2015: PRO-JONATHAN GROUPS COMMENCE STRATEGIES

PRESIDENT
Goodluck Jonathan 2015 support groups have commenced moves aimed at ensuring
that full campaigns hit the grounds for the president once he eventually
declares, in 2014, to contest for a second tenure in office.

The groups include mostly support organisations
for the president in 2011.

They are said to be currently working in
alliance, reaching out to member associations and securing their understanding
to commence early preparations for the campaigns.

Their move is coming despite the belief
that the president would not want the politicking to have started earlier than
2014 which he made public.

Sunday Tribune gathered that the groups
have already started reaching out to each other to share information and
compare notes on how to kick-start and push through a successful campaign.

It was gathered that the groups, as part of
their blueprint, are studying the 2011 strategies and are looking beyond the
successes.

They intend to introduce dynamic campaign
slogans, jingles and talk-shows and are reaching out to consultants and other
think-tanks, including those who have the ears of the president.

The role of the close associates of
President Jonathan in the entire game is to get convincing update on the
rumoured president’s ambition as well as when he will likely announce his
interest.

It was gathered that the office of the
special adviser to the president on political matters, Alhaji Ali Gulak, is
covertly coordinating the moves.

He is said to also be encouraging more
groups to come on board and has been holding meetings with the leaderships of
such groups.

According to a source, the aide, who is
totally committed to having the president re-elected despite the ‘opposition
from his fellow Northerners, has vowed to do all within his powers to give a
good account of his office and deliver victory to the president who is expected
to have no difficulty clinching his party’s ticket.

“Oga is not looking back. You know that his
office goes beyond advising Mr President politically which also includes
mobilising political goodwill for the president. I can assure you that oga will
do everything to show his boss this loyalty at this time,” the source said.

Groups numbering about six stormed his
office last Thursday with a common message which centered on the need for the president
to offer himself for the 2015 election so as to complete the programmes which
he started.

The groups included the National Caucus of
PDP Youth Professionals, Amalgamation of Nigeria for Goodluck Leadership, Abia
Solidarity Forum, Ibom Royal Forum and Arewa Journalists Forum.

Leaders of the organisations who spoke in
turns commended the efforts of the president to transform the country. They
noted the completion of railway projects in the country, efforts to improve the
power sector, strides in road sector development as well as developmental
plans.

“We will ask President Jonathan to offer
himself for the office if he doesn’t want to,” said one of them.

Responding, Alhaji Gulak commended the
groups for joining hands to make the government work.

He told them that vying for the presidency
in 2015 remains the right of eligible Nigerians, including President Jonathan
and argued that anybody who is sincere will agree that Jonathan was positioned
by God to take the country to greater heights.

“Insecurity is a challenge that a nation
must pass through in its developmental history. It will come to pass. Change is
difficult and the change that Jonathan is bringing will be resisted by very
few. Those that are parasites and have been benefiting from the system will
resist the change. Let me put the records straight, President Jonathan has not
come out to say he will contest. He has said he will make it public whether he
is going to contest or not in 2014. We must all rise up to say enough is enough
to all these detractors,” he said.