Yar’Adua & Jonathan Lacked Vision to Preside over Nigeria and were not Mentally Prepared for Power - Donald Duke

 Donald Duke

Donald Duke,the Former governor of Cross River state has revealed that Ex-President Jonathan told him and former president Olusegun Obasanjo that he was never interested in the position of the Vice president of Nigeria when he was chosen as late President Umaru Yar'Adua's running mate in 2007 general election.


Speaking in the maiden edition of The Interview, a magazine published by Azu Ishiekwene, Duke who unsuccessfully sought the PDP’s presidential ticket in 2007 said both Yar’Adua and Jonathan were not mentally prepared for power and lacked the vision to preside over the affairs of the country.
Duke's Word:

"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.”