Jonathan’s campaign slams Soludo for rating President F9, says ex-CBN chief confused

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President Goodluck Jonathan campaign on Monday reacted angrily to the criticism by the former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN governor, Chukwuma Soludo, that his administration failed woefully in its handling of the country’s economy.

In his widely publicized assessment of President Jonathan’s handling of the country’s economy in the past five years, Mr. Soludo, gave the administration an ‘F’ grade in the management of the economy, describing it as the worst in Nigeria’s political history.

But in its reaction, Mr. Jonathan’s campaign, the Goodluck Jonathan Presidential Campaign Organisation, PCO, dismissed the former CBN governor as a confused Nigerian, who has lost touch with the reality of his country.

A statement by the spokesperson for the campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode, said contrary to Mr. Soludo’s wish that Mr. Jonathan withdraws, he would not only run next month, but would win his re-election.

“To say that the President should not run in this election and that he should throw in the towel is absurd and self-depreciating,” he said. “It is a manifestation of the morbid fear of failure and defeat that the leaders of the opposition are all suffering from.

“Whether Soludo and his friends like it or not, not only will President Goodluck Jonathan run in this election, but he will also win and he will do so convincingly,” he said.

According to Mr. Fani-Kayode, he could forgive Mr. Soludo for suggesting the President’s withdrawal from the race, saying there was no doubt that he no longer understood what were on ground, having spent much time hanging around the opposition’s camp in the All Progressives Congress, APC.

“I read Charles Soludu’s contribution to the debate with amusement. I will be gentle with him because I have a soft spot for him. He has criticized the President, his government and his handling of the economy,” Mr. Fani-Kayode said.

In spite of the criticism, the former aviation minister said Nigeria recently won the award for being the largest economy in Africa, which happened under President Jonathan, questioning whether any right-thinking person who has the nation’s interest at heart would complain about that.

“Mr. Soludo is confused and conflicted. He seems to have lost touch with reality and this is what often happens when you spend too much time with the Buharists.

“The truth is that Soludo is far too educated, civilized and advanced to be in the opposition. He belongs to the modern age and not the dark ages. I pray that sooner than later he comes to his senses and he sees the light.

“One thousand Muhammadu Buhari cannot match one Goodluck Jonathan in terms of tolerance, compassion, performance or output. Buhari cannot even begin to understand the complex nature of the economy, or the immense problems that we are facing in this country, whilst Jonathan not only understands them, but is also making a gallant effort at solving them.

According to Mr. Fani-Kayode, “Mr. Soludo got it wrong on his assessment of President Goodluck Jonathan, pointing out that he acted in error and needed to “sit up, reconsider his views and review his unsavoury and disrespectful contribution.”