Chief Richard Kpodoh a former Security Adviser to the Bayelsa State Government, believes that Boko Haram campaign of terror in some parts of the Northern states is targeted at stopping President Goodluck Jonathan from declaring his intention to run for second term in 2015.
However Kpodoh, said the decision to declare or not to declare to run in the 2015 Presidential election lies with President Jonathan, the dangerous tactics of using insecurity as a tool of blackmail against the rising profile of President Goodluck Jonathan will not hold waters as he will be forced by the peace loving populace to run for second term in office.
He said:”There is no better time for the President to declare than now. We have studied elected presidents from the time of the second republic with Shehu Shagari, and the military era with Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, Buhari and the elected Olusegun Obasanjo and discovered that the style of administration of Goodluck Jonathan in spite of provocation and temptation, has remained calm, cool and collected.”
“Under past Presidents, the opposition claim they were bold and decisive could not be proved. Many paid oppositions and genuine critics have lambasted, without facts, some policies of the Jonathan administration and nothing violent and deadly happened to them. The so called bold civilian administrations of Obasanjo and the military era of Buhari and others would have boldly dealt with opposition.
“Some of us embarked on criticism against Jonathan administration and nothing evil happened to us.The kind of utterances against Jonathan has never been accommodated by any administration in this country. It is not weakness but an administration style that has human feelings and the one that believe in the unity of the country.”
He didn’t leave out the Northern leadership in his statement, claiming that they have been at the fore front of criticism against President Goodluck Jonathan, they have failed to accept that the style of Northern leadership have failed and President Goodluck Jonathan should not be blamed for it.
Chief Kpodo called on President Goodluck Jonathan to shun the antics of Boko Haram and its sponsors and declare his intention to run in 2015.