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.”
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 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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