Jonathan’s administration better than predecessors despite Boko Haram’s activities – Maku

Labaran Maku at an aviation training school

The Information Minister, Labaran Maku, said on Tuesday that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan had recorded more achievements than its predecessors despite the ceaseless activities of the Boko Haram sect.

Mr. Maku, who stated this while briefing the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abuja, on the achievement of the administration, said it had attracted investors to Nigeria and could have done more but for the violence perpetrated by the sect.

“Don’t blame President Jonathan on the violence in the country. Jonathan inherited a politically motivated violence and he has done what many could not do in many years. But in spite of the violence, Jonathan was still able to attract investors to the country and if not for the crisis, Nigeria would have fare better than this.

“If violence was imposed on Jonathan, if the post 2011 election violence was not imposed on Jonathan, imagine where we would have been. I am sure we would have gone beyond where we are now,” the minister said.

Mr. Maku specifically noted that Mr. Jonathan had brought revolution to the rail transport system, agriculture, aviation, and power sectors, increase in GDP as well as engendered micro economic transformation.

The minister added that the country’s economy was growing under the party, adding that International Monetary Fund (IMF) could no longer dictate for Nigeria, but should give advice to the nation.

Mr. Maku asked Nigerians outside government to stop fanning the ember of discouragement, but should assist it to enable it achieve its mandate.

The minister stated that PDP had laid the foundation for democracy and no government anywhere in the country had done what the party-led government had done in the last two years.

“A reforming President is never a popular President in the beginning until when the reform result begins to come out,” he said.

“Boko Haram has damaged the reputation of Nigeria. A report of a bomb explosion makes more news globally than commissioning of projects. We have been doing well in an atmosphere of negative reports. This government is the most documented in the Nigeria history.”

The minister lamented that members of the PDP had not shown enough commitment to sell the achievements of the government.

Earlier, Mr. Tukur commended the efforts of the Information Ministry in adequately informing the members of the public.