The President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has said that contrary to the position of the National Security Adviser, General Owoeye Azazi, it was not undemocratic practices in the Peoples Democratic Party that gave rise to Boko Haram.
Jonathan, who spoke on Saturday when he visited the ThisDay newspaper office in Jabi, Abuja, which was bombed by Boko Haram on Thursday, said he was not sure that the media quoted Azazi correctly.
He said that until he reads the script of the statement credited to Azazi at the Second South South Economic Summit, he will take it that the NSA was not quoted correctly.
Jonathan described the PDP as a democratic party, adding that other countries have gone through such a phase as Nigeria is doing now.
He said it is certain Nigeria will overcome.
Jonathan said: “Since the beginning of these terrorists’ attacks, to us as a nation, I have always maintained that position that terror attack on any part of the country is a terror attack on all of us and indeed the whole world.
“Terrorists’ method is to ensure maximum damage that the whole world will begin to look at their direction for relevance.
“You see that this is a media house, not a government establishment.
“Media help to inform all of us about what is happening and of course, the media is now also a victim.
“That is why we all as Nigerians, no matter what we do or where we come from, we must all join hands in fighting this terror.
“I can assure you that we will get over it.
“Other nations have passed through it.
“When I say that, Nigerians begin to misunderstand that we are just sleeping to wait that it will come and go like wind, no.
“We say that countries have faced it.
“US has faced it and other countries too did.
“They went about to conquer it.
“We are working very hard.
“Our security services are working very hard and we will conquer it.”
On whether the government should dialogue with Boko Haram, Jonathan said: “Those who are saying we should dialogue are correct, those who are saying we should not dialogue are also correct.
“When we have a terror situation, you also look at global best practice all over the world.
“Just like war situations, you may dialogue, you may not dialogue depending on the circumstances.
“But we will explore every means possible to bring this to an end.”
On the statements credited to Azazi that the undemocratic practices in the PDP, which has led to a struggle for relevance must have contributed to the Boko Haram menace, the President said: “I read in the newspapers some journalists quoting the National Security Adviser.
“Until I read the script myself and listen to him.
“One thing I do know, like philosophers will say that human beings disagree because people use different words to mean the same thing and use one word to mean different things.
“That is the primary reason for disagreement.
“That is why public officers like us are extremely careful because words are extremely elastic.
“So sometimes, you have something in your mind you want to communicate but the way you communicate it, different people will give different interpretations.
“That is why some human beings who don’t think are quarrelsome.
“When they hear something, they only understand it in one way.
“They don’t give the opportunity to look the other way.
“So until I read it, I don’t believe that the NSA meant that the practices in the PDP are anti-democratic.
“I cannot comment much on what happened in the First Republic, but the Second Republic that I marginally participated, aborted republic, I marginally participated and this Third Republic that I am a key actor, presently as a member of the first 11, I still see that the PDP is one of the most democratic parties.
“So I don’t believe that it is undemocratic practices in the PDP that could give rise to Boko Haram or any other groups.
“So probably, people need to ask NSA to explain what he really meant.
“I have read it from the papers.
“I don’t believe it is undemocratic practices of the PDP that gave rise to this or any other militant groups.”
Responding, the Chairman and Publisher of ThisDay, Nduka Obaigbena, said: “It is an attack on the media and freedom of speech but we will never surrender.”
Obaigbena expressed gratitude to the President for the visit, adding: “The President is the father of the nation and we thank him as we thank leaders all over the country, citizens from around the country, our well wishers who had in their thousands reached out to us at this moment of our tribulation.
“As I said before, what is not worth dying for is not worth living for.
“We will continue to defend freedom of speech in line with the constitution.”
Obaigbena also spoke on the state of the victims of the bomb attack.
He said: “First were the security men that tried to stop the bomber and were thrown away by the impact of the blast.
“Others are those who were working around here.
“As far as we are aware right now, four persons have lost their lives here, nine in hospital, three discharged yesterday, one in intensive care.
“We will do all in our powers to take care of them.”