by Kolapo Olapoju

Following the Presidency’s rebuttal to the opposition party’s call for President Jonathan’s resignation, where it said no leader in history had ever resigned during war time, the All Progressives Congress has now given such an instance, citing Britain’s Neville Chamberlain as an example.

According to the APC, the presidency needs “a refresher course in history if it is not aware that a leader has had cause to resign in the course of a war being fought by his country in order to change the course of the war.”

The opposition party released a statement to this effect on Friday, 7 November, in Abuja, through its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The party enlightened the presidency that Neville Chamberlain resigned as British Prime Minister on 10 May 1940 after Adolf Hitler forced the allies to retreat from Norway.

The statement read, ”According to available information, Chamberlain led Britain through the first eight months of World War II but had to resign after the Allies were forced to retreat from Norway, because of his belief that a government supported by all parties was essential for the unity needed to defeat Adolf Hitler. The resignation paved the way for Winston Churchill who later became the hero of the War.”

”The call by one of our leaders is about taking responsibility. President Jonathan is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If under his watch Nigerian territories are being annexed progressively by insurgents, and all that he has demonstrated so far is sheer cluelessness and incompetence, it is time for him to take responsibility and quit in the national interest, to pave the way for a leader who can lead the country to victory,” the party said.

”The presidency is right to say that when terrorists attacked the US in September 2001, the leaders of the Democratic Party did not demand a resignation of President George Bush but rather they rose in defence of the American nation to support the various measures taken by the President to defeat the Al-Qaeda terrorists.

Furthermore, the APC said President Bush never hobnobbed with the an alleged sponsor of Al-Qaeda, as opposed to President Jonathan, who was pictured with former Governor of Borno, Ali Mordu Sherrif, who has been accused of funding the insurgency.

”What the presidency forgot to say, however, is that Americans would not have rallied behind then President Bush if he had been photographed snuggling with any sponsor of Al-Qaeda as President Jonathan did with one of the alleged sponsors of Boko Haram in Chad. Americans would not have rallied behind Bush if 9-11 had occurred not just once but twice or thrice, because it would have shown that the President is simply incompetent to lead.

”President Jonathan watched helplessly as Boko Haram moved from Sambisa Forest to take over a large chunk of territory in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states and proclaim a Caliphate. President Jonathan watched helplessly as Boko Haram abducted and took away almost 300 girls, holding most of them for over 200 days….still counting. His Administration is even mocking and harassing those who are campaigning for the release of the girls. No people in the world will give such a leader unconditional support.

In conclusion, the party state that President Jonathan could make history by becoming the first leader to resign during war time, even if it has never been recorded before in world history.

”Therefore, even if no leader in history has ever resigned during war (even though we have now proved that is not correct), nothing prevents President Jonathan from becoming the first leader to do so. After all, never in the history of any nation has incompetence and cluelessness been exhibited by any leader, as President Jonathan has done, when the country is at war,” APC said.

Kolapo Olapoju