With the recent injection of the sacked Federal Sports Minister into the ongoing tussle for the gubernatorial ticket for the Sokoto Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] against the upcoming gubernatorial election, the already complex electoral tussle found a new level of complexity. This is as 247ureports.com has gathered that the President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has turned his attention to the Sokoto State gubernatorial tussle with the intention of denying the incumbent governor chance at winning the PDP gubernatorial ticket.
As gathered, President Jonathan had been less than happy with the activities of the Sokoto State governor stemming from his anti-party practices that saw to halt the emergence of the then Acting President Jonathan into a presidential candidate under the PDP banner. Particularly, Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko was reported to have openly supported President Jonathan’s political opponent [Abubakar Atiku] during the presidential PDP primaries. The governor was also reported to have actively worked against the PDP during the general presidential elections. Through the Governor’s help, the Congress for Peoples Change [CPC] won the State. Sources indicate that the Governor provided significant financial assistance to the CPC in the State.
One of President Jonathan’s close associates who briefed 247ureports.com concerning the President’s mindset on the Sokoto tussle indicated that the Sokoto State governor has shown that he is not a PDP member – and so should not be allowed to be given another chance to misuse the party platform. The Presidential aide noted also that the Presidency has received reports from major PDP stalwarts of the governor’s activities in Zamfara and Kebbi States.
In Kebbi State, the governor was reported to have worked actively against the PDP in favour of the CPC. The Governor was alleged to have contributed financially to the CPC. In Zamfara State, the governor was also alleged to have contributed majorly to the surprising PDP loss to the All Nigeria Peoples Party [ANPP] during the April 2011 gubernatorial election. And the Governor’s disposition is alleged to be of CPC rather than PDP.
But the Governor’s aides in talking to 247ureports.com denied that the Governor had involved himself in anti-party activities nor had the President turned away from supporting him for the PDP primaries. The aide indicated that the President had assured the governor of his support over the telephone last week.
Informed social commentators in Abuja who are close to the activities in Sokoto discount the governor’s claim as untrue – stating that the Presidency has concluded its plans on the Sokoto situation. They indicate that the national PDP leadership has reached a decision to punish the Sokoto governor for his anti-party activities. “They want to set example of him“, said one of the commentators.
It is feared and/or expected for the presidency to repeat the Bayelsa-type PDP primaries – that may linger to become a process to be decided in the law courts. Stay tuned.
