President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday, March 2, 2015 gave audience to Yvonne Ngede of Al-Jazeera, where he spoke on a number of issues, especially regarding the forthcoming election.
Addressing the issue of rumours that he planned on sacking the Chairman of the independent National Electoral commission (INEC), President Jonathan said: “Except somebody is insinuating that the chairman has done something wrong, you cannot change an officer, except the person has done something wrong.
“Government does not just wake up, whether at the federal or state level, president or governor, does not wake up and change somebody, especially INEC – a very sensitive body.
“So for me to change INEC chairman, people, both Nigerians and non-Nigerians, would ask questions. You cannot just wake up and change INEC chairman; I have never discussed with any human being on earth about changing the INEC chairman.”
When questioned on post election violence and what will happen if he loses the election, Mr. President said: “The country is not my father’s estate. If I lose the election, I will go to my village.”
On corruption, President Jonathan stated thus: “Yes, people talk about corruption now because it has become political issue and when you promote something to the level of politics, it goes out of proportion.
“I am not saying that Nigerians do not have this element of corruption. If you start from my former CBN governor who said $49.8 billion, what is Nigeria’s budget? If today we lose $49.8 billion, the next morning he said it was $12 billion, the following morning he said it was $20 billion. Till today, I don’t know the one to believe.
“The senate set up a committee to investigate and they used a consultant and only fond out that $2 billion was not properly balanced. They did not say anybody stole it.”
Watch the interview below:
