Governors Treat Jonathan Like Their Houseboy — Jeremiah Useni

The Chairman, Board of Trustees of Arewa Consultative Forum, and
former FCT Minister, Jeremiah Useni in this chat with The Punch talks
about political calculations of 2015 and President Jonathan's
chances.
It’s been some time since we heard your voice in the political circuit.
Why have you been quiet?
Unless there is something important, one doesn’t make noise. But I
don’t have to make noise before you know I’m around. Yes, I only talk
when there is an issue of concern to me, when there is something of
general interest and when I think my voice may be of relevance.
Some Niger-Delta activists are threatening bloodshed if Jonathan is
not allowed to contest in 2015. What is your take on this?
I agree with them on this. Jonathan has the right to contest to
complete two terms in office. There is no reason why Jonathan should
not contest in 2015. If Yar’Ardua were alive, he would be finishing his
eight years now. The man (Jonathan) took part of it. I can only say
these four years that he is about to finish will be really his own. So if
you don’t want him to spend another four years to make eight years,
you can say let him spend two-and-a-half years or so, of what
remained of Yar’Adua’s tenure to make up his own eight years.
Definitely, there is no reason why Jonathan should not go for it in
2015, unless people reject him. It is not that he is not qualified, he is
over-qualified.
So, are you opposed to agitators who want power to return to the
North?
I am from the North, I don’t agree with them. The calculation is
wrong, the calculation is selfish.
How do you assess Jonathan’s government?
The only thing I would say is he (the President) should blow hot and
cold. Too much of cold compared to hot is why this nonsense is going
on. He should balance it. I think he is doing well. One tree cannot
make a forest; he cannot run the Federal Government and also run
the states. State governments are there to do their own bit, so also
are local governments.
Looking beyond the crisis, as an elder statesman, do you think APC is
a credible alternative for Nigerians? Can you recommend it as a better
alternative to PDP? As it is now, they are next to PDP. When you are
talking of credible alternative, all I know is that they are next to PDP.
If PDP is not there, they are the next biggest party to PDP, full stop.
Whether they are credible is a different thing altogether. I won’t like to
say anything on that aspect because that would mean talking about
the individuals that make up the party.