RATHER than inciting Nigerians against President Goodluck Jonathan through undue criticism and hostile remarks, the Presidential Political Adviser, Ahmed Ali Gulak has called on Nigeria 's past leaders to play the role of statesmen by moderating their views so that the country could benefit from their wealth of experience.
Gulak, who made the observation while declaring open a colloquium put together by an independent body, the Political Summit Group (PSG), to mark the president's 55th birthday anniversary in Abuja, lamented that remarks by some past leaders of recent against the policies of Jonathan's administration left so many Nigerians wondering what their intentions were.
Besides, Gulak, a lawyer and a one-time Speaker of Adamawa State House of Assembly submitted that Jonathan had the constitutional right to contest the 2015 presidency. He, however, pleaded with Nigerians to heed the president's appeal to allow him concentrate on governance to give Nigerians quality leadership.
While he agreed that nobody could deprive people of their rights to air their views on any national issue, including how they are governed, he noted that such criticisms should be constructive. He said criticisms coming from those who have been privileged to have led the country in the past should be moderated such as not to create social tension in the country.
He said: "Every Nigerian is entitled to air his/her opinion, but one thing is clear and the constitution is very clear about it. Mr. President has every right to contest if he wishes, that is his wish, which nobody can abridge. Nobody can take that away from him his constitutional right; everybody has every right under our constitution to aspire to the highest political office in the country. Mr. President is there; the constitution does not prevent him.
"There is no impediment under the constitution for him, to take a second chance, but that decision is left for him.
"If he says he will go for second chance, right, but let us leave him for now. After all he has said it himself that everything should not be about elections and that people should give him time till 2014 before he decides whether to go or not.
"So, let us leave it at that. This is the time for Nigerians to see that the president delivers on his promises. So, let us allow the man to work, let us not dissipate energy on 2015 elections for God's sake."
On the criticisms by past leaders he said: "They have had their opportunities to rule this country before. Some have done eight years; some have done 12 years, some have done seven years, they have done their own bits. Therefore, what we are saying is that, they should be elder statesmen; give advice from the sides, not to dabble into creating crisis within the system."
