PDP Rally: I am not sponsoring Boko Haram, President Jonathan says

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President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday lambasted those who have accused him of being behind the Boko Haram insurgency in Adamawa State.

“Only mad people will accuse me of executing such dastardly act against his people,” Mr. Jonathan said.

The President, who made the remark during his campaign rally in Yola on Thursday, said that he had no reason to sponsor the killing of children, women and the aged as, according to him, he had nothing to benefit from such deleterious actions.

He recalled that in the last election, he secured more than 65 per cent of the votes in the state, twice the votes he got from his home state, Bayelsa.

He pointed out that even from a political standpoint, killing off Adamawa people would amount to political suicide.
“In 2011, I had two times the number of votes I had in Bayelsa State. Why should I want to reduce that number of votes?” Mr. Jonathan queried. “Only a mad person can insinuate that the president is supporting Boko Haram.”

While expressing his sympathy for the people following the scale of terror unleashed on the state by Boko Haram Insurgents, he promised that Adamawa would be the first among the three states that would be completely liberated from the insurgents.

He told the gathering that Michika, one of the remaining two local governments in the hands of the insurgents, has been liberated.

“We are totally committed to the liberation of Adamawa state,” he said. “Adamawa will be the first state that will be freed. As we are talking to you Michika Local Government area has been recaptured by our gallant soldiers. The remaining local government, Madagali will, insha Allah, be recaptured very soon.

“We are totally committed to Adamawa and it will be the first state that will be liberated. I feel so burdened about the excesses of Boko Haram.”

The president noted that because of his concerns for the victims of the insurgency, his government has floated some mitigating measures such as the Safe Schools Initiative, victims support funds and other measures to cushion the suffering the victims were going through.

He promised to make massive investment in Agriculture and other key sectors for the rapid development of the state.
He enjoined the people to massively vote their gubernatorial candidate, Nuhu Ribadu, for development to be solidly rooted in the state.

“I knew him when I was a deputy governor and as a governor I monitored him till today. He has unique attributes. I believe he will join us to fight insecurity in Adamawa state,” Mr. Jonathan said.

He said Mr. Ribadu has the energy, intellectual capacity and wide range of network across the globe to rout Boko Haram insurgency.