Now this is just low.

So, Mr. President what happened to our independence day celebration?

Nigeria is thoroughly done for under GEJ.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2011100711155892
By Olalekan Adetayo   
Friday, 7 Oct 2011   
  President Goodluck Jonathan 

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday denied claims that his administration marked the nation’s 51st independence anniversary inside the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, quoted the president as making the clarification in Kigali, Rwanda, during a joint press conference with his Rwandan host, President Paul Kagame. Jonathan had travelled to Kigali on a two-day official visit.

The anniversary had been trailed by claims that government marked the nation’s birthday at the Presidential Villa out of the fear that the violent Islamic group, Boko Haram, might bomb the usual venue, the Eagle Square.

But the President said the event held in the Villa was not an anniversary event. The statement quoted Jonathan as saying that what took place on Saturday was the “ceremonial weekly change of guards at the Presidential Villa.”

However, media reports of all that transpired on that day at the Villa showed that the events that held had all the trappings of a low-key independence anniversary ceremony. According to reports, they included a commemorative presidential change of guards, the signing of the independence anniversary register by the President and the release of pigeons that signified peace. The President, the reports also said, later led dignitaries to cut the anniversary cake in the Villa.

But the President, in the statement, insisted that the events were not meant to mark the independence anniversary.

He said, “The decision to observe a low-key anniversary was not necessarily to conserve funds but because we cannot celebrate every year.

“It is a wrong notion that we celebrated in the State House. We had a low-key anniversary. No country celebrates National Day every year and invites foreign leaders.

“Last year we celebrated 50th independence anniversary on October 1 and my inauguration as President took place on May 29 this year and for both events, we invited world and African leaders. And October this year you want to invite them again?

“Even next year 2012 and 2013 will be low-key but we will celebrate in 2014 to commemorate 100 years of Nigeria’s amalgamation as one country in 1914. So, there will be centenary celebrations.”

Jonathan said that the issue of independence anniversary was not only “misunderstood” but was also politicised and manipulated by “vested political interests”.

He also dismissed the suggestion that the threat by Boko Haram informed the cancellation of the independence anniversary’s military parade at the Eagle Square, Abuja and shift of venue.

Asked if Nigeria was safe for foreign investors, Jonathan replied in the affirmative, referring to the recent visit to the country by Bill Gates, one of the richest persons in the world.

On lessons Nigeria can learn from the genocide in Rwanda, Jonathan, who had visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre where he laid a wreath in memory of the 250,000 victims interred in mass graves, said that Africans should learn to resolve problems and conflicts before they degenerate.

He announced that Nigeria and Rwanda were working on sharing experiences in public health, space technology and entering into a Bilateral Air Services Agreement to ease procurement of visas by potential investors.
He also promised that Nigeria would in the near future reciprocate by opening a diplomatic mission in Kigali as Rwanda did recently in Abuja.

President Kagame had thanked Nigeria for its long-standing support, especially through the country’s Technical Aid Corps programme, while a joint communiqué issued at the end of the visit committed both countries to ensuring the socio-economic transformation of their peoples in the area of infrastructure, energy, Information Communications Technology, education and health.

whats this one saying?

^
But the President said the event held in the Villa was not an anniversary event.

The statement quoted Jonathan as saying that what took place on Saturday was the “ceremonial weekly change of guards at the Presidential Villa.”

laugh it off

He said, “The decision to observe a low-key anniversary was not necessarily to conserve funds but because we cannot celebrate every year.

Asked if Nigeria was safe for foreign investors, Jonathan replied in the affirmative, referring to the recent visit to the country by Bill Gates, one of the richest persons in the world.

But the President said the event held in the Villa was not an anniversary event. The statement quoted Jonathan as saying that what took place on Saturday was the “ceremonial weekly change of guards at the Presidential Villa.”

He also dismissed the suggestion that the threat by Boko Haram informed the cancellation of the independence anniversary’s military parade at the Eagle Square, Abuja and shift of venue.

you just can't make this up

obj shafted us all, including the nd, when he foisted gej and yardua on us

there were far more capable people than gej that could have been selected.

I simply don't understand mr president,is it lack of capacity upstairs or is it dat d office is too daunting dat makes him to say one embarassing thing after another?Dis is getting annoying

Spin doc Abati going senile? Not coherent again.

Smh in disbelief,so things are these bad that a few people think they can fool all nigerians. Me thinks this should go into guiness book of world record as the cheapest lie ever. Damn nigeria can read,watch and reason

Whats the big deal about celebrating or not celebrating the independence anniversary? What is GEJ trying to prove here?

oyb:

laugh it off


you just can't make this up

obj shafted us all, including the nd, when he foisted gej and yardua on us

there were far more capable people than gej that could have been selected.

stop crying over spilled milk.
Just enjoy the fresh air.
breath in,

Bawss1:

Whats the big deal about celebrating or not celebrating the independence anniversary? What is GEJ trying to prove here?

that he isn't boko haram's biatch

when boko haram says jump gej doesn't say how high, he says how many more times ?