Nigeria 2015 Polls: Jonathan Will win

By Terhemba Daka

Simon Imobo-Twswam is the national coordinator of the pro-Goodluck Jonathan group, Friends Of Our Nation, Democracy, Equity, Reason & Social Justice, (FOUNDERS) A former newspaper editor, Imobo-Twswam was, at various times, news editor of many national dailies, including Daily Trust and Leadership. Imobo-Twswam, now a pastor, spoke with TERHEMBA DAKA in Abuja on why FOUNDERS, is mobilizing support for President Jonathan's re-election bid in 2015.

Interview

You were in the media and without notice you just quit. Are you missing the industry?
Yes, I was in the media and worked in a number of newspaper houses, but it is not true that I left without notice. Could one totally leave the profession? I believe the newsroom has its own unique appeal; the thrill of news hunting, the excitement of being on top of a story, the exhilaration of a scoop, the creative tension of the deadline hour, the pure pleasure of seeing the news-copy ahead of your reader. This is why people say once a journalist, always a journalist.

What does FOUNDERS stand for? Is it another pro-Goodluck Jonathan outfit as it is being alleged?
We are not a pro-Goodluck Jonathan outfit per se. We have come out to take a stand for our country, Nigeria, our democracy; yes, we have come out to take a stand for reason, responsible politics as well as social justice. So on the surface, we may appear like another pro-Goodluck Jonathan group, but from a deeper look, we are a pro-Nigerian group, and we stand for all that is best for our dear country at this point in time.

As one of our most illustrious patriots, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) once said: "We have no other country than Nigeria. We shall remain here and salvage it together."
We are here and we intend to do just that. It is not what one man or one group can do, standing alone, but we intend to contribute our quota. So to your question, as to what FOUNDERS stands for, we stand for one united, fair, just and progressing Nigeria.

Being quiet in terms of media publicity does not mean we have not been engaging in advocacy. No, we have been working. We have not only been around, It is just that we have been operating in the background, and quietly too. We have even been making TV appearances, doing really very low-key media engagements while bidding our time. But the time is ripe now to come out and declare our stand to the public.

When you claimed you are pro-Nigeria, would it then be logical for your group to campaign for President Goodluck Jonathan?

Yes, it is possible and very logical if you look at it this way. Is President Goodluck Jonathan a Nigerian? Yes, he is. Is there something about his possible candidature or something concerning him that even has to do with national unity, justice, reason, responsible politics, equity and the likes? My categorical answer again is: Yes. And is he doing a good job? The affirmative evidence is there in black and white. So if we believe campaigning for him will enhance our core values, if it will add value to Project-Nigeria, if it will deepen the content of our democracy, if it will consolidate national unity, if it will enable the tree of justice to bloom and flower, and if those flowers of justice will scent the lives of Nigerians irrespective of their location, tribe, religion or zone, we will campaign for him.

And for that matter, we will campaign for any man or woman whose aspiration does not harm Nigeria, her unity or her strategic interests. No one, outside political calculations or mischief value, can deny that the President is doing a great job. That is the truth. So we will campaign for him.  (allafrica)