Jonathan: African politicians replacing military coups with political coups

* “Something is fundamentally wrong with our political
system,” ex-President says

Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has berated a trend in
African politics where, according to him, politicians are resorting
to political coups as a substitute for military coups, critiquing
the phenomenon as bad the continent.

Jonathan made the observation at the weekend while speaking on
behalf of other awardees at the convocation ceremony of Igbinedion
University Okada, in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo
State.

The ex-President was awarded with a honorary Doctor of Science
doctorate at the university.

Mr Jonathan cited the violence at the recently concluded
governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states as heartrending,
falling short of what ought to “happen in any normal society,” he
said.

“What happened in the last governirship elections in my state,
Bayelsa State, and especially in Kogi State, where that young lady
was burnt alive in her house, is something that should not happen
in any normal society. Something is fundamentally wrong with our
political system,” the former President stated.

“Only yesterday in Ndjamena, we were discussing the politics of
our continent. Most of us former Heads of States, Presidents,
former Presidents, Vice Presidents.

“The way African politics is going we are replacing military
coup with political coup d’etat and that cannot sustain the
continent,” he said.

He pleaded with politicians to play politics by the rules and
for the overall interest of Nigerians.

“Let me plead with my fellow politicians, they should stop
killing people,and destroying properties because people want to own
offices,” he said.

He commended the founder of the institution, Sir Gabriel Osawaru
Igbinedion, for his perseverance and doggedness in sustaining the
private university over the years, saying that government alone
cannot champion the cause of citizens’ education.

The ex-President said no country can develop above its level of
education, calling on both private sector and government to play
their roles in ensuring that the educational standard of the
country is improved on for the development of Nigeria.

He also called on Sir Igbinedion to resuscitate his moribund
Okada Airlines to further propel the country’s aviation sector,
saying that Nigerians want the airline back.

Addressing graduands, Mr Jonathan said the survival of the
country rests on the shoulders of the youths, advising them to be
focused. He said he was convinced that the knowledge they have
acquired throughout their learning years has prepared them well to
face challenges ahead.

Earlier, the Hon. Chancellor, Sir Igbinedion, said the
institution, in its first 20 years, has graduated well over 1,000
doctors, while the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN)
says it has inducted only a little over 82,000 medical doctors.

The institution’s Deputy Chancellor, Lucky Igbinedion, who spoke
for his father, mentioned the World Health Organization (WHO)
disclosed that Nigeria needs a total of 237,000 doctors for an
efficient healthcare delivery system, but that only 35,000 doctors
are available.

He said based on the dearth of doctors in the country, the
institution has pleaded with Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria
(MDCN) to increase the admission quota to the institution to be
able to meet up with the health demands of citizens.

On his part, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council,
Prof. Sheikh Amhed Abdullah, tasked the students to use the
knowledge gathered over the years to transform the country.

He further charged them to be promoters of peace, a united
Nigeria and agents of social change, stating that the future of the
country lies in their hands.

Also speaking at the event, Edo State Governor Mr Godwin
Obaseki, commending the university for success recorded since its
inception, said his administration has invested much in the
education sector through the introduction of the EDOBEST programme,
where teachers are trained and retrained, stressing that it has
made students and pupils to move from schooling to learning.

The Governor went on to urge the awardees to use the honour done
them to create a link with the institution and, by extension, the
state.