Date Published: 02/15/10

Stop congratulatory adverts, Jonathan tells psychophants...bans solidarity visits

Acting President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday asked Nigerians to stop placing congratulatory adverts in the media on his elevation as the nation’s President in an acting capacity.

A statement from the Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Ima Niboro, also said Jonathan had “similarly placed a ban on solidarity visits.”

Justifying the decision, the Acting President explained that the “nation is at a critical juncture where we must begin to focus on solutions to the daunting challenges before us.”

However, he welcomed suggestions that could help him accelerate the pace of national development.

According to the statement, Jonathan described as invaluable, “the wise counsel and suggestions of Nigerians from all walks of life on moving the nation forward.

“Their advice continues to bring value to governance in our country, and such counsel remains indispensable as we forge ahead to attaining the Nigeria we have all wished for.”

Jonathan also restated “the commitment of the administration to secure Nigeria‘s path to greatness and guarantee our place among the great nations of the world in the shortest possible time.”

According to speculations, the ban on solidarity visits to the Presidential Villa was informed by the possible ‘bad blood’ that such incidents could generate in the Presidency, especially due to the nature of the developments that preceded Jonathan’s emergence as Acting President.

A source in the Vice-President’s office disclosed that Jonathan decided to prohibit solidarity visits because of the “wrong signals” they would give in the Presidential Villa, particularly among President Umaru Yar’Adua’s loyalists.