Jonathan is not competent to tackle Boko Haram – CSOs

Representatives of over 43 Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, on Tuesday declared that President Goodluck Jonathan was not competent enough to tackle the menace of Boko Haram currently threatening the unity of the country.

This is just as the groups urged the National Assembly to set up an independent judicial commission of enquiry to investigate the allegations that $20 billion have been stolen from public revenues on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The CSOs made the call in a statement issued after a meeting the 43 organisations under the aegis of the Situation Room in Abuja.

According to the communique read by Clement Nwankwo of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), “the Situation Room (SR) is worried about the insecurity across the country, particularly in the North East region if the country.

“Inspire of assurances by President Jonathan and officials of his government on a daily basis, the country receives damning report of bombings and other atrocities perpetrated against Nigerian citizens in the North East.

“SR is worried that the government has not shown sufficient ability or competence to tackle the menace of insecurity in the North East and even across the rest of the country.

“No doubt this situation in the North East is a critical factor in the voting in the 2015 elections.

“A situation where one-sixth of the country’s citizen are under threat of not participating in the 2015 election raises serious concern about the legitimacy of the next elections”.

On the missing $20 billion, the Situation Room called on the National Assembly to convene an independent Judicial Commission to investigate allegations that the said sum has been stolen from the public revenues at NNPC.

According to the groups, “the Situation Room notes that $20 billion would make a huge and significant difference to lives and living conditions of the ordinary Nigerian and significant impact on collapsed infrastructure, generate millions if new jobs and revive industries and indeed address several problems confronting the country.

“The levity with which President Jonathan has handled this colossal and high level of corruption, questions his presidency and raises concern about his ability to govern.

“SR calls on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately sack Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison Madueke; the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; the GMD of NNPC, Andrew Yakubu, and other officials connected to this scandal.