerian university system, so help me God.”

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/12096-power-supply-i-wont-make-empty-promises-to-nigerians-jonathan

Just like most politicians and most importantly a sitting aspring president GEJ is gradually doing things to win people over.

I have a strong he'll make a big statement/promise come December or January.

Should he deliver on constant power supply, he'll prolly go down as one of the most prominent leaders of Nigeria.

I'm convinced GEJ will deliver, specifically on Power Infrastructure (Not sure about education though. The problems plaguig our education system may require over a decade to correct).

The disaster will be if another Nomad Muturu from the North becomes President!!! In that case, simply expect another lost decade.

time will tell, for now i still dey siddon look.

u better not
no just try fall my hand at alllllllll

even that stateent on it's own 'i will not make empty promises' is in itself, an empty promise - it's like somebody saying 'sorry, but i don't apologise to people'

dappssee:
Jonathan in a message posted on the social networking site, Facebook , said he was determined to

In the message on Facebook, Jonathan said “I also want to use this opportunity to thank

PLEASE WHO ARE THIS MAN ADVISERS, when will he get it that giving a message on facebook is not same as giving a message to the public for godsake.

Ewoooooooooo
GEJ I love you die,   chai

One thing I know for sure is that if God's thinking is far from ours.If God want to deliver a land He will never use the most qualified,He may even decide to use a 'mumu',timid person,weak person,just like the case of Moses,David,e.t.c.
GEJ may be making mistakes now but im assuring you that hes taking us somewhere.
To me personally Nuhu Ribadu is the most qualified out of them all but he will dissappoint all of us.
It only takes a man with the mind of someone like GEJ to deliver this country,4get about all those dare devils,they have nothing in stock for us.

Any hindrance on his way will be use as stepping stone because God is unstoppable

IF U LIKE BELIEVE

No, seriously, am not laughing! Or are you seeing my teeth?

May God help you. But your PDP people na BIG wahala.

THEN GIVE NIGERIANS YOUR PLAN IN PHASES FOR POWER.

PROMISE WITHOUT PLAN EQUALS NO MANIFESTO EQUALS EMPTY PROMISES

I don't know why everything takes forever in Nigeria. Heard on CNBCA a few days ago that a study had been done on thermal mapping of South Africa and based on that, the area with the highest solar radiation (Northern Cape region) would get a 5000Mw solar park which should be up and running by 2012/2013!!! Yet, here in Nigeria we have been building gas plants for almost 6 years, with no end in sight. If a solar park can deliver 5000Mw in a relatively short time, why are we struggling with so many 350Mw sized gas plants, with all the sunlight we have in the North??

Mstcheew !!!

Nigerians are so used to nonsense that even they find it hard believing the bible they carry day and night.

Even if Jesus Christ makes that statement, many will say the same they are saying here. Nonsense begets nonsense.

GEJ.
Will your actions ever speak louder than your words in FB and in other media?

this is one of the most dumb statements i v ever heard from a leader in a very long time.
nigerians are dying by the day and our president is not making any promises.
wether we like it or not, we are about having another unready president come 2011.
outside here, leaders tell the ppl what their intentions are and it is based on that they are voted.
here what we have is struggle to please obasanjo and u are president.
the most unfortunate thing is that nigerians and nairalanders can celebrate any shit. a leader says he is not making any promise and hunger ridden fools are celebrating.
ppl are suffering seriously in a God blessed country like ours with a president who always say the leaders are corrupt.
if the leaders are corrupt and u know the leaders, what have u done abt that?
for me, i am not expecting anything from jonathan with all the criminals that sourround him.

Orangemen

The man said he is not ready to make "empty" promises, look at the interpretation you have given it. LOL.

The man simply meant he wont make any promise he is not able to keep. LOL

Nigerians,

Orangemen

The man said he is not ready to make "empty" promises, look at the interpretation you have given it. LOL.

The man simply meant he wont make any promise he is not able to keep. LOL

@LouisThoru,
who among our past rulers did not say sweet things to us? wether he promise or not history and records have their ways.
corruption is here and a case has been concluded on cecilia ibru and i hope you know what the outcome is?
six months jail for a woman who stole over N125B and her family is still entitle to 10% of oceanic bank.
history will not remember jonathan with ur laughs but with things like this.
nigeria is heading to war and if that happens, jonathan will be remembered for that.
do not forget that i am just one out of more than 200 million nigerians and as such u shld not be bothered with my interpretation of his words.

@Orangeman, the law does not give you what you don't ask for?? The Ibru family started Oceanic bank. That Cecillia is guilty of fraud doesn't mean the whole bank should be taken away from them. If the value of her fraud is N195bln, then that it what the law will recover from her!! If the balance of her wealth still entitles her to own 10% of Oceanic bank, then so be it, in the eyes of the law!!!

orangemen:

this is one of the most dumb statements i v ever heard from a leader in a very long time.
nigerians are dying by the day and our president is not making any promises.
wether we like it or not, we are about having another unready president come 2011.
outside here, leaders tell the ppl what their intentions are and it is based on that they are voted.
here what we have is struggle to please obasanjo and u are president.
the most unfortunate thing is that nigerians and nairalanders can celebrate any poo. a leader says he is not making any promise and hunger ridden fools are celebrating.
ppl are suffering seriously in a God blessed country like ours with a president who always say the leaders are corrupt.
if the leaders are corrupt and u know the leaders, what have u done abt that?
for me, i am not expecting anything from jonathan with all the criminals that sourround him.

Not making empty promises means he's going to fulfill all the promises he makes to Nigerians. You are getting everything twisted.

we always like to dwell on negativity. why not just wait and see if GEAJ improves the living standard in power/education if he wins in 2011. I bet you all will eat your negative words if this man performs. it's not about charisma, takling tough,, and all that without anything to show for it by way of better life for the masses.
If GEAJ manages to create improvements in power/education, that would be a landmark for a country bedeviled with terrible leaders that only habour thoughts of selfishness instead of national improvement.

GEAJ has national improvements in mind, i only hope the thieves in political uniforms and the other evil cabals would allow him to just do his best.

GEJ is over-promising now. This is a different GEJ. He should just avoid the media and get his men to work so we could have light. He should learn from the Chilean president who under-promised his citizens for the past 69days and over-promised by successfully rescuing 33 miners and 6 rescue workers who worked in all hope for their country. NIPP have just bought 6 cars for all their oga's.What for?No light!!!

We have heard enough promises, and 'cant dwell on word of mouth. We want to see the substance.
If he really want to be electioned. Then he should fix the power problem now, as evidence for all to see

unfortunately so many years of mis-rule has left most of us extreme pessimists, but who can blame us.A man comes and says he is not going to promise and all of a sudden we would rather he promises and fails cos that’s what we are used to. Let’s give him a chance, needless to say the Barack obama the black world and even the entire world is celebrating rode to power based on promises. He promised on his campaign that he would get America out of Iraq in a year and make plans to do same in Afghanistan, and two years after, American troops are still in both countries and he is struggling with the economy. But the American public has realised he is no genie in a lamp and he is not going to wave his magic wand and make all their problems disappear, hence they are ready to give him a chance and stand by him. I dare say despite our celebrating Obama's triumph he won’t have stood a chance in Nigeria offering only plenty promises and showing great rhetoric prowess without pedigree .Nigerians are way too pessimistic to be cajoled by mere poetry, but maybe that’s our problem we expect the worst and that’s why we keep getting that. The law of attraction states that; you attract to yourself the contents of your deepest thoughts. As individuals we know that suffering heartbreak does not mean giving up on dating.

@Orangeman, the law does not give you what you don't ask for?? The Ibru family started Oceanic bank. That Cecillia is guilty of fraud doesn't mean the whole bank should be taken away from them. If the value of her fraud is N195bln, then that it what the law will recover from her!! If the balance of her wealth still entitles her to own 10% of Oceanic bank, then so be it, in the eyes of the law!!!

@COMPAQ,
u are 200% right and that we have seen in nigeria over yrs. the abachas, the alams, the baloguns,the bode georges and now the ibrus. the big question is, how far have we gone on this kind of justice and how have this helped us in this media war against corruption in nigeria?
elsewhere, once u are convicted of fraud, the state has the power to take from u everything that u have. and that will serveas a deterant for intending criminals. in nigeria, the abachas boasted that no matter how poor they become, they won't be as poor as dangote. in nigeria, we see alams as a hero and a national one for that matter. i hope u know that bode george is abt coming to display his wealth soon. which way nigeria.
in ur widest dream, u are telling us that 6 months is what our constitution stipulates for a woman who betrayed her post and stole 100s of billions? u must be made in hell.

we always like to dwell on negativity. why not just wait and see if GEAJ improves the living standard in power/education if he wins in 2011. I bet you all will eat your negative words if this man performs. it's not about charisma, takling tough,,  and all that without anything to show for it by way of better life for the masses.
If GEAJ manages to create improvements in power/education, that would be a landmark for a country bedeviled with terrible leaders that only habour thoughts of selfishness instead of national improvement.

GEAJ has national improvements in mind, i only hope the thieves in political uniforms and the other evil cabals would allow him to just do his best.

@namdo,
if u are talking abt waiting, nigerians are number 1 in the world. we have been waiting for the past 50yrs but if u think that is not enough, then we are up for the next 8 yrs.
my massage to u is,  AS LONG AS IT IS THIS SAME PDP WITH THIS SAME GANG OF CRIMINALS, NOTHING DIFFERENT WILL HAPPEN.
mark today's date and hold me for that. as long as we operate under obasanjo led pdp, we will continue in this nollywood filled leadership rubbish.
the only way forward will be looking at those successful countries and see what they are doing right and not to depend on old criminals who have decided to die as rulers not minding what the situation is with the citenzry.

Where have I heard this before?

The truth is Jonathan can not solve nigeria electricity problem. He has no idea how to solve the problem. he read fishing. He can not help you.

I agree with those that say GEJ should set the ball rolling right now, he doesn't need 2 wait for 2011. lets see the positive signs now at least he has few months to work

If GEJ words are marked with actions, he will have my vote. No one should suffer like Nigerians have on this earth lol and yet we blame no one but ourselves.

Everybody deserves a chance, hopefully he takes the opportunity to be a great leader .


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while some black americans blame white for their problems, the whites blame the chinese (or currency), who should the chinese blame? lol. Maybe it's time for people to take responsibility for their own misfortunes, this blame game is getting old

Nigerians are sick people, honestly.

The man simply said i am not making empty promises, and he gets all these rants? What will he then get if he had said, look, i have promised but i am not able to deliver?

I am not making empty promises simply means i will fulfil all the promises i have made. English language.