President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday in Abuja hit back at critics and opposition parties who have been “painting the administration bad” before the global community, saying they should not allow their selfish political ambition to destroy the country.
According to him, it was because of ambition that led to the “wrongful overthrow” of ex-President Shehu Shagari in 1983, adding that such criticisms were not constructive enough to challenge the development strides of the present administration.
The President, represented by the Minister of Information and Communication, Mr. Labaran Maku, sounded the warning during the third annual lecture and award ceremony of Nigerian Pilot Newspapers and Nigerian Newsworld Magazine.
Maku, who said Jonathan had even developed “thick skin against such criticisms”, however advised politicians to thread with caution as their actions could destabilise democractic structures already in place.
He said, “There is a difference between ambition and reality. Go for your ambition, nobody is disturbing you because it is free world. Go and compete, but don’t pull down this country called Nigeria because of your personal ambition. It is unacceptable.
“I think there is a difference between debates and insults. I reject insults and the fact that I am a public officer doesn’t give anybody the liberty to insult me. Most of the time you cannot detach the Office of the President and honour of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“There are people who are honestly trying to put things down for this country to move on. I think we can see the difference between facts and fiction. Let us not continue to behave as if we can pull down our own house; we as politicians and public servants should not behave as if we were picked on the streets. You don’t just go and pour acid on the faces of public officers.”
via nigerianeye
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