President Goodluck Jonathan has reacted to the recent comments made by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state on Boko Haram, advising that he should mind his utterances.
The Governor had while fielding questions from State House correspondents after briefing the President on recent attacks in his state, said that Boko Haram members were more armed and better motivated.
But fielding questions from a team of journalists during a special centenary presidential media chat on Monday, President Jonathan described the comment as unfortunate, saying it was least expected from a sitting governor.
The President threatened to withdraw military from the state for just a month; saying may be the governor would then appreciate the efforts of security agencies that he condemned.
He said, “On the governor of Borno state, the statement is a little bit unfortunate because you don’t expect a governor to make that kind of statement.
“And if the governor of Borno state felt that the Nigerian armed forces are not useful, he should tell Nigerians.
“I will pull them out for one month whether he will stay in that his Government House, just one month but I will fly back to take over the state.
“If what he said is correct, I will pull out the military from Borno state for one month and I will go back and take over the state.
“The Governor should be mindful about what he says. Yes, there are issues. No matter how frustrated you are, you don’t make those kinds of statements.”
The President however, denied insinuation that he is planning to appoint a military administrator to take over the state.
According to him, “On the issue of appointment of a military administrator, well, Goodluck Jonathan is not aware that the president of Nigeria is sending a military administrator to Borno state”.
The President also spoke on the upcoming national conference, saying he would not preside over a country that will disintegrate.
“Goodluck Jonathan cannot preside over the disintegration of Nigeria, definitely not. We say so because people, not too many people, raise certain issues that are worrisome, why do we have to stay together. There is no President that will preside over the disintegration of his state.
“Nigeria, what we are because of our position and size, immediately you balkanize Nigeria into different states, we are gone, nobody will regard us. So, nobody will think about the disintegration of the country to be a subject matter for that discussion.
“But our thinking is that on the 3rd of March, we will announce the name of the chairman, the deputy chairman and the secretary and of course, we will also engage the administrative staff that will work with them and they will start work for at least a week before we invite others to join. And then, I will formally inaugurate.
“If we follow that programme, you know, on the 3rd, we will announce the chairman, the deputy chairman, the secretary and we give them the administrative staff. They are the people that will work out details on how they will manage the people that will come in terms of hotel accommodation, logistics and so on. So, they need to start work at least a week before the people come,” the President explained.
