First Lady Patience Jonathan "runs her own show and the husband has little or no control over her," a U.S, cable leaked by Wikileaks has said, stressing that she has a more forceful personality than the husband.
The cable which quoted a source in Bayelsa State, said the First Lady has "tremendous influence" over President Goodluck Jonathan and his administration at the time he was governor of Bayelsa State.
According to the report, Jonathan, then governor of Bayelsa managed to distance himself from the wife when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seized the sum of $13.5 million from her at an airport in 2006, noting that no findings have been reported from a reported investigation.
"In September 2006, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seized USD 13.5 million from Mrs. Jonathan at an airport. Reports indicated the money was laundered through an associate; Jonathan managed to distance himself from the deal. The anti-graft commission investigating the source of the money has reported no findings to date," the report said.
The report also said Jonathan's defining characteristic of loyalty, recalled that when his former boss, Diepreye Alamieyesiegha was arrested in London, "Jonathan was reluctant to take over as governor or to appear too eager to fill his superior's shoes."
"He waited until he was compelled by the presidency to claim the governorship," the report said pointing out that President Jonathan is supporting the Alamieyesiegha family.
Wikileaks also said it was Jonathan's loyalty that likely compelled President Obasanjo to select him as Yar'adua's running mate, "perhaps to forestall the type of conflict Obasanjo perceived himself to have experienced with Atiku."
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You can trust anything if you trust 'Daily Trust' reports
Would anybody have anticipated a frosty relationship between the President and the wife? If not so, how useful would a loose canon of a wife be to the presidency? The fact remains, Mrs Patience Jonathan is not given any responsibility by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Any so called first lady that wishes to play God while the husband is holding the office, is doing so at her own risk.
It's not her fault she never thought she would get where she is, she is uneducated and most importantly does not have the fear of God in her. She is living life on the fast lane and will sooner rather than later see where she will end up. That said she did not earn her position it was luck. She only needs to remember that all this her gra gra will only take her do far, they tried to teach her but she refuses, soon Jonathan will get fed up and will look for a wife, because nobody wants to be with someone they can't control, like madela left Winnie when she wanted to soil his good name she find he will get a wife that will be just that and she will be the only one answering all those questions that people want to but can't. A good name is worth more than riches and if your left hand cause you to sin then, cut it off! May if Jonathan maned up to his wife he would be able to handle the country more firmly. She bought ten oil vessels for herself, with nigeria's money and she thinks people are not gunning for her! She will suffer for her sins cause they are waiting for her, good luck patience, you need it sooner than you think!
The question we should be asking ourselves is which part of the Nigerian Constitution permits a public official or his wife to order huge sums of money in cash to be delivered to them? Does Aso Rock print money? Who obeyed such an order i.e. delivering cash to the first lady? Is it because they fear to loose their jobs that they must obey? What if EFCC going to do to such complying officers? Until all these and many more grey ares have been resolved, we will continue to hear such nonsense.
If, for instance, the first lady makes a call or a written request for money from the federation account to e.g the CBN governor, he can can report such to the EFCC or make a press statement exposing her. Let us see if he will be sacked, gunned down or asked to resign.
In another instance, the EFCC should arrest all officers complacent in such a deal. Yes it is a deal because if the official releasing the money is not greedy, he will not comply.
We as a people are not serious about fighting corruption that is why we continue to have corrupt leaders. It is from our midst such people emerge to be become leaders not from the Moon or Heaven. We are also corrupt individually, even how so called social crusaders, including me. if i have an opportunity to lead, I will also steal because nothing will be done to me. i can use my ill gotten wealth to 'settle' and go scot free.
It is not far fetching to say with all due respect to the Presidency that Dr.Jonathan[ the President] of Nigeria is weak considering how he has dealt with issue of Boko Haram so far.At times Nigerians wakeup every morning asking themselves, thus is this the man we voted for, last April?He is too slow in taking action against Boko Haram and its supporters which in part he is aware who they're.May be he wants to be like late President Umaru Yar'Adua who was too slow and incompetent to accomplish anything for this Country.The current President must lead or leave.The President should start being President and use his bully palpit to address the threat this Nation is facing now thats Boko Haram and Economy.
Nigerians can not have Economic prosperity if their security is not there.Since this is a naked fact,the Administration must squarely deal with this horrifying killings of innocent Nigerians and foreigners afterall,the President had taken an oat to protect the people of this Country.Regardless of what some religious empty leaders may say,it is the responsibility of any President to secure and protect the lifes of his/her people.The President must focus on what the Nigerian people want out of his leadership, instead of listening and wondering what the Bank Rollers and supporters of Boko Haram want to do next.The President must use all possible means to put a halt to this Islamic fundamentalists/Jihadist whose agenda is to kill as long as they are Bank Rolled and supported by some Nigerian politicians who agree with their devilish plans.There's absolute need to be behind the President in wiping out this branch of al-queada in the Country.President,we need results not rhetorics.