With the presidential elections of 2015 drawing near, the would-be political players have begun the mapping of strategies against what experts believe will be a horse race. Particularly, since the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan, had begun exhibiting body language indicating he may have interest in contesting for re-election in 2015.
But information received from sources inside Kaduna government house reveal that a caustic feud may be on the offing between the former governor of Kaduna State, Namadi Sambo and the present governor of Kaduna State, Patrick Yakowa. This is as the source disclosed that the vice President, Namadi Sambo appears uneasy over the close relationship enjoyed by the present governor of Kaduna with the President.
“Sambo is afraid of Yakowa’s relationship with President Jonathan” said our source.
The source noted that President Jonathan’s decision to select Namadi Sambo as his vice president was clear, calculative and intentional in order to hoist a Christian governor in Kaduna State. Vice President Namadi Sambo is said to have been aware of the reason behind his selection.
Following Sambo’s selection to the top seat, our source indicates that the President’s relationship with Governor Yakowa grew tighter and has flourished – to the extent that Governor Yakowa’s political clout in the State appears threatening that of the Vice President.
The cozy relationship with the president has afforded the governor a rising political currency. And it negatively concerns the vice president because he believes the governor and the President may be “up to something“.
In turn, the Vice President Sambo opted to checkmate the relationship. Our source reveals that Sambo unleashed an underground campaign against Governor Yakowa alleging that Yakowa was hatching a plan to go up against President Jonathan in 2015 for the presidential seat. But the Yakowa group was quick to deny the allegation in a half page advertorial placed in Daily Trust Newspapers of October 3, 2012.
It is no secret that Vice President Sambo harbors aspirations of becoming the president of Nigeria come 2015. But he suspects that Governor Yakowa maybe clandestinely preparing to join the presidential contest.
Already, the Kaduna political line-up and structure under the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] appears accenting more towards the governor rather than the Vice President – as it restructures for 2015. The Governor is seen as the go to guy owing to his closeness to the President. The Senators and the members of the House of Representatives from Kaduna State are reportedly loyal to the Governor – rather than to the vice president.
Sambo’s fear had already robbed Kaduna its fair share of the national cake. No Kaduna indigene’s name was submitted to receive a national award from the President – owing to the fear on the part of the Vice president.
