Goodluck Jonathan: Why I didn’t implement 2014 national conference recommendations

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has explained why his administration did not implement the recommendations of the 2014 national conference.

Jonathan spoke in Lagos on Sunday during a visit to the family of the late Afenifere leader, Ayo Adebanjo.

The former president cited the political situation in the country and the internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the 2015 elections as the main reasons for not implementing the conference recommendations.

Jonathan was accompanied by Ernest Bai Koroma, former president of Sierra Leone, and Bode George, the former PDP deputy national chairman (south).

Reflecting on the conference, Jonathan praised Adebanjo for his role, adding that the initiative would not have been successful without him.

“I didn’t know that the issue of the national conference would even come on board,” he said.

“Without people like him and other leaders there, it wouldn’t have taken place because they thought initially I wanted to manipulate the system.

“I remember in the beginning when there were issues, some came to me; they said, ‘President, we want to know if there are some areas you are interested in.

“I say look, I can’t even advise you. You are more experienced than me. You are the leaders.

“Supreme court justices more than 50 percent of the members were more experienced than me. It was a benevolent privilege that made me do that, setting up the Confab.”

He said the recommendations came from credible Nigerians who were not politically influenced but noted that the time was not right for the implementation.

“It was not the time we could present such a document,” he said.

“Thank God for everything. We believe that one day, one government will review it and take everything.

“We believe the outcomes are still very relevant for our society.”

Jonathan said the passing of Adebanjo and Edwin Clark, leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), was a significant loss to Nigeria.

He described them as courageous and wise leaders committed to the development of the country.

“Our dear leader was not the leader of Afenifere alone. He was a leader of this country,” he said.

“He was a man with enormous wisdom, courage, and willingness to do the right thing for this country. He believed in truth and justice.

“No nation can grow when there is no truth and when there is no justice. Those were the things he was known for. We are not surprised that he led the Afenifere credibly well.”