Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

The Federal Government at the weekend praised itself and insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari has succeeded in lifting Nigeria from the sordid state former President Goodluck Jonathan, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) left it three years ago.

In an exclusive interview with DAILY INDEPENDENT, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information, said recent comments attributed to former ex-President Jonathan where he was quoted as saying that he was ashamed that Nigeria had become a laughing stock three years after he left office and had joined the comity of countries used to illustrate bad governance was very unfortunate.

The former president, who was at the inauguration of the first bridge built by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State in Ado Ekiti a fortnight ago, allegedly said that Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari had become a reference point for negative things.

He cited recent instances when the Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo allegedly mocked the poor state of security in Nigeria and the naira’s weakening status.

He was quoted to have said, “He (Nana Akufo-Addo) said Ghana is not like Nigeria where cattle roam the streets.

“At another occasion in the United Kingdom, he made scathing remarks about Nigeria’s currency.
“I feel ashamed as a former president that the president of a neighbouring country used Nigeria as a negative example.
“If a neighbouring African president will use Nigeria to make negative examples, then we as leaders must know certain things are wrong in the country.”
However, Lai Mohammed said contrary to the former president’s claim, the image of Nigeria which was seriously battered under the Jonathan presidency had greatly improved since President Buhari assumed office.

The minister said many Nigerians were now proud holders of the country’s international passports, something they were ashamed to be identified with because of their country’s bad image as a corrupt country under the Jonathan presidency.

He also gave instances of several endorsements received by President Buhari from international organisations such as the African Union and US President Donald Trump as testimonies to the fact that Jonathan’s statement about Nigeria’s degeneration in the last three years was untrue.

Mohammed said: “The statement from former President Goodluck Jonathan describing Nigeria as a laughing stock is very unfortunate. I hardly ever take on former presidents. If anything, we have succeeded in lifting Nigeria from the sordid state he left it.

“Before we came in, most Nigerians were ashamed to be holders of our passport. Today, we are respected internationally everywhere.
“Only recently, the President of the United States publicly acknowledged the leadership role of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Only recently, the entire African Union invested him with Champion of Africa in Anti-Corruption. Only recently, the Secretary of State in the US reiterated the confidence of the United States government in President Buhari.

“Indices point to the fact that this government is daily winning new admirers all over the world.

“So, I don’t even understand what former President Jonathan is saying. How have we become a joke in the world and in whose minds? It is very unfortunate.


Read more https://independent.ng/nigeria-better-than-jonathan-left-it-fg/

Clowns

And again they have to refer to jonathan. Leave gej alone for the love of mike. Dude has moved on but this regime no wan let go. Haba. And for the record, gej's tenure was 100 million times better than what we have now.

Mad people

These people in buhari's govt, buhari included are shameless. Its even worse now to present a nigerian passport outside nigeria. Anyway i will soon receive my lesotho passport. Nonsense buhari govt.

Incompetent government scoring itself....

"In a statement, Omokri reminded Buhari that people only compare themselves to the best, adding that the reason why he constantly has strong need to compare himself to Jonathan and former President Olusegun Obasanjo is because he suffers from inferiority complex"

Simply true! People with low self-esteem often do this as a means of forcefully asserting their low self worth.

Kirikiri 2023


Lai this is your final bus stop

Yet Buhari's kinsmen, home state people, NEF, CNGs, ACF among others are calling for his resignation as president?

Shift jor. This ur bad government that people are praying it comes to an end in 2020.

Lair again. Mychewwww

Useless evil govt stupid supporters

Dollar =500 naira.

Favours which people.