Security agents almost broke my cousin’s hand — Jonathan

PRESIDENT JONATHAN GOODLUCK President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday expressed concern about the high level of security that accompanied him on his three-day visit to his home state of Bayelsa. The security details, he said, did not allow him to see people he would have loved to and visit places in his home state. He stated this during the thanksgiving service to mark the end of the visit. The President listed his cousin and others he grew up with in his hometown, Otuoke, as some of such people that were denied access to him by the operatives. “If only you see the way they frustrated my cousin and stopped him from coming close to me, you will understand what am talking about. They nearly broke his hand. I was sorry for the poor man,” Jonathan said. He did not give the name of the cousin. Jonathan, a former governor of the state, said it was unfortunate that he had more security around him in his own state, than all the other states he had visited since he became President. He said that the service would have taken place at St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Yenagoa but that he directed that it should be moved to the Government House “so that people who would be screened and those that might be tuned back by security agents would not be offended.” The President added, “The intimidating security would have affected worshippers if the service had taken place at St. Peter’s Anglican Church because they would be screened. That would certainly have elicited reactions. That’s why we relocated to this place (Gloryland Chapel, Government House).” He lamented that he could not visit a lot of places in the state because security agents gave an excuse that such places were either not checked for his safety or that they were not a part his itinery. Jonathan, who said he could not understand the reason for the heavy security presence, stated that he would have been asked to stay away from Bayelsa State if it (Bayelsa) had been unsafe. He said, “If Bayelsa State is turbulent, I will be advised not to come; it is where they (security agents ) push you that you will go. “If there is no peace in Bayelsa State, I will be stopped from coming here. But I need to see where the Federal Government can assist the state. That’s the purpose of my visits to all the states. “When you see things yourself, you will appreciate them. If there’s peace in this state then we will get to where we want it to reach.” Jonathan preached the need for peace and unity in the state and other parts of the country in order for development to take place. He described the whole country as a human body which “if any part of it is sick, the rest cannot live in peace.” Noting that election periods were often characterised by tension at the local, state and national levels, he advised those fighting because of political positions to shield their swords. “Any time we conduct elections, there must be tension. Everybody want to be a councillor, at the national level, it is the same, but God knows who He has blessed at any particular time. God has a purpose for Bayelsa State, so we should stop fighting one another,” he said. As the service went on, armed soldiers in full battle fatigue and riot policemen took strategic positions in different parts of Yenagoa while a military helicopter hovered over the Government House. The President’s trip to Nembe to inaugurate a regional water project was cancelled due to the heavy rainfall on Sunday morning. He also could not fly to Brass to inaugurate the Atlantic Beach resort on the island. Jonathan had said at a town hall meeting in Yenagoa on Saturday that his administration would deliver on the proceedings arrived at during his interactions with people all the states he had visited. He told the select audience that the meeting was meant for “the cross fertilisation of ideas” and urged those whose views were not acknowledged to write him. “We are compiling the reactions from the various interest groups,” he said. The president also responded to the issue of special roles for traditional rulers in the country, saying they had not been properly placed in the political landscape of the country. Jonathan said, “We have to be careful of how we handle this. I don’t want to send an executive bill to the Senate. You have to measure the temperature of your environment before you do anything. In places like Japan, there’s no way you can discuss issues without mentioning traditional rulers.” The President said the Federal Executive Council would use the last six weeks of the year to discuss how to move the nation forward through some radical changes.