Naij.com Readers About Patience Jonathan's Statements
Popularity of Nigeria's First Lady, Patience Jonathan, stretches far beyond her being the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Dame Patience is always by the side of her spouse. She is always supportive, agitating Nigerians, and women of the country in particular, to believe in GEJ.
Still, it seems that the First Lady, who can be characterized as quite an emotional person, is sometimes crossing the line of what is taken as acceptable in politics (and society).
Just over a short period, marked by general elections postponement by 6 weeks, Mrs. Jonathan has dropped several statements that have been tagged as seriously controversial.
The claims were mainly against the All Progressives Congress (APC). See how Legit.ng readers reacted to the controversial phrases.
1. We are not bus conductors to ask for change
Here the First Lady, referred to as "Mama Peace" by her admirers, mocks the "change" slogan dominating the APC campaign.
"The PDP is a party that talks less and does more, unlike the APC that tells new lies every week. When you catch them today, they will tell another lie tomorrow. We (PDP) do not tell you about change because we are not bus conductors that ask for change."
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Abssy Audu noted that Buhari is much more attentive to people than Jonathan:
"Madam unlike other elections which corrupt people & looters endorsing the incumbent for the first time in Nigerian history those Bus conductors you look down opon will vote & there vote will surely count bcs the man who grow up wit shoes but care for the shoeless people including conductors, wheelbarrow pushers, orphan, & the voicelless will speak thru there votes & your once shoeless husband who abandons them as conductors for 6yrs will Know that Change is the only constant thing in life."
Anthony Akor Tommy blasted the First Lady's over illiteracy:
"Dat's her level of understanding, it's not her fault, her husband knws dat too. What a disgrace to our great country! Madam jona illiteracy is the heaviest and d worst thing on earth, dat's d exact portion she shared."
Kenechukwu I. Owo reinstated support for the Jonathans by simply saying:
"Hahahaha! Tell them more Mama Peace. Goodluck Nigeria #VoteGEJ"
So, the commentators mainly criticized Mrs. Jonathan over the incorrect use of English and over her neglect to the ordinary Nigerians ("bus conductors").
2. Stone those who have different point of view
And it is again about the "change". Speaking March 2 in Calabar, during the PDP rally, she said:
"Anybody that come and tell you change, stone that person. Anybody that come and tell you he will change, stone that person."
READ ALSO: Funny And Embarrassing Quotes By Nigerian Politicians
This caused serious outrage as the phrase that can potentially generate violence. People fired threats saying that Dame Patience and Goodluck Jonathan would be the first candidates for stoning.
Oginni Timothy Olaniran was not surprised to hear that at all:
"Madam Patience is only portraying her background traits. Lord have mercy."
Lukman Abiola Lawal laughed at the "Madam Peace" name used for Mrs Jonathan by the supporters:
"So who gave her mama peace? Nothing is peaceful in her, the other time Ameachi accused her of ordering killing, what happen to the 11 women that visited her. She should rather be called madam trouble."
Bashir Garba also recalled the peace agreement signed ahead of this year's elections:
"Now, we can see who is ruling this country, her husband signed a peace accord organised by eminent Nigerians in the presence of the international community. the violator of the accord sleep under the same roof with our so call president. If jonathan is the person ruling this country. and cannot rule his home very well, then there is fire on the mountain."
But some shared a different point of view on the situation and defended the First Lady:
Simon Okube Ekwy accused the journalists of reporting the information in a wrong manner:
"She said it, it must have been a joke, not to be taken literarily....her tone in dt speech was not aggressive at all. Stop spreading mischief. Jonathan has worked, and he's still working, so we'll return him. Our destiny as a nation, is more important than mischievous journalism. Up GEJ!!!"
3. PDP has come to stay for a long time
During the Sokoto rally Mrs Jonathan, represented by the Minister of Women Affairs, Zainab Maina, declared that her husband's party would rule the country for the next 60 years.
Daniel David considered the statement arrogant:
"You don't talk about the future with such authority until you have power over it, the last time I checked, only the Almighty can make such statements and He has not said anything in that regard."
Chukwudi Patrik This woman is making me dislike PDP, she said PDP wil rule nigeria for 60yrs, They have ruled for 16yrs & nothing to show for it! If not that APC brought a controversial man without certificate i could have picked them but Apc brought the wrong man!
Ooyay Tanny expressed support to Jonathan saying that he would rule at least till 2019:
"Buhari is in london with sick Brain and sick body and you people are here shouting Sai sai. MUMUMU people you better pray for him so that he will live to see GEJ VICTORY in this coming election. GEJ is the man who GOD ordained to be Nigeria president till 2019. Stop wasting your time here shouting Sai sai."
Mrs Jonathan said that the APC candidate was too old to rule Nigeria.
"Wetin him dey find again? Him dey drag with him pikin mate. Old man wey no get brain, him brain don die pata pata."
The most popular Facebook comment was dropped by Shantaram Hegdekatte:
"I am indian living in this country for last twenty years. I have never seen a First Lady this arrogant and. This low level speech. A bit of dignity and graciousness befitting her high office is too much to expect ?"
Ebong Etim gently explained that such behaviour in unacceptable for the woman of her position:
"The First Lady is not showing a good example we expected from her, for publicly abusing another woman husband (Buhari), in the name of politic show be discouraged, She would not be happy if Buhari's wife should give GEJ unprintable names. Most of her utterances has not been helpful to the course of PDP and GEJ...unfortunately nobody is telling her the truth."
King Edwin Obasi urged people to stop insulting Dame Patience and attacked the APC:
"All of u commentators should shut up. Gej is far far better than buhari. Ride on my first lady. APC bunch of thieves n criminals."
Despite controversies surrounding her for years, Patience Jonathan seems not to be taking the insults personally. The First Lady continues taking active part in pro-Jonathan campaign across the country.
Anyway, March 28 Nigeria will decide whether this campaign was successful.
Source: Legit.ng
