APC elders criticize Jonathan over mother’s relocation comment

The Bayelsa All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Council has criticised former President Goodluck Jonathan following his comment that he would have relocated his mother to Abuja if the APC had won the just-concluded election.

Jonathan, who raised concerns over security issues that would have ensued in the state of Governor Douye Diri had failed to win the poll, reportedly made the statement when he paid a congratulatory visit to the governor.

But the Elders’ Council, while strongly condemning the comment in a statement on Sunday signed by its Secretary, Clarkson Ayebaepreye, described Jonathan as one facing “political midlife crises”.

The statement wondered the extent to which Jonathan, a former President, could go in satisfying his paymaster, who ordinarily should be his subordinate.

The APC elders said Jonathan chose to forget that the people of Bayelsa had been in economic and physical violence in the last three years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government.

The statement said: “‘We do not know how low Jonathan can still go in his quest to satisfy his paymasters which, sadly, as a former President were to rightly be his subordinates. Every now and then he is at Creek Haven jotting orders from Diri. No former President has reduced himself to such standards’

“In the issue of violence, Jonathan remembers things differently. Bayelsans have faced both physical and economic violence in the state than any other time during the last three years. It’s in the news, we the APC campaigned under a hail of violence’

“Nembe-Bassambiri was overrun by state-inspired thugs until the IGP SWAT team moved in and restored order, a move the community rejoiced over and the Governor lamented over. We still remember how our Chieftains and supporters were attacked at will in Kolokuma-Opokuma local Government area. There were skirmishes across the state all these are documented. So what peace is Jonathan talking about?’

“Was APC in power when, Jonathan’s uncle was kidnapped? Was APC or Sylva in power when his house at Otuoke was attacked by gunmen? Was APC and Sylva in power when his convoy was attacked? Was APC and Sylva in power when his kinsman Mike Ogiasa was kidnapped and dehumanised?”.

The elders said Jonathan should stop aiding and abetting violence and incompetence in the state just to advance his confusing political ambition.

They observed that though Jonathan continued to parade himself as a statesman, he was still neck-deep in politics with clear hatred for the APC.

The statement said: “Jonathan cannot keep aiding and abetting violence and incompetence just to forward his confusing political ambitions. The only part of his politics that is clear is his personal hatred for the APC, a rookie party which upstaged him in 2015 as president.

“He should stop going around with the tag of a statesman, he is clearly neck-deep in politics. We have not forgotten that he supported Peter Obi over President Tinubu of the APC in the last presidential elections and just days to the Bayelsa State Gubernatorial elections he was hurriedly packaged to openly endorse Gov. Diri and the PDP.

“Everyone is aware of his PDP by day and APC by night politics to the extent he almost nominated the Minister from Bayelsa State, a move which failed at the final moments. If you remember our group did a press statement to that effect.

“Jonathan should respect the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the most exalted office in our country which he has held. Some of his desperate political moves and alignments are below expectations, especially being used as a puppet by a state Governor”