Lalong had told State House correspondents yesterday that the Ruga settlement was Jonathan’s innitiative.
The former President berated the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that Nigerians were used to its blame games.
In a statement through his media office to DAILY POST on Tuesday, signed by Reno Omokri, Jonathan asked the Governor to leave him out of the controversies surrounding President Muhammadu Buhari’s move to settle Fulani herdsmen in all the States of the federation.
The statement added, “Our attention has been drawn to comments by the Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Solomon Lalong, in which he claims that the RUGA settlements currently being implemented nationwide for herdsmen by the Buhari regime are a Jonathan administration initiative and that former President Goodluck Jonathan should be blamed for the crisis occasioned by herdsmen which have risen to a head in recent times.
“Mr. Lalong, after meeting with General Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, July 1, 2019, then went on to say ‘If he (Dr. Jonathan) had done that (RUGA) at that time, we would not be fighting insecurity between herders and farmers today.’
“Nigerians are used to the Buhari administration and its privies blaming all their challenges on the Jonathan administration and this latest act of dereliction of duty is therefore not surprising.
“Obviously, the Buhari regime is unaware that they have become a laughing stock in the international community, as evidenced by the total absence of any worthy representation at their recent events because the world knows that you are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the so-called RUGA herdsmen settlements being planned nationwide is not an initiative of the Jonathan administration. We did not conceive or budget for it and we know and want nothing to do with it.
“What the Jonathan administration initiated was a ₦100 billion agricultural LOAN to be disbursed by the Central Bank of Nigeria for states in Northern Nigeria, who wished to build cattle ranches for modern processing of beef which would then be transported nationwide as beef, rather than cattle rearing.
“RUGA, on the other hand, is not a loan, but a government intervention with PUBLIC funds in a purely PRIVATE business, with the attendant acquisition of PUBLIC land to be used for such PRIVATE business in perpetuity.
“We also ask Nigerians to witness that even Professor Yemi Osinbajo has washed his hands off the scheme in a statement he released four days ago.
“It will be recalled that on Friday, June 28, 2019, Pastor Osinbajo released a statement saying inter alia ‘Contrary to claims reported in sections of the media, the establishment of Ruga settlements is not being supervised by the Office of the Vice President.’
“After being rejected and denied by the deputy in their own administration, we can, therefore, understand their desperation to look for a scapegoat. However, much as we sympathised with them in their panic, that scapegoat will not be President Jonathan.
“For the avoidance of doubt, let me state that the Jonathan administration was able to relatively manage the herdsmen crisis because we implemented the principle of crime and punishment.
“Whenever there was a crime committed by errant herdsmen, the then government put machinery in motion to arrest, try and punish the perpetrators of such crimes.
“Also, then President Jonathan did not show, either by action or by words, any partiality for either side in such clashes.
“But most importantly, that administration had an ethnic balance in the nation’s military, police and paramilitary forces in keeping with the constitutional principle of federal character. That balance ensured that there was objectivity in dealing with issues involving insecurity in the country.
“Whether there is such balance today is left for Nigerians to judge.
“In conclusion, I will appeal to Governor Simon Lalong to face god RUGA and leave Dr. Goodluck Jonathan out of it.”
My Able President. The man that thought me the word 'sacrosant' . The best thing that has ever happened to Nigeria. Thank you for speaking the truth.
ReplyDeleteAnd you didn't bother to check the spelling of the word, "sacrosanct"! You haven't learned anything, my friend.
Delete“RUGA, on the other hand, is not a loan, but a government intervention with PUBLIC funds in a purely PRIVATE business, with the attendant acquisition of PUBLIC land to be used for such PRIVATE business in perpetuity."
ReplyDeleteDo you now see how stupid this government is, taking millions of Nigerians for a ride. Using public funds to establish their kinsmen, that won't add any income to the nation's treasury. Nigeria isn't just a joke but a monumental mess and failure orchestrated by the incompetency of a jihadist president.
Teejay my fellow compatriot in political issues! I missed you!
DeleteWhere have you been?
I don't understand how people who call themselves sane, educated and right thinking would come out enmasse and vote in someone who is not only uneducated, but crude, arrogant and with an absolute disregard for rule of law!
A man that at the slightest hint of loss or failure threatens massacre and bloodshed publicly and without impunity, yet he was voted in by a vast majority.
In spite of all his atrocities in the first four(4) years, some people who are not 'his kind' nor kinsmen, still supported his re-election. That he won or lost is story for another day.
Anyways I still thank God for the kind of unreasonable man he is because when he destroys, he doesn't know supporters. So long you're not his kinsman, you're done for!
Where are all them next levelers?
Mama Mia, I am here now. Type the word Ruga-Ruga on Google and see the origin of that from Wikipedia. We will vehemently reject it down here in the East, I don't know for those at the West. They already started collecting lands forcefully in Benue state and marking it with tapes as Federal government property. Thank God the youths and people of Benue reacted immediately by dismantling it.
DeleteBenue of all places that over seventy three persons were buried in a day after being killed by this Fulani terrorist, will now accommodate them in their lands. This is a joke taking too far.
They have enough land in the north why do they still need land in every state? Our president said those herdsmen are not Nigerian's why is he now giving them land?
DeleteWhy are they afraid to use their own land in the North?
DeleteThey should go and use sambisa
ReplyDeleteThank you Bee10
DeleteThe person who composed DAT is really funny but made his point nevertheless,I thought the blame games ended with PMB's first tenure,inasmuch as I want Buhari to do better, this RUGA lai lai,I'm not in support and I'm certain south easterners won't agree to it
ReplyDeleteBad enough DAT in most states there's a street for northern brothers to do their biznes and sell their suya now u want to legalize the settlements and add jara where the owners of the land will no longer have a say?
Zinny
Bee 10, I am with you on this issue. Samba forest will contain their cows and their families. Fulanis shouldn't use their own to spoil our own. They kill whenever things don't go their way.
ReplyDeleteThis LaLONG dont even know dat he's sitting on a looong thing. #SaynotoRUGA
ReplyDeleteuseless senseless lalong
ReplyDeleteGive my land to rare cattle? NO! Cows they straff? What are they thinking of for goodness sake. I trust Wike, for others i don't know. Okowa just announced Delta state doesn't need RUGA. I hope the state inbetween; Bayelsa will denounce that RUGA. Imo and Abia should follow suit, I fear the money shouldn't make them accept.
ReplyDelete