Jonathan worse than Nebuchadnezzar -Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, says President Goodluck Jonathan is worse than neo-Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, describing Jonathan as a President that embraces impunity. Soyinka at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday blamed Jonathan for the fracas at the National Assembly in which lawmakers resorted to scaling the gate of the Assembly complex in order to gain access to their chambers after being prevented by the police. He said although Jonathan was democratically elected, his actions had proved that he was more of a dictator. He said for instance, the split in Nigeria Governors’ Forum last year in which 16 governors had the final say over 19 other governors showed that the President was willing to do anything to achieve his political goals. Soyinka said the barring of governors by policemen from entering Ekiti State to campaign for former Governor Kayode Fayemi in June showed that Jonathan was not only a dictator but was encouraging impunity by encouraging security agents to disrespect constituted authority. He also berated the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, whom he said was appointed for the sole purpose of achieving Jonathan’s selfish ambition. He said it was unfortunate that Jonathan would order policemen to prevent lawmakers from entering the National Assembly on the same day that they were to meet to discuss the extension of emergency rule in the Northeast. He, however, commended the lawmakers for scaling the gate, adding that by so doing, they were able to foil a coup. He said, “The act of scaling gates and walls to fulfil their duty by the people must be set down as their finest hour. They must be applauded, not derided. If shame belongs anywhere, it belongs to the Inspector General of Police and his lavish adherence to illegal and unconstitutional instructions- to undermine a democratic structure, and one- to make matters worse-convoked in response to an emergency of dire concern. “What sticks to this policeman (Abba) is worse than shame, it is infamy. Such a public servant deserves to be publicly pilloried, tried and meted a punishment that is appropriate to treasonable acts, if only to serve as a deterrent to others in positions of responsibility under the law. To demand less is to reduce ourselves below the status free citizens of a free nation. “For this latest outrage, one in an escalating series of impunity, the buck stops yet again at the presidency and that incumbent, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, continues to surprise us in ways that very few have conjectured.”