Huhuonline.com can confirm that Northern governors under Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform are bent on wrestling power from President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
Our investigation reveals that should PDP insist on fielding Jonathan as it presidential candidate, the governors are prepared to resign their membership of the PDP and form alliances with other political parties or engage in anti-party activities. Considering that governors control the party structure in most states, Jonathan’s chances for 2015 are very slim without their support.
None of the seven governors who have indicated interest in 2015 presidential race are willing to concede; and all of them are of the ruling PDP to which the president belongs. All of them are also in their second term in office.
Specifically, incumbent governors who want the top job are Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State and Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State.
Also former governors Ahmed Makarfi and Ibrahim Shekarau of Kaduna and Kano States respectively are also said to have indicated interest in becoming president in 2015.
Former President Obasanjo is alleged to be championing the return of power to the North, and has thrown his weight behind Governor Sule Lamido, with Gov. Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate. The once cozy relationship between President Joanthan and Gov. Rotimi Ameachi has since evaporated.
Huhuonline.com learnt that Amaechi’s grouse with the president is a fallout of the alleged plan of federal authorities to cede about 45 oil wells in the Kalabari area of Rivers State to Bayelsa, the president’s home state.
In spite of the president’s guarantees that he was not using his executive powers to favour Bayelsa State in the oil well hullabaloo, Amaechi, has contrary feelings.
Speaking at a town hall meeting held in Port Harcourt, Amaechi said that the reason some “powers that be” have decided to deny Rivers State of the oil wells boils down to the politics playing out ahead of the 2015 elections. He allegedly accused President Jonathan of attempting to clip his wings so as to stop him from supporting an opponent in the 2015 presidential election.
Jonathan re-election is poised to be dicey, as there are palpable indications that he will not enjoy the overwhelming support of governors from the south-south governors like he did in 2011.
Aside from Amaechi, another south-south governor who is no longer queuing behind the president is Liyel Imoke.
Senator Imoke is an Obasanjo lackey whose resentment stems from Jonathan’s alleged apathy to the plight of Cross River State after it lost 87 oil wells to Akwa Ibom State. Jonathan, in his last media chat, had said he would wait till 2014 before declaring his intention. But, Huhuonline.com can confirm that the president will seek re-election in 2015.
To which end, President Goodluck Jonathan has set up an alternative campaign structure in the south-west, to actualize his 2015 re-election bid, should Obasanjo make good his promise to turn his back against his re-election .
However, the blind ambition and ill feeling among the governors from the North seems to pose a problem for Northern leaders, who have resolved that power must return to the North in 2015. Within the last 24 months, leaders of the North have met several times; and on each occasion their resolve was “replacing President Jonathan with a northerner in 2015.”
Dr. Junaid Mohammed, Convener of the Coalition of Northern Leaders, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, confirmed that the North’s plan to present one candidate for 2015 has thus far been frustrated by the individual ambitions of the Northern governors.
“As far as I know, we have not got to the point of zeroing in on a candidate, a political party or even a strategy. From the look of things, it is not likely to happen soon.
“This is because the last time we tried to get a consensus candidate for the North, it was the northern governors who scuttled the plan. About seven northern governors who have ambition to become president have been busy scuttling one another’s ambition. So, the North has not picked a candidate, and in my opinion, it will not happen soon.”
Mohammed also said the issue of a consensus candidate, among other things, was discussed at the two-day conference of northern leaders, which held last Wednesday and Thursday.
The conference, with the theme, The North and strategies for sustainable development, was organised by the Ahmadu Bello University’s Arewa House Centre for Historical Documentation and Research. Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who was represented by Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Aliko Mohammed, said the North must come together to forge a common front for the region to enjoy political progress and development.
Apparently referring to the rancour among the governors, Mohammed said, “Unless we come together in the North, we will continue to have problems. I met with the Senate caucus in the North and I asked them to reconsider the introduction of an electoral college in electing the president.”
