The Presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are contending
with a fresh challenge following the renewed interest of Governor Sule
Lamido of Jigawa State in seeking the party’s 2015 presidential
ticket.
The Presidency is particularly upset by the development and is already
pulling all strings to scuttle Lamido’s ambition.
He is the only one so far who seems to be ready to vie for the ticket
with President Goodluck Jonathan after many party faithful had taken
it for granted that it would be only the President all the way.
This development, the recent challenges and the 2015 polls, sources
said yesterday, have forced President Jonathan and his strategists to
now favour reconciliation with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo for
guidance.
The Obasanjo camp is believed to have tabled conditions for
reconciliation which appear difficult for Jonathan to meet.
One of the conditions is the reinstatement of Obasanjo’s loyalists
who have been ‘persecuted’ out of office.
These are former National Secretary of PDP, Prince Olagunsoye
Oyinlola; ex-National Vice-Chairman (South-West), Chief Segun Oni;
former National Auditor of the party, Chief Bode Mustapha; ex-DG of
the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Otunba Olusegun
Runsewe; former DG of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr.
Yomi Bolarinwa; ex-Minister Bolaji Abdullahi (who once worked in
Otta), and a former Minister of Education, Ruqayyat Rufai, who was
removed because of her loyalty to Obasanjo’s political son, Governor
Sule Lamido of Jigawa State.
Other conditions are the return of PDP structure in Southwest to
Obasanjo and addressing the issues raised by the ex-President to
Jonathan.
Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the Presidential
Villa had been uncomfortable with the state of affairs and Obasanjo’s
‘siddon look’ attitude since he wrote a ‘toxic’ letter to the
President.
It was gathered that the absence of Obasanjo at the World Economic
Forum for Africa and the involvement of his wife in #Bring Back Our
Girls protest in Abeokuta during the week have caused more upset for
the presidency.
In spite of global outcry, the government was said to be disturbed
that Obasanjo has not commented on the Boko Haram menace as he used
to do in the past.
The ex-President’s body language was assumed to be the abandonment of
the President to his fate with political consequences in 2015.
The Presidency is also jittery with the way Obasanjo’s loyalists have
been romancing with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the
South-West.
Only last week, Oni and his supporters in Ekiti defected to the APC.
A reliable source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent,
said: “There is really disquiet in the Villa on ex-President
Obasanjo’s bitterness and how to address it.
“Although some eminent Nigerians have intervened, Obasanjo has not
given fresh advice to the Presidency on how to move the nation forward
and address insurgency in the country.
“There is suspicion that Obasanjo might be up to a joker in 2015. This
is why everyone believes Jonathan and his strategists still need to
make peace with the ex-President.
“The ongoing plans by Governor Sule Lamido for the presidential
primaries of PDP is being seen as Obasanjo’s Plan B.”
Another source said: “Some forces in the presidency favour genuine
reconciliation with Obasanjo ahead of Jonathan’s declaration of intent
for second term.
“These forces believe that Obasanjo is still a beacon for Jonathan’s
administration. There is no way his input won’t be useful to the
nation.
“They also think that the increasing opposition internally and
externally against the Federal Government could be reduced if the
government makes up with Obasanjo who is globally respected.”
The National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu has met with
Obasanjo while more respected party leaders are also expected to l
meet him soon.”
But a source in Obasanjo’s camp said: “Baba is embittered about how
some of his loyalists were hounded out of office. The sack of
Oyinlola, Oni and Mustapha without deferring to him and in defiance of
court order have made Obasanjo unhappy. He is demanding the
reinstatement of most of these loyalists and associates for peace to
reign.”
Meanwhile, there is palpable tension within the PDP over the inability
of its leadership to fully reconcile President Jonathan and the
Jigawa governor.
Sources say the Jigawa governor’s men are currently reaching out to
party chieftains to consult them on Lamido’s renewed presidential
ambition. The Nation also learnt that the Governor himself has
informed some top party topnotch of his resolve to vie for the
presidential ticket of the PDP during the next general election.
