President Goodluck Jonathan Sunday night denied having any single term agreement with the Northern Governors
It has been particularly stressed by a breakaway faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that the agreement has limited Jonathan from contesting for a second term.
But in a live nationwide presidential media chat, he said such agreement did not exist and challenged those making the claim to produce copy of the agreement.
Jonathan said he never told anyone of his decision to re-contest or not pointing out that, in line with Electoral Act, the time for such activities is not yet at hand.
He equally warned the political class from unnecessarily over-heating the polity.
On the issue of alleged bogus size of his administration, he said the president needs some key aides to work with in order to deliver value to the country insisting that the size of his government is lower compared to his counterparts in other countries on the continent.
Speaking about the corruption perception he noted that corruption existed in all societies but in the case of Nigeria, it is not as high as people amplify it pointing out that stealing must be separated and dealt with as a separate crime from corruption.
“I’m not a lawyer but I know of a saying in it that, it is better for ten criminals to be set free than one innocent person to suffer injustice or be punished. …Corruption cases have to be proved beyond reasonable doubts and we don’t have to doubt the judiciary or interfere in its activities “, he stated.
On the Petroleum sector, Jonathan who did not deny malpractices in the sector, maintained that, because the country depends so much on the sector for majority of her revenue, so much pressure is often exerted on it thereby leading to even unwarranted allegations. But in order to handle such complains, he announced that another oil audit firm has been engaged to take another look at the sector.
While assuring Nigerians of increased power supply in the near future, the President informed that most of the Independent Power Plants would be commissioned by October which, according to him will inject more supply into the national grid as well as efforts made to harness other sources of power generation.
On the Federal Executive Council meetings regarded as contract awarding gathering, President Jonathan debunked the allegation. According to him, the fact that contracts are endorsed by the body does not sideline other functions expected to be performed by FEC.