Tasks former President on
Jonathan’s one-term agreement with Govs
Jonathan’s one-term agreement with Govs
The focus shifted
to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday, as debate continues on
whether or not President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 had an agreement with
Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to run
for just one term.
to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday, as debate continues on
whether or not President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 had an agreement with
Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to run
for just one term.
Political
associates of the former President from the North have challenged him to speak
up on the rumoured second term ambition of Jonathan “before it is too late.”
associates of the former President from the North have challenged him to speak
up on the rumoured second term ambition of Jonathan “before it is too late.”
They
are referring to a speech Obasanjo reportedly made in March 2011 at the grand
finale of the PDP Presidential rally at the Eagles Square, Abuja.
are referring to a speech Obasanjo reportedly made in March 2011 at the grand
finale of the PDP Presidential rally at the Eagles Square, Abuja.
The
former President was quoted to have said: “We are impressed with the report
that Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has already taken a unique and unprecedented
step of declaring that he would only want to be a one-term President.
former President was quoted to have said: “We are impressed with the report
that Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has already taken a unique and unprecedented
step of declaring that he would only want to be a one-term President.
“If
so, whether he knows it or not, that is a sacrifice and it is statesmanly.
Rather than vilify him and pull him down, we as a party should applaud and
commend him and Nigerians should reward and venerate him.
so, whether he knows it or not, that is a sacrifice and it is statesmanly.
Rather than vilify him and pull him down, we as a party should applaud and
commend him and Nigerians should reward and venerate him.
“He
has taken the first good step, let us encourage him to take more good steps to
achieve what we need to achieve for this country by voting for him in landslide
victory as the first elected President of Nigeria on basis of our common
Nigerian identity and for the purpose of actualising the Nigerian dream.”
has taken the first good step, let us encourage him to take more good steps to
achieve what we need to achieve for this country by voting for him in landslide
victory as the first elected President of Nigeria on basis of our common
Nigerian identity and for the purpose of actualising the Nigerian dream.”
A
close associate of Obasanjo told Daily Independent on Tuesday in Abuja that the best way
out of the current quagmire was for him (Obasanjo) “to behave like a father to
the party, to the nation and speak out before it is too late,” warning that
silence on his part “might signal the end of PDP’s rule in 2015.”
close associate of Obasanjo told Daily Independent on Tuesday in Abuja that the best way
out of the current quagmire was for him (Obasanjo) “to behave like a father to
the party, to the nation and speak out before it is too late,” warning that
silence on his part “might signal the end of PDP’s rule in 2015.”
Obasanjo
was Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) until April 2012 when he
resigned.
was Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) until April 2012 when he
resigned.
Governor
Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State at the weekend disclosed that Jonathan
signed an agreement with PDP Governors ahead of the party’s Presidential
primary election in December 2010 that he (Jonathan) would serve for a term of
four years only if he was elected President.
Muazu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State at the weekend disclosed that Jonathan
signed an agreement with PDP Governors ahead of the party’s Presidential
primary election in December 2010 that he (Jonathan) would serve for a term of
four years only if he was elected President.
The
Governor said the agreement became necessary in view of the agitation from the
North that the region must complete the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s term.
Governor said the agreement became necessary in view of the agitation from the
North that the region must complete the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s term.
The
Presidency, former Senate Minority Whip, Kanti Bello, as well as one of the
leading lights in the pre-2011 agitation for a northern President, Tanko
Yakassai, have all dismissed Aliyu’s claim.
Presidency, former Senate Minority Whip, Kanti Bello, as well as one of the
leading lights in the pre-2011 agitation for a northern President, Tanko
Yakassai, have all dismissed Aliyu’s claim.
However,
a source disclosed that no fewer than 20 Governors of the party, indeed, signed
the agreement with the President in December 2010.
a source disclosed that no fewer than 20 Governors of the party, indeed, signed
the agreement with the President in December 2010.
According
to a report, those who signed the said agreement at a NEC meeting of the PDP in
December 2010 were Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, Aliyu of Niger State, Ibrahim
Shema of Katsina State, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Liyel Imoke of Cross
River State, Mohammed Goje of Gombe State and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State.
to a report, those who signed the said agreement at a NEC meeting of the PDP in
December 2010 were Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, Aliyu of Niger State, Ibrahim
Shema of Katsina State, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Liyel Imoke of Cross
River State, Mohammed Goje of Gombe State and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State.
Others
included Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State, Jonah
Jang of Plateau State, Akwe Doma of Nasarawa State (now out of office), Sani
Danladi (Deputy Governor) of Taraba State, Isa Yuguda of Bauchi, late Patrick
Yakowa of Kaduna State, Shuaibu Usman of Kebbi State, Ibrahim Idris of Kogi
State (now out of office), Aliyu Shinkafi of Zamfara, Gbenga Daniel of Ogun,
Ada Okwuonu (deputy, Imo State) and Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State.
included Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State, Jonah
Jang of Plateau State, Akwe Doma of Nasarawa State (now out of office), Sani
Danladi (Deputy Governor) of Taraba State, Isa Yuguda of Bauchi, late Patrick
Yakowa of Kaduna State, Shuaibu Usman of Kebbi State, Ibrahim Idris of Kogi
State (now out of office), Aliyu Shinkafi of Zamfara, Gbenga Daniel of Ogun,
Ada Okwuonu (deputy, Imo State) and Adebayo Alao-Akala of Oyo State.
Also
listed as present at the said meeting were some NWC members, including the then
PDP National Chairman, Okwesileze Nwodo; Deputy National Chairman, Mohammed
Haliru Bello, who later became Acting Chairman and then Minister of Defence;
and the then National Secretary, Kawu Baraje. Former Chairman of the PDP BoT,
Anthony Anenih, was also at the meeting, according to the report.
listed as present at the said meeting were some NWC members, including the then
PDP National Chairman, Okwesileze Nwodo; Deputy National Chairman, Mohammed
Haliru Bello, who later became Acting Chairman and then Minister of Defence;
and the then National Secretary, Kawu Baraje. Former Chairman of the PDP BoT,
Anthony Anenih, was also at the meeting, according to the report.
But
a former Governor who is now a serving Senator described the report as “the
most embarrassing thing to happen to PDP.”
a former Governor who is now a serving Senator described the report as “the
most embarrassing thing to happen to PDP.”
“If
the report is true, I have not said it is true, then it is the most
embarrassing thing to the PDP because names have been mentioned in the report;
are we saying those whose names were mentioned have all suddenly lost their
honour to either deny or confirm the report?
the report is true, I have not said it is true, then it is the most
embarrassing thing to the PDP because names have been mentioned in the report;
are we saying those whose names were mentioned have all suddenly lost their
honour to either deny or confirm the report?
“For
some of us, whether they deny or not, that is immaterial, what is important to
us and which quite a good number of us from the North have been telling ‘Baba’
(Obasanjo) is to tell the world what he meant by that speech or what prompted
him to make that speech.
some of us, whether they deny or not, that is immaterial, what is important to
us and which quite a good number of us from the North have been telling ‘Baba’
(Obasanjo) is to tell the world what he meant by that speech or what prompted
him to make that speech.
“To
the best of my knowledge, the former President played key roles in mediating
between the President and those who stood against him, especially from the
North; so if there was no commitment of sort, I think the man would not have
made that statement at the rally, everybody was there.
the best of my knowledge, the former President played key roles in mediating
between the President and those who stood against him, especially from the
North; so if there was no commitment of sort, I think the man would not have
made that statement at the rally, everybody was there.
“We
will continue to impress it on Obasanjo to explain to the world because if he
keeps quiet over this, the PDP is at the risk of losing power in 2015; I doubt
he would want to, but we will also not relent at all.”
will continue to impress it on Obasanjo to explain to the world because if he
keeps quiet over this, the PDP is at the risk of losing power in 2015; I doubt
he would want to, but we will also not relent at all.”
The
source, a founding member of the PDP, recalled that he, alongside others from
the North, had “politely confronted” Obasanjo early last year when rumours
about Jonathan’s second term ambition first filtered out.
source, a founding member of the PDP, recalled that he, alongside others from
the North, had “politely confronted” Obasanjo early last year when rumours
about Jonathan’s second term ambition first filtered out.
“Early
last year, a few of us politely confronted the former President and reminded
him of the promise of a single term; I think it was about two weeks after our
encounter that he had a private audience with President Jonathan on the issue
but according to him (Obasanjo), the President neither denied nor confirmed; he
never said anything but brought up other issues for discussion instead.”
last year, a few of us politely confronted the former President and reminded
him of the promise of a single term; I think it was about two weeks after our
encounter that he had a private audience with President Jonathan on the issue
but according to him (Obasanjo), the President neither denied nor confirmed; he
never said anything but brought up other issues for discussion instead.”
The
source disclosed that it was a week after Obasanjo’s private audience with the
Jonathan on his rumoured second term ambition that he resigned as chairman of
the BoT of PDP.
source disclosed that it was a week after Obasanjo’s private audience with the
Jonathan on his rumoured second term ambition that he resigned as chairman of
the BoT of PDP.
Source: Daily Independent
