Jonathan Slams Nigerian Economists For Criticizing His Policies, Says They Don’t Know Better Than CNN, IMF

GEJPresident Goodluck Jonathan on Monday faulted Nigerian economists for criticizing the economic policies of his administration.

The president’s rebuke of Nigerian economists’ criticism of his policies came on the heels of a report by CNNMoney that Nigeria is the 3rd fastest growing economy in the world in 2015.

He also spoke amid raging debate over the publication of an article on Monday by former CBN Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, who tore to shreds, the present administration’s claim of excellent performance in critical sectors of the economy.

The president, who came down hard on Nigerian economists, challenged them to come out with incontrovertible facts and figures to dispute that the country’s economy is not the largest in Africa.

President Jonathan spoke at a presidential campaign rally held in Ilorin, Kwara State.

He said: “The economy you all know has become the largest in Africa after the rebasing, it was not by chance, we work with the private sector. Few days ago, the Cable News Network (CNN) announced that Nigeria has joined other nations where the economy will blossom.

“If the CNN can say that, so who is the economist in Nigeria that faulted what the world has seen about Nigeria? Who is the economist that can tell me that he is superior to the World Bank or the economists in the World Bank?

“Who is the economist in Nigeria that can tell me he is superior to the economist in the IMF? Who is the economist in Nigeria that can tell me that is sharper or better focus than the CNN? “People should stop deceiving Nigerians. We are working hard to move this country forward and we will work with the people of Kwara State to move the state forward”.

He added that his government is such that adheres to the rule of law.

The President said: “We don’t want to run a government by intimidation. I signed the FoI Bill, and promised that every Nigerian will be free. I want every Nigerian to be free, we don’t want to intimidate anybody, we want you to have the ability to express yourself without any fear of intimidation.

“We don’t encourage our leaders to intimidate the followers, where people will be living as if they are in the zoo and the lions and leopard are moving freely and all the other animals have to go into hiding, no. That is not a government, Nigeria is not a zoological garden, Nigeria is not a forest.

“Nigeria is a country governed by laws and conventions, a country where citizens must be free and where every citizen must be able to grow to the level that he so desires”.

8 COMMENTS

  1. When it suits The President he uses reports of CNN so prop up his statements that Africa is the 3rd richest country but when CNN came to town a couple of weeks to see for themselves what was happening the Head of the Army published a letter making out they were all idiots. They supposedly talked to people who were frauds and not in the army and all their facts were wrong. Talk about using media when it is favourable and denying the truth when it suits them. The President also stated he signed the FOI document and people have nothing to fear by commenting and they can live their life. How can they do that when they have no money, no jobs, no health care, and their children have been kidnapped in places. If you can bring them back when you win the election you can bring them back now. It is well known that many peopleido not vote for the PDP
    in this part of the state so nobody in government cares about them or their families. How sad!!

    • shut up Catherine……..and stop critizing wat u knw nothing about….was Nigeria any better before Jonathan got into power???? u think u can do any better if ur in his shoes or do u think bokoharm is nigerian problem jst wait until apc take over then the major problem will arise……u better use ur head.mtchewww

  2. Shut up Linda, Nigeria got worse during his administration, insecurity, poverty, fuel hike, corruption. He can not man up and be a president, he wasn’t to be everybody’s friend. I dnt like APC but they will sure do better

  3. Our president is at it again, speaking without thinking! How dare he cast down our economists just to prove a point? why can’t he just talk about the CNN publication without necessarily calling our professionals “fools”. Though the western media project facts as they see it but that is not to say that whatever they say is sacrosanct and cannot be disputed. Our President needs to learn the art of public speaking. No other Presidents in the world would speak the way ours does. He had and is still making public gaffes all the time. Anytime I hear the President talking in public fora, his speeches and body language comes out flat. Even if he had good intentions, he always bungled it by his presentation.