Jonathan Failed Because He Ignored Our Advice – Northern Elders Forum

Dr Paul Unongo, the Deputy National Leader of the Northern Elders Forum, said former President Goodluck Jonathan could have taken the credit for ending insurgency in the country. He said Jonathan would have been successful if he had listened to the advice of the forum.Unongo, speaking on behalf of NEF, said one reason Jonathan failed was his refusal to implement the group’s blueprint to end the war against the Boko Haram sect.Unongo reiterated that the recommendations which Jonathan allegedly ignored are now being used by President Muhammadu Buhari.The NEF leader berated some opinion leaders who said President Buhari’s anti-corruption war was selective.Unongo cited the trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal as an example, adding that the President’s body language had shown that the new government would not condone corruption.The NEF leader noted that the forum would not hesitate to criticise the new government if it acted against the wishes of the masses.Unongo said NEF has not written any letter to President Buhari on Boko Haram. But that they are sure he picked up the recommendations they sent to Jonathan and they are working for him.He further added that they were talking to him for over two years. They told him that he could not fight Boko Haram with obsolete equipment. And they told him that the battle was not only about using arms. Unongo added that NEF had counselled Jonathan to use psychological intelligence.Unongo said: “We actually wanted him to get the credit for winning the deadly Boko Haram war. He (Jonathan) doubted the kidnap of the Chibok girls and actually was seen on the television dancing ”˜azonto’. Our people were being killed in the hundreds. This was the height of insensitivity and we just had to complain about that. We complained creatively.”The NEF leader advised the All Progressives Congress to strengthen its internal democracy and concentrate on providing quality leadership that would move Nigeria forward.He said Saraki acted within his right to contest the Senate Presidency against the directive of his party.