Nigerians have called on Acting President Goodluck Jonat han to ensure the unity, progress and development of the nation, even as many continue to fault the process that brought him to his new position.
Shortly after the two chambers of the National Assembly passed separate resolutions to empower the VP to become Acting President pending the return of his ailing boss, Jonathan made a broadcast to the nation to call for healing and also listed his priorities.
‘The broadcast was assuring for a nation that has been going through a lot of uncertainties since President Umaru Yar’Adua travelled to Saudi Arabia for treatment last year,’ a citizen who has been following the developments, Q asim Akinreti, told PANA.
‘If he should pursue the agenda he listed in his broadcast, the country will be better for it. What Nigerian needs at this critical moment is a purposeful leader, who will be able to make positive impact on their lives,’ the ICT expert said.
Human rights activist Festus Okoye also hailed the broadcast.
‘It was very important for him to have done that broadcast. At least it has assured the people that the long drawn debate on the issue of power vacuum has been finally resolved. The broadcast is also assuring to the international community, as it reinstated Nigerian commitments and obligations to all agreements previously reached.
”What he needs to do is to speed up the integration process at home and carry a long all the various interest group,” Okoye said.
However, the spokesman for the main opposition Action Congress (AC) party, Lai Mohammed, described the broadcast as belated and faulted the National Assembly resolution that empowered the VP to become an acting President.
‘Our position is very clear, the process is faulty. What is the solution you are talking about, who is the leader? We are not going to be stampeded that the political logjam has been resolved.
”What prevents the Federal Executive Council declaring that the President is in capable of performing his duty and invoking section 144 of the constitution that will (enable us to) have a full President, instead of an acting one. Is that not a better option?” the AC spokesman queried.
The Acting President said he would pursue with renewed vigour and zeal the prote ction of lives and property of all citizens through a renew impetus to security a gencies. He listed as part of his priority areas the implementation of the amnesty programme in the oil-rich Niger Delta, where he hailes from, power sector and infrastructural development.