Donald Duke Alleges Neither Yar’Adua Nor Jonathan Wanted to be President of Nigeria

Former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, is alleging that neither former presidents Alhaji Shehu Musa Yar’Adua nor Goodluck Jonathan wanted to be president of Nigeria, and that they were pretty much forced into the position.

Duke is said to have stated this in the maiden edition of a magazine named The Interview, published by former group managing director of Leadership Newspapers, Azubuike Ishiekwene.

According to the report, here is what Duke said:

“You don’t give authority to an unwilling person, particularly in a country like Nigeria. Umaru never wanted to be president. He was dealing with his health issues and wanted to retire and go lecture in a university. He was really offered an appointment at the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria. Jonathan, on the other hand, had just been re-elected to be governor of Bayelsa and when he was picked, he was not so pleased. He said to Obasanjo and me, ‘I don’t want this job.’

“If these two men never aspired to the office but were recruited to take on a responsibility as daunting as the management of Nigeria without mentally preparing for the office and having a grand vision of where they wanted to take Nigeria to, then there is a problem. The mental preparation is absolutely important. The vision can be scripted for you, but if you are not prepared and you have no capable team to help you follow through, it is grossly unfair. It is like converting a passenger on an aircraft to a pilot.”

Read Leadership to find out more about what Duke had to say.