President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday came under fire from Citizens Arise Movement of Nigeria (CAMON) over his administration’s alleged failure to fight corruption and insensitivity to the plight of the over 200 Chibok schoolgirls held by Boko Haram since April 14.

CAMON scored Jonathan low yesterday during a protest at Eagle Square, Abuja, as the nation marked 54 years of independence from British colonial rule.

Addressing the over 200 protesters, CAMON Coordinator, Otunba Dino Melaye, condemned President Goodluck Jonathan’s Independence Speech. He said that apart from the fact that it was not inspiring, Jonathan’s reluctance to speak on the fate of the 219 Chibok schoolgirls in Boko Haram’s grip was unacceptable.

Melaye noted that the Constitution confers on the President the status of a “father and as such, he should be concern about the plight welfare of the people in line with the section 14 of the Constitution.”

The one-time House of Representatives member also castigated Jonathan for not doing enough to fight corruption. He said: “I want to say that the President speech this morning is not different from the one he has been giving before. It has become a normal tradition. Unfortunately, the President addressed the nation this morning, the 54th birthday of Nigeria, and he did not say anything about the missing Chibok girls. This is calamitous and painful.

“He is not the father of the nation because no father will have missing children, 219 of them, and would carry on as if nothing is amiss. We are here to tell the President he needs to be born again. He needs to respect his oath of office.

“He swore to protect the lives and security of Nigerians on the 29th of May, 2011. He held the Bible and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Section 14 of that Constitution is very clear, that the security and welfare of the people will be the primary objective of government.

“But the President has forgotten the welfare of the Chibok girls; he has forgotten the welfare of missing Nigerians. We are not happy; we are calling on the President to demonstrate capacity.”

Melaye also called on the President to speedily bring an end to insurgency in the country, stressing that there could not be any meaningful development without security of lives and property of the citizenry.

“Insurgency must stop now, killings must stop now, unemployment must stop now, insecurity must stop now, corruption must stop now,” he stated.

•Photo shows CAMON Coordinator, Otunba Dino Melaye.

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