Lagos (AFP) - Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said he underestimated Boko Haram Islamists who have overrun swathes of the country's northeast and defended an election postponement in an interview published Sunday

Jonathan, facing a tight re-election bid against ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, has faced criticism over the vote delay, which critics argue was designed to give him time to shore up his campaign.

The military pushed for the six-week delay eventually granted by the electoral commission to allow it to secure the country for the vote, though Boko Haram's insurgency has raged for six years.

Presidential and parliamentary elections are now set for March 28.

"Probably at the beginning, we, and I mean myself and the team, we underrated the capacity of Boko Haram," Jonathan said in an interview with influential newspaper ThisDay.

He said that the military has recently acquired more arms and ammunition to do battle with the Islamists, vowing that their suppression and the capture of the group's leader were near.

"God willing, we will catch (Abubakar) Shekau before the elections," he said.

Asked why six more weeks would make a difference in the years-long conflict that has killed more than 13,000 people, Jonathan said the military could make reasonable progress in that time.

"We are not saying we must finish Boko Haram to conduct elections, but we should get to a point where they will not cause havoc if they make an attempt," he said in the interview.

"My belief is that by 28th of next month, when the elections will be conducted, Boko Haram may not even be in a position to attack any town, God willing."

Nigeria's military authorities on Saturday claimed to have recaptured the fishing town of Baga from the Islamists, more than a month after it was overrun in what is feared to be the worst massacre of the six-year insurgency.

There was no independent corroboration of the claim, as thousands of Baga residents had fled the town after Boko Haram attacked on January 3 and hundreds, if not more, were killed in the following days.

Over one million people have been left homeless since 2009 as the rebels try to carve out an Islamic state in northeastern Nigeria.

The Islamists have recently extended their violent campaign into nations neighbouring Nigeria's northeast as regional forces pursue them.



http://news.yahoo.com/nigerian-president-admits-underestimated-boko-haram-140310816.html

.Good to knw that the Clueless doc finally admit that he's clueless.JONA till MAY 29,2015

@op, what do you mean by "Nigerian President"

Are you from europe

Nigeria was rather unfortunate to have this guy as its President. His unscripted speeches smack of someone who is not just stupid but also daft in reasoning and utterances.

you underestimate an insurgency that have claimed over 15,000 lives you swore to defend, you underestimate an insurgency that you spent over 4trillion naira budget on at least that was military and defence spending in five years, you underestimate an insurgency you declared a state of emergency for, you underestimate an insurgency you took a foreign loan of 1billion dollars to procure military armaments for, you underestimate an insurgency that election was postponed for.

How did Nigeria as a Nation ended up with this tactless and empty guy as its president? How can this guy be out campaigning to seek re-election when he ought to have been impeached or booted out for incompetence and lacking the vital ethics of his position.

How can people be out there telling Nigerians this daft slowpoke deserves another trial when every time he talks without a prepared speech he talks stupidly

some angry Nigerians and foreigners react angrily to his stupid statement

ifeanyi 5 hours ago

When the bokos were bombing police stations and graduated to bombing churches, mosques, markets and bus stations, were people not shouting that GEJ should take action? He and his army chiefs were watching as blood flowed, and millions displaced, as the terrorists were capturing towns and villages. Where was he when school girls were abducted by the terrorists? Now because of election he is just realizing that the bokos should be seriously dealt with? What about the thousands of souls lost? Will they be brought back to life? What about properties destroyed? Which father will see fire outbreak in his kitchen and look the other way, saying is not serious - waiting until it engulfs the whole house? Jonathan is not fit to be a leader. That is the plain truth and he should not return to Aso Rock.

BARCLAY 16 hours ago


Thank God, it wasn't a full fledged army that attacked Nigeria. My take from this interview is that Nigeria was ill prepared and ill equipped to mount serious counter attacks against Boko Haram. Which leaves me to wonder and ask, "What in the world happened to all the billions of Naira budgeted for the Armed Forces? Somebody has a lot of explaining to do. One thing is to underestimate the potency of Boko Haram, the other is to react ferociously when the threat is confirmed to be real. But the President could not react in a timely manner, because he lacked sufficient weaponries to wage a protracted battle with the Boko Haram insurgency. In this eye opening interview, he acknowledged that Nigeria had to wait to procure weapons which to me is a dereliction of duty, and the lack of understanding he showed on this issue signifies someone who is detached from realities and someone who did not quite understood the magnitude of being a commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and what the responsibilities entail. For six years, this administration risked the very sovereignty of this Country, by their collective failures in protecting and preserving our territorial integrity. What if Boko Haram was a sovereign nation who decided to invade and wage war against Nigeria? I am afraid, with the degree of our preparedness or the lack thereof, which has been exposed to the whole world to see, Nigeria would have been ran over before we knew what hit us. Maybe it's just me, but I've just read is a treasonable offense for a sitting president to sit back and watch a portion of his territory being decimated by organized armed attacks by loosely renegades, is unconscionable and reprehensible. I don't think the delay was a calculated act. The truth is that Nigeria was never prepared for an attack from anywhere which is a dangerous precedent to set. A country should be prepared at all times just like the Boy's Scouts. Mr. President, your actions are not excusable. You must lead, and that's what leadership is all about.

Nwora 17 hours ago

As someone who once enthusiastically supported President Jonathan, his eleventh hour conversion to take the fight to Boko Haram is just what it is - a cynical and desperate attempt to save his shaky re-election bid and INEC seemed to have played along. Unfortunately for him, his issues with the Nigerian voters are multi-faceted. He still needs to render account of his stewardship on the economy and infrastructure among others. After four years of perfidy and vacillation, Nigerians need a leader they can trust. By the way, I thought they boasted a while back that Abubakar Shekau had been killed. Innocent Nigerians have been victimized for far too long by both the government and Boko Haram and they just need to be allowed to live in peace.

Chibu 4 hours ago


While, I really, do not want anyone from Northern Nigeria to hold the Presidency, in the forseeable future (they have ruled Nigeria for too long, and I don't want them, islamising Nigeria), I would risk that, and wish Buhari wins!!

Jonathan is a colossal disgrace. Under his watch, Nigeria has become, irretrievably, misgoverned. He should actually, be tried for treason, along with others like him, who have destroyed Nigeria, for many million of young Nigerians, who do not have a bright future, due to Jonathan's gross misrule

Penny 11 hours ago

I hope that your people reward you by voting for your opponent

FrankB 13 hours ago



This guy was dancing after those schoolgirls were kidnapped. Seems to me he underestimates a lot of things, as in, he doesn't have a clue






Green 11 hours ago


Hoodlum have killed 13,000 people and you think you underestimated them? No, you just ignored them, until election time came.


Pholookhe Omobo 16 hours ago

I sincerely hope that Nigerians and all peoples of the world are not blinded by the dubious antics of this man called Jonathan. His sudden façade of efficiency are nothing but a ploy to gain sympathy towards winning the election. He is the biggest disgrace of the 21 century. Nigeria has being catapulted 100 years back by the ineptitude of this man.



the above comments sums up Nigeria's pathetic leadership vacuum

so it just dawned on u? mtchewwwwwww

pendy79, boko haram works for gej, so i dont know what you are implying

So na now day break

diluminati:
pendy79, boko haram works for gej, so i dont know what you are implying

it is clear they are working for him, but it is hard to convince the western media that not all Nigerians are as daft as the person leading the country. See the comments of people and you feel the shame to be called a Nigerian at all just because we have a dunce as president

missjenna:
@op, what do you mean by "Nigerian President"

Are you from europe

Sorry miss, I only quoted the news as it was written and not the author.

Sometimes I wonder if GEJ is from the south. He reasons and speaks like an illiterate , underestimating BH Gosh!

Harryzon:
Sometimes I wonder if GEJ is from the south. He reasons and speaks like an illiterate , underestimating BH Gosh!

Is illiteracy or being incompetent a peculiar thing with the North?

The north produced leaders like Murtala, Buhari, Babangida and Gowon. GEJ is just a special breed of dumbness at its highest peak.

hazyfm1:
A FAILED PRESIDENT TRYING TO BUY MORE TIME

he is rather buying all the buyable minds and souls that have put a price tag on their existence