President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday warned those suggesting interim government, saying it is treasonable as such a system of government runs contrary to the nation’s constitution.

The president still reassured Nigerians that elections would hold on March 28 and April 11 as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to the president, it was only the military that could put an interim government in place but that it would not be accepted by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN).

But despite the assurance, Archbishop of Catholic Diocese of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, urged President Jonathan to call his aides and supporters to order in order to prevent them from jeopardising the president’s resolve and declarations that elections will hold on March 28 and April 11, as well as May 29 for the inauguration of a new government.

Jonathan spoke at the opening mass for the plenary Assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, Garki, Abuja, with the theme: Good Families Make Good Nation.

While stressing that the nation comes first as against personal interest, the president also noted that any candidate elected with clear mandate of the people would never canvass for an interim government.

“There is no way Goodluck Jonathan elected by people with clear mandate will now go and head interim Government. The only interim Government anybody can constitute is that of the military government which of course will not be accepted. “ECOWAS, AU, UN won’t accept it. And Nigeria will not be a pariah state. Clearly, the insinuation of interim government to me is treasonable.

“Elections will be conducted as schedule by INEC,” Jonathan assured.

Besides thanking Christians for the prayers for the nation, the president equally stressed that the whole world was against bloody activities of terrorists.

He flayed the unguarded utterances by some individuals, which had been overheating the polity, insisting that the nation would overcome its challenges.

“Look at what happened in Gombe on February 14th, if the elections had been held the casualty figure after that attack in Gombe would have been great.

“It is better for us to conduct elections that will not be contested, elections that are credible, free and fair.

“We believe no criminal element can come and prevent us from conducting our elections.

“I will not do anything because of personal interest that would jeopardise the interest of this nation.

“When I listen to how some of us politicians talk, and the comments in the social media… but God is supreme this nation will survive,” Jonathan said.

Onaiyekan noted that it has become imperative for the nation to do more in promoting family life, pointing out that a good family makes a good nation.

Source – Thisday live