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Falana, Nwosu task Jonathan on choice of VP

By By Abiodun Fanoro
09 May 2010   |   10:00 pm
AHEAD of the appointment of a Vice President, President of West African Bar Association (WABA), Mr. Femi Falana and the National Chairman of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu, have admonished President Goodluck Jonathan to rise above partisanship and consider national interest when taking decision on who becomes the country's number-two citizen.The duo…
AHEAD of the appointment of a Vice President, President of West African Bar Association (WABA), Mr. Femi Falana and the National Chairman of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu, have admonished President Goodluck Jonathan to rise above partisanship and consider national interest when taking decision on who becomes the country’s number-two citizen.

The duo charged the President not to allow his political party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) or past leaders, particularly those who had opportunity to act in the overall good interest of the country but failed to do so, to influence or sway his decision.

In their view, persons to occupy the office of the Vice President and Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must be credible people acceptable by both Nigerians and members of the international community who must buy into the current national emergencies the country is facing, as well as the clamour for change.

In separate interviews with The Guardian at the weekend, the duo urged Jonathan to always remember the circumstance, particularly the people’s clamour that took him to power and that to that extent, he could neither afford to fail God nor the people.

In Nwosu’s view, what Jonathan needed from those he described as failed past leader, but who were reportedly trying to influence his decision, was to avoid their self-created obstacles and pit-holes, which made them throw rare opportunities like this to them, to act in the best interest of the people. Specifically, the ADC boss urged the President to appoint former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as the Vice President.

According to him, Ribadu has stood out as a man who was prepared to work hard to attain whatever goal that was set for him, noting that that has made him acceptable to both Nigerians and members of the international community.

He said what should top the agenda of the new President for the rest of this administration must be a re-invigorated fight against corruption.

According to him, a remarkable success in the anti-graft war would naturally induce success in other sectors, especially energy and credible elections.

Also, Falana said top among priories that must engage the attention of the new President must be un-compromised electoral reform, which would produce a free and fair election, crisis reviewing and re-strengthening the anti-corruption war, reconstitution of INEC, as well as the states’ electoral commissioners, the Niger Delta, among others.

The WABA president urged him to establish a task force to monitor all projects and contracts awarded to solve the energy crisis to avoid sabotage and delay in completion.

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