Jonathan says some advisers are insincere

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said most of those who claim to be advisers and admirers of government is insincere. The president was speaking at the burial of the nine prominent women political leaders, who died in an auto crash on East-West Road near Ahoada-Mbiama Road in Rivers State on their way to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, after a meeting with the first lady, Patience Jonathan, a day earlier.

Responding to comments by the host governor, Seriake Dickson, that some people had questioned his rationale for approving a state burial for the victims, instead of allowing them to be buried individually, the president cautioned the governor to watch out for those who claim to be his advisers and admirers.

Drawing from his own experience as a politician, Jonathan declared that 80 per cent of those who claim to be his advisers had nothing to say or advice about. According to him, “I am surprised when the governor said some people asked why state burial would be organised for the victims and I told the governor that more than 80 per cent of people who come to advise him have nothing to say but just listen to them. From my experience as a deputy governor till today, more than 80 per cent (of advisers) have nothing to say, but you listen to everybody and do what you think is right for our people.

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“Because in every nation, when so many people die at a time it is taken as a national calamity, not to talk about a state.” Jonathan described the day of the accident as a black day which, according to him, has coloured the landscape of Bayelsa with the worst colour. “We are here today because of the sad event of February 14. Of course, we lost eight of our best. To me, it is not just that people have died, not just that Bayelsans have died. But these are people I know too well. These nine caskets contain the remains of people who were dear to me, people that touched me in one way or the other.

“Whenever I remember February 14…a Valentine day, but a black day that coloured the landscape of Bayelsa State with the worst colour we could ever imagine. When my ADC gave me the information and my PA showed me the flaming bus on a handset, I asked myself could these people be in this flame? And I asked God why? “When I saw that flame and imagined that these women were being burnt and roasted, I just couldn’t imagine. Till today, it gives me migraine. I lack words to console the direct family members.”