The Presidency, on Tuesday, challenged those who claimed that
President Goodluck Jonathan signed an agreement to spend one term, to produce
the document.
President Goodluck Jonathan signed an agreement to spend one term, to produce
the document.
The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Political
Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, said this on an Africa
Independent Televisionprogramme, Focus
Nigeria, monitored in Abuja.
Affairs, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, said this on an Africa
Independent Televisionprogramme, Focus
Nigeria, monitored in Abuja.
He said that nobody could intimidate the President away from the
2015 presidential race.
2015 presidential race.
The Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, had on Liberty FM, Kaduna, on Saturday claimed that
Jonathan signed an agreement with the Peoples Democratic Party’s governors not
to seek re-election in 2015.
Jonathan signed an agreement with the Peoples Democratic Party’s governors not
to seek re-election in 2015.
Gulak, had in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, said the President did not sign such
an agreement.
an agreement.
Reiterating his earlier statement, the presidential adviser
said, “I’m telling you without any iota of doubt and with all sense of
responsibility that there has never been any agreement or pact signed by the
President that he is going to run for only one term. He has never told me about
it and I have never heard about it. The governors said they have the agreement,
let them bring it. I know as of fact that there is no such agreement.”
He said that Aliyu’s statement was borne out of his ambition in
2015.
2015.
Gulak added, “We are all Nigerians and if you want to pursue
your own ambition, like I have always said, you have the right. You have the
right to pursue your ambition to be the President of Nigeria. But you don’t
have to concoct stories to justify your ambition.
your own ambition, like I have always said, you have the right. You have the
right to pursue your ambition to be the President of Nigeria. But you don’t
have to concoct stories to justify your ambition.
“President Jonathan never signed such a pact, but only gave
Nigerians the general guarantee of one-man, one- vote and that no one has the
political strength to intimidate the President to run away from his
constitutional right of contesting the next elections, should he decide to do
so.”
Nigerians the general guarantee of one-man, one- vote and that no one has the
political strength to intimidate the President to run away from his
constitutional right of contesting the next elections, should he decide to do
so.”
He said he hoped that a forged document indicating that Jonathan
agreed to spend one term would not be produced.
agreed to spend one term would not be produced.
The presidential adviser also dismissed reports that there was a
crisis between Jonathan and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
crisis between Jonathan and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He said that the sack of some Peoples Democratic Party officials
on Friday was not targeted at Obasanjo.
on Friday was not targeted at Obasanjo.
According to him, the party is only abiding by a court judgment.
He said, “Somebody took the party to court challenging the emergence
of our officers from the South-West. Unless and until the judgment is upturned,
it remains valid.
of our officers from the South-West. Unless and until the judgment is upturned,
it remains valid.
“If the PDP fails to abide by the judgment, the same Nigerians
will accuse the party of being lawless.”
will accuse the party of being lawless.”
Meanwhile, investigations on Tuesday showed how the purported
single-term of four years accord the President had with the PDP governors was
reached.
single-term of four years accord the President had with the PDP governors was
reached.
It was learnt that the four-year deal was backed by the
leadership of the party on August 13, 2010 at the meeting of the National
Executive Committee, which was held at the party’s national headquarters in
Abuja.
leadership of the party on August 13, 2010 at the meeting of the National
Executive Committee, which was held at the party’s national headquarters in
Abuja.
The PUNCH learnt
that the decision to grant Jonathan one more term then was predicated on the
tension created in the party after the death of former President Umaru
Yar’Adua.
that the decision to grant Jonathan one more term then was predicated on the
tension created in the party after the death of former President Umaru
Yar’Adua.
Governors and some prominent leaders from the north were then
insisting that the north must be allowed to complete its eight-year rule like
Obasanjo did.
insisting that the north must be allowed to complete its eight-year rule like
Obasanjo did.
In granting the President four more years, the party said this
would enable him to complete the joint ticket he had with the late President as
his deputy.
would enable him to complete the joint ticket he had with the late President as
his deputy.
The then National Publicity Secretary of the party, Prof. Rufai
Alkali, who announced the party’s decision after the NEC meeting, however, said
other aspirants would not be disallowed from contesting with the President for
the party’s sole ticket.
Alkali, who announced the party’s decision after the NEC meeting, however, said
other aspirants would not be disallowed from contesting with the President for
the party’s sole ticket.
Alkali had said, “NEC took time to review the origin and essence
of the zoning principle as enshrined in the PDP Constitution. In view of
historical antecedents and contemporary realities and in order to ensure
justice, equity and fairness, NEC unanimously endorsed the retention of the
zoning principle in the PDP Constitution.
of the zoning principle as enshrined in the PDP Constitution. In view of
historical antecedents and contemporary realities and in order to ensure
justice, equity and fairness, NEC unanimously endorsed the retention of the
zoning principle in the PDP Constitution.
“NEC also observed that President Goodluck Jonathan is serving
out the first four year term of the joint ticket with the late President Umaru
Musa Yar’Adua and therefore has the right to contest the remaining four-year
term of their joint ticket in 2011.
out the first four year term of the joint ticket with the late President Umaru
Musa Yar’Adua and therefore has the right to contest the remaining four-year
term of their joint ticket in 2011.
“NEC however resolved that this will not of course exclude any
other Nigerian from any part of the country from contesting the Presidential
primaries for the 2011 general elections.”
other Nigerian from any part of the country from contesting the Presidential
primaries for the 2011 general elections.”
The NEC was persuaded by the former chairman of the party, Dr.
Okwesilieze Nwodo, who canvassed for the understanding of the party to allow
the President run for election.
Okwesilieze Nwodo, who canvassed for the understanding of the party to allow
the President run for election.
The motion for the adoption of the chairman’s speech in which he
marshalled his reason, was moved by the Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji
Ibrahim Shema, and seconded by the former chairman of the party’s Board of
Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih.
marshalled his reason, was moved by the Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji
Ibrahim Shema, and seconded by the former chairman of the party’s Board of
Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih.
Before NEC passed the resolution, a former Governor of old
Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, had also interceded for the
President.
Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, had also interceded for the
President.
The former governor was said to have argued that that he was
enlisted in the army based on zoning.
enlisted in the army based on zoning.
He was also said to have informed his audience that the killing
of General Murtala Muhammed in the 1975 coup led to the emergence of General
Olusegun Obasanjo as the Head of State.
of General Murtala Muhammed in the 1975 coup led to the emergence of General
Olusegun Obasanjo as the Head of State.
This action, he said, led to the promotion of Lt. Col. Shehu
Musa Yar’Adua to the rank of a Major-General, which enabled him to become the
number two citizen.
Musa Yar’Adua to the rank of a Major-General, which enabled him to become the
number two citizen.
This argument was said to have swayed the NEC members who then
agreed that Jonathan should be allowed to contest in 2011.
agreed that Jonathan should be allowed to contest in 2011.
Before the closed-door meeting, Nwodo had argued that since both
the late President and Jonathan came into power with a joint ticket, he said it
was better for the party to allow Jonathan carry on with the ticket in the
absence of Yar’Adua.
the late President and Jonathan came into power with a joint ticket, he said it
was better for the party to allow Jonathan carry on with the ticket in the
absence of Yar’Adua.
He had also cited the case of Adamawa State where the former
Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was picked as the running mate to Obasanjo; he
forfeited his position as the governor-elect to his then running mate, Boni
Haruna.
Vice-President Atiku Abubakar was picked as the running mate to Obasanjo; he
forfeited his position as the governor-elect to his then running mate, Boni
Haruna.
He said that when Haruna completed the tenure of Atiku in 2003,
he also contested the governorship election again in 2007 without the party
complaining.
he also contested the governorship election again in 2007 without the party
complaining.
Nwodo said that despite the numerous court cases by his
traducers, Haruna came out of these cases triumphantly.
traducers, Haruna came out of these cases triumphantly.
However, none of the members of the current NWC was ready to
speak on the matter.
speak on the matter.
Investigations by our correspondents indicated that the members
considered it as too delicate to dabble in, especially when the rumblings in
the party were already causing problem among its members.
considered it as too delicate to dabble in, especially when the rumblings in
the party were already causing problem among its members.
A member of the NWC, who spoke with one of our correspondents on
condition of anonymity, said the President was aware that there was a pact
between him and the party in 2010.
condition of anonymity, said the President was aware that there was a pact
between him and the party in 2010.
“There is no way the President would have kept quiet over
such a sensitive issue if he had no such pact with the governors,” the member
said.
such a sensitive issue if he had no such pact with the governors,” the member
said.
Source: Punch
