Abuja – President Goodluck Jonathan said on Monday he would prove critics of his administration wrong by 2013 when the dividends of new policies introduced begin to manifest.
Jonathan said this while declaring open the 52nd Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Abuja.
He said he was the most criticised President in the world at the moment because his critics failed to understand that the country’s current challenges predated his administration.
He assured that his critics would have the cause to praise him at the end of the life of his administration when his Transformation Agenda would have yielded the expected dividends.
“I think I am the most criticised president in the whole world, but I tell this noble audience that before I leave, I will also be the most praised president.
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President Goodluck Jonathan
“I have experienced that before in my governor journey in Bayelsa state. In fact, people who were close to me will tell you that even after the election, I told them that in my first 12 months please cover your ears because you will hear all kinds of things. But as we progress, you will see (changes).
“We are working very hard to stabilise power. We are working very hard to resurface our roads. We have security challenges, which we are also working very hard to bring to reasonable control.
“It is not easy; we don’t have the magic wand, except the miracle worker that with the wave of the hand, probably will help to throw all these challenges away and prosperity will appear. But in pure governance issues, it takes time.
“Sometimes, even people who have held offices in government criticise me to the extent of personal abuses. Sometimes I ask, were there roads across in the country and Jonathan brought flood to wipe out these roads? or we had power and I brought hurricane to break down the entire infrastructure?
“If they say Boko Haram is because of poverty; were there massive irrigation projects in the North where agriculture can thrive and massive farms, and Jonathan brought drought to wipe out these farms? under two years is it possible?
“Well, time will tell. What I can tell Nigerians is that let those who criticize continue to criticise.
“We will do our best and as we progress, Nigerians will know the truth and we’ll see that we are committed and will surely transform this country,’’ he said
The President said that he promised to deliver free, fair and credible elections before the conduct of the 2011 general elections and the assessment of the polls by local and international observers was a testimony that he kept his promise. (NAN)
