–
By Umar Akilu Majeri, Dutse
The intrigues surrounding the upcoming presidential tussle within the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] appears on a rebound following the recent dinner organized by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan – were the entire thirty six [36] governors of the federation were in attendance.
Information available to 247ureports.com indicates that the presidential dinner saw the opposition within the ruling party [PDP] come face to face with the President’s men and governors who are openly in support on the president. The seating arrangement led to a drama that threatened to reduce the presidential dinner to a shouting match between the president’s men and the opposition within the PDP. A competent source close to the presidency revealed that the idea behind the dinner was to destabilize the Nigerian Governor’s Forum [NGF] convened by the Chairman, Governor Rotimi Amaechi – the source adds that the Presidency find itself bound in a tight corner where it does not know how to shake off the public embarrassment resulting for the failed NGF election. The source continues that the presidency viewed the outcome of the NGF voting which saw them at the losing end – as a mock exercise against 2015 presidential elections.
For this, the presidency is said to have doubled efforts in ensuring the Amaechi led NGF fails – largely because of its influence over the selection process for the Presidential primaries within the PDP. It is gathered that the Amaechi-led NGF favors an open PDP primaries for all qualified presidential candidates – while the Jang led NGF favors an automatic ticket for President Jonathan for a second term. The divide in the two – has led to the hardening of positions by many of the northern governors who had believed that President Jonathan would keep to his promise to serve for only one term – particularly, the governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu and the governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.
It was in this spirit of defiance that Governor Sule Lamido told his men – immediately following the end of the dinner – that he will contest for the presidential seat. He assured that nobody could stop him from contesting for the seat. He added also that he enjoys a good relationship with the present administration of President Goodluck Jonathan – therefore he has no problem with him
Meanwhile, the chairman of Kazaure local government area of Jigawa state, Honourable Sale Yahya Taki lambasted Governor Jonah David Jang of
Plateau state for still parading himself as the duly elected chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), despite his shameful scores of 16 votes against 19 votes scored by the winner, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state.
Honourable Taki who stated this in an interview with a group of journalists in Dutse said why Jang should think of becoming the chairman of NGF which is a forum for excellence people who had succeeded in carving for themselves good names in various areas of human endeavors.
Adding that, “how can Jang become the chairman, somebody who scored 16 votes against Amaechi who got about 19 votes in a free and fair election conducted openly before all Nigerians, I cannot be imaging Jang who people though is also a product of democracy can lay claim to a lost victory. A Governor who cannot control crises in his state, he could not govern fairly as a leader”.
The chairman further described President Goodluck Jonathan as “a state man per excellence, he is one who is ready to call a spade a spade at any time, that is why we all believe that he is going to support the candidature of Governor Sule Lamido in 2015, because our Governor deserves it, he has the experienced, he has the charisma for leadership, come and see developmental projects spread across Jigawa state”.
According to him, “the point is clear, the elders of this country had endorsed Governor Sule Lamido for the job of president, the former Military president Ibrahim Babangida and former president Olusegun Obasanjo, so what do we need again, he has been accepted nationwide because of the his stand for democracy”.
“Remember, Lamido is the only political prisoner that is still alive today, he went to prison in order to restore democracy during the former Military ruler, General Sani Abacha, Lamido was among those who endorsed and challenged the Head of States directly and asked him to vacate the seat of power and to restore democracy”, he concluded.
