President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday said the insinuations making the rounds that he planned to put in place an Interim National Government instead of handing over to a democratically elected President on May 29 was treasonable.
He said the only ING that could be put in place was that of the military which, he added, would not be accepted to the nation and the international community.
Jonathan spoke during the opening mass for the plenary assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria which held at the Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, Garki, Abuja.
He again assured all stakeholders that elections would hold on the rescheduled dates and the winners would be inaugurated on May 29.
He said, “There is no way Goodluck Jonathan, elected by the people with clear mandate, will now go and head interim government.
“The only interim government anybody can constitute is that of the military government which of course will not be accepted.
“ECOWAS, AU, UN won’t accept it. And Nigeria will not be a pariah state.
“Clearly the insinuation of interim government, to me, is treasonable.”
Jonathan described the recent poll shift as a blessing in disguise.
He said there would have been a monumental loss during a recent attack on Gombe State on the same day earlier fixed for the presidential election.
“Look at what happened in Gombe on February 14th, if the elections had been held, the casualty figure after that attack in Gombe would have been great.
“It is better for us to conduct elections that will not be contested, elections that are credible, free and fair.
“We believe no criminal element can come and prevent us from conducting our elections.
“I will not do anything because of personal interest that would jeopardise the interest of this nation.
“When I listen to how some of us politicians talk… but God is supreme this nation will survive,” the President added.
Jonathan used the opportunity to again thank Christians and indeed all Nigerians for their prayers which he said had sustained the country despite the security challenges currently being witnessed in the North East.
He expressed the assurance that the country would overcome its challenges.
He again condemned public utterances aimed at overheating the polity which he said kept portraying Nigeria as a country going up in flames.
Also speaking during the service, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, urged Jonathan to warn his aides and supporters to watch their utterances.
Onaiyekan also urged politicians to desist from mudslinging that has so far characterised electioneering ahead of the general elections.
He said, “There should not be room for negative campaigns. Personal insults and caricatures should give way to rational discussion of issues that concern us all.
“Truth must be sacrosanct even in politics. Lies, deceit, calumnies cannot move us forward. They are the hallmarks of the bad politics which have not allowed us achieve the high level that we deserve as a nation.
“These are what builds tensions, heats up the polity, spreads dangerous rumours and cause deep distrust among rival political groups. All this is not in the interest of our people.”
On the rescheduled election, the cleric asked politicians to use the extra time to mend fences.
He warned that the dates should not be violated to avoid dire consequences.
He said while the President had promised that the elections will hold and that May 29 remains sacrosanct for a new government to take over, he should caution his supporters not to poison the air.
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