The national secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Alhaji Buba Galadima, has blamed the inability of President Goodluck Jonathan to perform on his penchant for appointing persons into strategic government positions based on tribalism.
Galadima, who was one of the activists, who spearheaded the Jonathan presidency in 2010 via the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, also accused the president of using his office to confer undue advantage on his kinsmen, thereby alienating the north and other sections of the country.
In an exclusive interview with leadership weekend, Galadima pointed out that the president’s style of leadership had largely infuriated the majority of the people of the north who have so far not felt the impact of the administration.
Asked to explain how the president has alienated the north from the scheme of things, he said, “Jonathan has done that through his utterances and actions and balkanized us into ‘we and them’.
“Through his actions and those of his aides, they want to tell people that these ones are Christians and these ones are Muslims; these ones are northerners and these ones are southerners.”
The CPC national secretary said that President Jonathan would also not be able to solve the country’s problems since he had surrounded himself with inexperienced and myopic persons from one part of the country, thereby ‘ethnicizing’ governance.
Galadima also lamented that the north had been discriminated against in the training of youths by the federal government all in its bid to give an edge to the southerners.
But reminded that the training programme was actually started by the late President Yar’Adua under his amnesty package for Niger Delta militants, Galadima responded: “Let me tell you something practical; Jonathan has been sending people from the Niger Delta and the south-south in their thousands overseas for training since he came on board.
“How many has he sent from the north or other parts of the country? Do we all have to be militants before we are recognized and given attention by his administration?
“If he can do that to the ones they call militants, then, it means he can do the same to Boko Haram members who have also become militants. They should send them to Egypt or the Emirates to go and learn trades so that you and I can have peace and sleep with our eyes closed.”
He however said that prominent northern leaders did not want the country to break up based on their strong belief that the Jonathan era will pass away for a leader who would be able to unite the country and bring about national transformation and reconciliation.
Galadima pleaded with Jonathan to change his leadership style and bring in experienced persons to be able to move the country forward.
Efforts to speak with the PDP national publicity secretary proved abortive, as he was said to be out of town when our correspondent visited his office.
He could also not be reached by the telephone, but a source in the party said it would amount to dignifying Buba Galadima if the party responded to his wild allegations.
“Who is Galadima for us to respond to his wild allegations against the president and the party?” the man asked angrily.