Does President Jonathan truly have a hidden agenda?

Authorities of the Jama’atul Nasril Islam, JNI, have accused President Goodluck Jonathan of pursuing a hidden agenda with the convocation of the National Conference, reports Punch Nigeria.

During a news conference on Wednesday in Kaduna, the JNI’s Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Aliyu, said no amount of conferences would solve the myriad of problems confronting Nigeria, except “when our leaders lead with justice and equity in the country' - whilst also stating that the process of selecting delegates to the conference negated  the spirit of democracy as majority of delegates to the conference were Christians.

According to him, 62 per cent of the delegates to the conference are Christians while the remaining percentage is shared by Muslims and other religions in the land.

Aliyu noted that specific concern to the JNI was the representation of the security exports in the conference, noting that out of the 18 security exports at the conference, only 22.2 per cent were Muslims.

He said, “What is most disturbing  is that the Muslim leadership and Islamic groups have called the attention of the President  to this matter but he has paid no attention to the concern of the Muslims

“What is most disturbing  is that the Muslim leadership and Islamic groups have called the attention of the President  to this matter but he has paid no attention to the concern of the Muslims

“Let me comment on the conference, which the Federal Government has convened. It is on record that many Nigerians, including the leadership of the Muslim community in the country, have expressed various concerns regarding the confab.  Nigerians have warned that the confab is ill-timed given that electioneering is about to begin. Even with all these cries, the conveners have gone ahead to host the conference.

“We are however worried that the process of selecting participants to the conference has been observed to have thrown away all known dictates of fair representation in a democracy, which will no doubt affect the credibility of the outcome of the conference. Although, democracy is a game of number, this has not been respected.

“We find it a great disregard and disrespect  to the conscience of the Muslims that of the 20 delegates of the Federal Government, only six are Muslims. No Muslim is deemed fit to make the list of the Nigerian Economic Summit

“In fact, in the representation of the security agencies, Muslims have been so unimaginably short-changed with only one Muslim out of the  six retired  military and security personnel.”

Moreover, the JNI boss also stressed that the incessant attacks in the north is drifting the region into destruction.

“One needs not to be told that almost the whole north is on fire." he added.

“In the north today, police stations and military barracks,  which are supposed to be the most secure have become the most vulnerable to attacks.”