President Goodluck Jonathan does not deserve
a second term
.He told a gathering of youths at
a programme titled ‘Vision of the Child’ in Lagos
on Thursday, that he had 60 reasons why
Jonathan should not be returned to office on
February 14 when the presidential election would
hold in the country.
Although Soyinka did not list the 60 reasons, he
was specific on one: The April 14 abduction of
over 200 schoolgirls by Boko Haram insurgents
from their hostel in Chibok, Borno State.
“I will not vote and I will not encourage anyone
to vote for the continuation of this government,
simply because your colleagues numbering over
200 were kidnapped,” he said.
The playwright, who last December described
the Jonathan administration as being worse
than Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, stated
the President’s inability to locate and free the
abducted girls represented leadership failure.
He noted that shortly after the girls were
kidnapped, Jonathan failed to address the
situation and went about as if nothing had
happened.
Soyinka said it was, therefore, outrageous for
anyone to say he was supporting the re-election
of Jonathan.
He added,“It took the Jonathan government 10
days to even accept that the Chibok girls were
missing. After that dereliction of duty; after that
failure of leadership, after that betrayal of our
future, for anyone to think or to put words in my
mouth suggesting that I will vote or encourage
anyone to vote for this regime is a travesty of
intelligence.”
Speaking on the theme, “The Road to Sambisa”,
the literary icon stressed Jonathan had not only
betrayed children, he had failed as a leader.
“There has been a failure of leadership. Our
children whom you represent today have been
betrayed,” he said.
Soyinka warned members of the public not to
believe every story written about him on the
social media on his purported death.
Soyinka had also in September last year accused
Jonathan of shielding sponsors of terrorism.
He urged the President not to take likely,
allegations by Australian hostage negotiator,
Stephen Davis, that there was a group within the
Central Bank of Nigeria sponsoring Boko Haram.
The Nobel laureate noted that he personally
knew Davis because they both worked together
during the Niger Delta militancy crisis.
Soyinka also alleged that information about a
suspected financier of the terror group within
the CBN was passed to Jonathan but he
allegedly sat on it.
Also at the event , the Secretary and
Programme Manager for the Vision of the Child
programme, Ms. Foluke George, said about 250
students from 60 primary and secondary
schools in Lagos would participate in a
competition aimed at promoting creative skills.
According to her, the competition will focus on
reading, writing, and painting for student aged
between eight and 12 years.
Source: Punchnews
