#GEJMediaChat: GEJ's Comments From the 7th Presidential Media Chat

If you missed the 7th Presidential Media Chat that held today May 4th with Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan, here are some of the president's comments:

GEJ: We urge all to cooperate with government. for instance with this kidnap, some have accused us of working against Muslims but I am now hearing that about 90% of the abducted girls are Christians. So it is a problem for everyone to cooperate with government.

GEJ: The National Conference should work with Parliament to give what is best for Nigerians. What we promise Nigerians is that whatever the the conference comes up with through a majority of 70%, we will push it through parliament.

GEJ: The ASUU strike is very unfortunate. It is only in this country that someone will go on strike form 6 months and still expect to get paid. The law is there that if you go on strike for one day, you forgo your salary for that day. Jonathan did not make that law. When I go outside people ask us what is happening in Nigeria? just as someone will leave his party and cross-carpet instead of going back to his constituency to re-contest, he holds on to his seat in parliament.

GEJ: I never said that Boko haram has infiltrated my cabinet or FEC, which includes the president, VP, SGF, and the Ministers, etc.. I said boko haram has infiltrated the government. Government includes several organs including the security services. that time remember a Senator is being prosecuted for links with boko haram and right now we are still investigating some security agents.

GEJ: The issue of whether I will declare for 2015 should not be our problem for now. The key factor is how do we develop our country, how do we solve our problems; the election is coming, how do we conduct a free and fair election. Happily we now have strong opposition party in APC, The APC has even thrown up a candidate but they want the PDP, who are the champions to declare their candidate.

GEJ: On power the steps we are taking now will only lead to increased power generation. The Discos are facing the problem of gas and funding.

GEJ: Each individual has his own way of doing things. Some say I am weak that as commander in chief I should show power and appear powerful. I have changed all the service chiefs in one day. I have changed Ministers. But as president you also know we must verify certain information. If people are after you they go to magazine to publish certain things. Some are vicious and viciously go after your Ministers especially the petroleum minister. I am not trying to protect anybody.

GEJ: I cannot increase the pump price of fuel through the back door. So whoever manipulates the pump price of fuel is committing a crime. If the ordinary people volunteer that information to DPPR who monitors such things, they will investigate. No president wakes up to increase pump price I will do it according to law and face the consequences even if I lose my job. So let me say categorically, we have not increased the pump price of fuel.

GEJ: I am not aware that the Minister of Petroleum has gone to court to stop the parliament to stop them from investigating an issue concerning her. parliaments everywhere are made of politicians, and more often than not, they play politics more than they do their work. Our parliament should avoid legislative dictatorship. They should be careful how they deploy their powers.

GEJ: On the missing oil money, we have invited experts to investigate. Someone had claimed that we lost 50 billion dollars in 18 months far bigger than all foreign aids coming to Africa in 18 months. Reasonable asked can this really happen? $50bn is a lot of money. If USA loses $50bn, America will know. So when people heard this figure they wondered...then after some month he said it's now $20bn. But even the $20bn, is it easy for someone to steal $20bn?...America will know...so nobody should deceive anybody...if GEJ steal $20b the national will know, you cannot cover it.....so the forensic scientists are still poring through the accounts, so let us give them time to do their job

GEJ: As the president I would have liked that we have at least 100 billion dollars in foreign reserve but we are having challenges and other countries have far less than our about 34 billion. Nigerian is a global player, and now we have the biggest economy in Africa.

GEJ: It is a privilege to host the World Economic Forum. These are investors where many of them have not visited Nigeria before. A number of them had indicated interest to come to Nigeria to explore investment potentials. The Forum gives them the platform to explore what they can do for Nigeria and Africa. It also help our local businessmen to meet international investors including president's and heads of state. You need a platform to showcase what you do and the world economic forum is the best platform for now. and our local businessmen will benefit.

GEJ: Our greatest problem is stabilizing power where we are having challenges.  We create the infrastructure to enable the private sector create jobs

GEJ: Government cannot provide job for everyone but have created the environment that gives room for the creation of jobs.

GEJ: The rebasing does not mean that we have added anything to the economy. The rebasing simply took place to calculate the quantum of what we already have, just as you conduct a census to know the population of the country, or a Farmer takes a counting to know the number of his sheep or cattle. The last rebasing was done many years ago and since them new SME's and Services have cropped up.

GEJ: I feel pained any day i Hear that one person die from this boko haram, I feel pain. This thing cannot go on. If WAEC cannot conduct exams imagine the illiteracy consequences. If schools in Rivers state were closed down in my time, I cannot be here. So I feel pain whether security officer, the militants or citizens lose their life in this madness.

GEJ: We have made a request with international organisations and even  personally with President Obama to assist us in this insecurity problem, So also with President of FRnace. Here in Africa with Cameroon, Ghana, Togo etc

GEJ: Government has not shut down Abuja because of the World Economic Forum, WEF. But to minimize road blocks due to the influx of dignitaries and visitors to the event, we asked that government institutions close down during these two days except for those in essential services. I went to Australia during the commonwealth, they also shut down public institutions. Even in Davos which is a small city and hold theirs every year, people travel out during the period to minimize blockages. So we plead with Nigerians that this three days will not kill us and bear with government so rather than keeping you on the road for hours without getting to your destination, you better stay at home.

GEJ: We try to control the rate of entry from neighboring countries, while we encourage free movement with our neighbors and so we are very careful to manage the rate of illegal immigrants into our country

GEJ: We are still consulting on whether to extend the state of emergency

GEJ: The state of emergency, SOE,  has been effective. Soldiers operate under international guidelines. State of emergency serve to reduce litigation and to give some leverage to our soldiers. Example, under SOE, soldiers can enter your compound if they suspect you are hiding criminals. It does not give licence to kill and wipe out people. So far SOE has been successful

GEJ: Unfortunately our armed forces has not been well equipped for a long time because we have not had strong issues until now because of this boko haram. People cant spread rumors that we don't care because it's in far north-east. No one wants to hear a bomb blast. People has forgotten that this thing started in Abuja here. Churches were bombed.

These people are simply bombing churches and mosques to start a war between Muslims and Christians. Our security forces have managed to restrict their activities. If people say things are getting worse they are wrong. we should encourage the armed forces not condemning them

GEJ: Whoever claims helicopters are dropping supplies for boko haram in Taraba should use cameras, take their pictures and show us. I am not ruling it out but tell us where and when.

GEJ: I met Asari for the first time as a Governor when Obasanjo invited him and the militants in state house Abuja and again when I became president. Unlike Niger Delta activists the boko haram are terrorists who simply want to kill. No body has appeared as leader of boko haram. If you invite Niger Delta activists to come to meetings to negotiate they attended. We know what they were agitating for, and I am not saying this because I am from Niger Delta.

Now we are using Borno elders to help us trace their leaders so we can talk with them, but these are simply terrorists. Delta activists do not go to markets to drop bombs.

GEJ: WAEC said a total of 530 students were enrolled for the examination in Chibok, contrary to the widespread belief, Chibok Government Secondary School is a mixed institution which also enrolled 135 out of 350 registered. Now after the abduction of the girls, 189 students were transferred to Uba examination center where they are continuing with the examinations. So we are working on the problem. We need cooperation from the parents and guardians. But there is yet no confirmation of where the girls are at the moment.

GEJ: There are rumors that some of the girls have been married out, but married out to where, to whom? Whoever has those girls cannot keep them forever, we will get them. The good thing is that there is yet no report of any harm to the girls

GEJ: We cannot be negotiating with people we don't know. No one has claimed to be in possession of those girls. Boko haram has not said they are holding the girls. So the issue of negotiating should not come up for now.

GEJ: The principal of the school told me last night that 54 girls have returned.We need the identity of those girls...we are talking with all the neighboring countries and will surely get the girls back

GEJ: We are strongly determined to rescue the girls. We are all fathers and mothers. These are girls about to take their final year exams..so should be around 17-18 year olds. My message to their parents is that we will get those girls wherever those girls are

GEG: Security men have scouring everywhere in search of the kidnapped girls in Borno State

GEJ: These are trying times for Nigeria, but we continue to do our best.