Jonathan: Boko Haram embarrassment will soon end

President Goodluck Jonathan has asurred that the embarrassment the Boko Haram insurgents are causing the country will end in few months’ time. He gave the assurance at Ile-Ife in Osun State on Saturday when he paid homage to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade. The president was in Osun State for the mega rally […]

President Goodluck Jonathan has asurred that the embarrassment the Boko Haram insurgents are causing the country will end in few months’ time.

He gave the assurance at Ile-Ife in Osun State on Saturday when he paid homage to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

The president was in Osun State for the mega rally of the People’s Democratic  Party (PDP) candidate for the August 9 governorship election in the state, Christopher Iyiola Omisore.

Describing the Boko Haram insurrgents as rascals, Jonathan said his government remained committed to eliminating terrorism and restoring peace to the country.

He disclosed that his administration wanted to build very strong security forces in order to contain the insurgency.

According to the president, but for terrorist activities in parts of the country, his administration would have achieved a lot more than it has done.

“There are certain things we should have done as a government, but because of the situation in the country, we have not been able to do much of them. The kind of embarrassment we are receiving now ‎will never continue in this country.

“We want to build a very strong army, the Nigeria police and the Navy and the Airforce so that these rascals called Boko Haram will never stop us because we will surely rout Boko Haram. We are very committed. In the next few months, no criminals will ever embarass us again‎ in this country”‘, the president said.

Jonathan said the Council of State would not renege on its promise to end all forms of discrimination in all parts of the country.

He said he believed that if Omisore is elected as governor of Osun State, he (Omisore) would work with the federal government to address some of the requests the Ooni had made.

Earlier,  the Ooni had told Jonathan that the people in the South West in general and Osun state in particular were yearning for a better feel of federal government’s presence in the key areas of his transformation agenda.

“For instance, in the area of agricultural sector, cocoa farming which is the main stay of the economy of southwest deserves better attention. In the aviation sector, it would be appreciated if the ongoing upgrading of the Ibadan airport is completed. In the transportation sector, it is high time our railway system was expanded to link the southwest with the southeast through Akire, Owo and Benin”, he said.

He said in the past, Omisore heeded his advice to step down for former governors of the state, Bisi Akande and Olagunsoye Oyinlola at the primaries, adding that Omisore had on both occasions said God’s time is the best.

He said it is only God that that’s the power to appoint leaders, adding however that “I know that God in His mercies would give His blessings to your visit and the requests of our people today (yesterday).”
The president, who also visited the palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun for homage, was accompanied by PDP National Chairman Adamu Mu’azu, PDP BOT Chairman Tony   Anenih, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Emeka Ihedioha, Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, Ekiti State Governor-elect Ayodele Fayose,  and top government officials.