What I told Buhari – Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday said he was against the disintegration of Nigeria , saying he was working with other leaders to find solutions to the renewed crisis in the Niger Delta .

Mr . Jonathan spoke to journalists at the presidential villa after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

The former president, who met with Mr . President Buhari for about 15 minutes , said he was at the villa to report his international engagements to the incumbent president.

“One key thing is that having been a head of a government , a former president you become a state property, that ’ s the privilege you have . But every privilege has its corresponding responsibility , and once you become a state property, most of your international engagement , that has to do with public addresses and some international assignment becomes a national assignment, you brief the president. Even when I was here the former presidents used to do that and see me. I have been coming but most times I come in the night that ’ s why you don ’ t see me .

“I came to brief the president about some of my engagements. As you are aware I will be leading the AU elections monitoring team to Zambia , I came to brief the president about some of this external engagement . It is the tradition , ” he said.

Mr . Jonathan said he was staunchly opposed to the secession of any part from the country .
He said Nigeria was only termed “great ” because of its size and diversity and not necessarily because of its oil .

“It ’ s not just about me but about all the traditional rulers , elders and opinion leaders that are of the Ijaw ethnic nationality; we have been in touch to see that peace reigns in the country , ” Mr. Jonathan said. “Those of you that have followed my talks when I was here , my emphasis is that we need a united Nigeria and I always emphasize that Nigeria is great not just about the oil – so many countries produce more oil than Nigeria nobody notices them .

“We are great because of our size, the human resources we have , the diversity we have , if we fragmentise the country into small components we will be forgotten by the world.”

A group known as Adaka Boro Avengers had threatened to declare an independent Niger Delta Republic on Monday , but said it cancelled the plan following the intervention of Mr . Jonathan and other leaders in the area.

“That has been my focal position and without peace , there cannot be development anywhere in the world, ” the former president said. “We are all working collectively to see that issues are resolved.”

On the ongoing anti - corruption campaign that has seen several of his former appointees arrested and prosecuted, Mr . Jonathan said he would speak when most of the court cases are resolved .

“I don ’ t want to talk about that one because there are too many cases that are in court , it will not be fair to make comments , I will talk at the appropriate time when most of these things are resolved , ” he said

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