The accusation from the country’s leading opposition political party was, however, amplified by Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, which also accused the ACN of democratic impunity through the controversial tenure extension bill for Lagos local government councils.
While second republic governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, however, sided with the ACN on its claim, the Mass Mobilisation for Transformation, MMT, a body working for Jonathan’s 2015 election praised the incumbent as the best president since the advent of the Fourth Republic.
The ACN alleged that the Jonathan’s administration was steadily descending into despotism, alleging brazen assaults on personal freedom and manipulation of national institutions for the purpose of denigrating perceived political opponents.
The accusation by the party was immediately responded to by Dr. Rueben Abati, who accused the ACN of standing truth in its head. Abati rebuffed insinuations by the ACN of a face-off between President Jonathan and Governor Chibuke Amaechi even as he insisted that the regulatory institutions were right in their actions against what he described as an unlicensed aircraft.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the ACN had said: “The Jonathan’s administration is anchored on a transformation agenda. But the only transformation that we can see is the one from a democratically-elected President to an emperor, a despot.”
Jonathan and Tinubu
The statement said: “If the President is not prevailed upon to change course, Nigeria may be in for another season of anomie, reminiscent of the days of the maximum ruler who took the country to the brink before his sudden demise”.
Citing the ongoing face-off between Governor Rotimi Amaechi and the Ministry of Aviation, the party alleged that President Jonathan has shown himself as a leader willing to jettison democratic ideals for personal ambition.
It said: “Like we said before, we are not perturbed by what is happening in the PDP. Our main concern is that the party’s internal crisis is overheating the polity and threatening the country’s hard-won democracy. After the theatrics of the aviation agencies and their parent ministry, the EFCC has suddenly realized that the cost of the Rivers State’s plane was inflated by US$10 million while the police have sacked the Secretariat of Obio-Akpro local government in Rivers State.
“The question is: Who gave the orders for the police to sack the Secretariat, and in the process take sides with the President in the political disagreement with the Governor?
“If the President can go to this length against his own party man, what will he do against the opposition? Why is it that a democratically-elected President cannot be challenged by anyone, whether or not he is a member of his party?’’ it queried.
The ACN’s assertions were, however, opposed by Afenifere which claimed that all political parties, including the ACN were guilty of desecrating democratic institutions for personal ambitions.
Responding through its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, Afenifere said: “It is the practice of democracy in Nigeria generally and the Nigerian political class is becoming an embarrassment to democratic tenets and it is not just the Jonathan’s government. What you find in Abuja, you see in other states at every level.”
Speaking further, he said “I think we should be worried about the practice of democracy in Nigeria and the conduct of political actors at all levels, both federal and state; and not just the Jonathan’s presidency.
“All political actors should be held responsible for what is going on. Look at what is going on, they are talking about tenure elongation in Lagos State. We have a democracy without democrats.”
Dr. Abati in his reaction said “Does Lai Mohammed know the meaning of the word, despotism, or is he just throwing the word around for onomatopoetic effect? He and his sponsors are in fact beneficiaries of the openness and freedom that this administration promotes. The paradox is that those who do not allow freedom and equality in their own party or backyard.
“Those who are well known as self-proclaimed Godfathers and closet despots, are the same ones who are now quick to accuse others of despotism. The ACN should start by removing the log in its eyes. President Jonathan is not a despot. ACN is the real abode of budding despots in Nigeria.
“The transformation agenda which Lai Mohammed tries to pooh-pooh is a well thought-out blueprint on the basis of which this administration continues to serve the interests of the people and move the country forward.
“The evidence of the Jonathan administration’s achievements is visible in many aspects of Nigerian life and society: from agriculture, to aviation, the economy, job creation, power, industry, trade and investment, transportation and others.
“No amount of name-calling or partisan criticism will distract the government’s attention, just in case the ACN assumes that its persistent distortion of the facts will achieve that objective.”
“The ACN’s allegation that there is a disagreement between the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi is also wrong-headed and mischievous. Governor Amaechi has publicly stated that this particular allegation is a piece of fiction created by certain persons and the media.
“We insist that President Jonathan is not engaged in any quarrel or dispute with Governor Amaechi. And it is wrong to use the matter of the aircraft that was grounded by the aviation authorities to concoct stories of persecution”.
“The institutions involved have offered reasons publicly why they took their decision with regard to the unlicensed aircraft, which in any case is an asset of the state, not the Governor’s personal property. The President has nothing to do with that incident.”
Balarabe Musa, former governor of old Kaduna State on his part asserted that the President is gradually becoming a despot based on the actions taken so far.
Musa said: “Of course, the president is gradually becoming a despot. It is quite clear he is becoming a despot. So many actions he is taking particularly against opponents, especially those within the PDP and outside the PDP; but particularly within the PDP itself”.
The claims were, however, debunked by the Mass Mobilization for Transformation, MMT, which speaking through its national co-ordinator told Vanguard that Jonathan was the best president to have emerged since the onset of the Fourth Republic.
“He is a true democrat the kind we have not seen since 1999 to date,” the MMT’s national coordinator, Comrade Joseph Ambakaderimo told Vanguard.
Noting the challenges against the president, he said:
“Any other person wouldn’t have done anything differently. What President Jonathan is doing right now is to jealously guard his presidency given the issues and hostility the opposition has poured on him,” Ambakaderimo said.
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