President Goodluck Jonathan has warned that anybody insinuating that he planned to put in place an Interim National Government instead of handing over to a democratically elected President on May 29 could be tried for treason.
He recalled that the only ING the nation witnessed was imposed by the military stressing that such would not be acceptable to the Nigeria again.
The President said this during the opening mass for the plenary assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria which held at the Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, Garki, Abuja.
Jonathan again assured all stakeholders that elections would hold on the rescheduled dates and the winners would be inaugurated on May 29.
“There is no way Goodluck Jonathan, elected by the people with clear mandate, will now go and head interim government.
“The only interim government anybody can constitute is that of the military government which of course will not be accepted.
“ECOWAS, AU, UN won’t accept it. And Nigeria will not be a pariah state.
“Clearly the insinuation of interim government, to me, is treasonable”, the President said.
Jonathan described the recent poll shift as a blessing in disguise.
He said there would have been a monumental loss during a recent attack on Gombe State on the same day earlier fixed for the presidential election.
“Look at what happened in Gombe on February 14th, if the elections had been held, the casualty figure after that attack in Gombe would have been great.
“It is better for us to conduct elections that will not be contested, elections that are credible, free and fair.
“We believe no criminal element can come and prevent us from conducting our elections.
“I will not do anything because of personal interest that would jeopardise the interest of this nation.
“When I listen to how some of us politicians talk… but God is supreme this nation will survive,” the President added.
