• Another Northern governor
emerges Jonathan’s favourite
The shape of the battle for the 2015
presidential ticket in the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) seems to be
manifesting by the day.
Some powerful forces in the party are
pushing for a replacement of Vice
President Namadi Sambo as running
mate to President Goodluck Jonathan
on the party’s ticket.
Their choice is a serving Northern
governor, who, in the opinion of those
pushing his case, has more clout in
the region than Sambo.
They regard their candidate as the
ultimate joker the party needs to win
the North.
But a few other leaders are wary of
the backlash of dropping Sambo and
they are weighing the options.
According to findings, a major target
of the Jonathan camp is how to secure
the backing of at least 11 out of the 19
states in the North.
The permutations in the camp of the
President is that he could win
convincingly in 22 states made up of
11 in the North, five in the South-East
and six states in the South-South.
Northern states being targeted are
Plateau, Sokoto, Gombe, Benue, Kogi,
Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa, Kebbi,
Kwara and Jigawa.
Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara,
Yobe, Borno, Nasarawa and Niger are
considered unpredictable.
A party source, who spoke in
confidence, said: “A committee,
comprising some trusted ministers,
select loyal PDP leaders and
strategists of the President have been
working round the clock on how to
secure the second term mandate.
“After the groundwork has reached
an appreciable level, the President
will then make a declaration in 2014.
“But a major challenge is how to win
at least 11 of the 19 states in the
North. The South-East and South-
South are already taken for granted.
Even where there is a bit of
opposition in Rivers State, the
presidency is already tackling
Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
“Some PDP leaders are pushing for
another Northern governor as
running mate to President Jonathan
to secure the North, especially the
politically volatile North-West and
North-East.
“A fair-complexioned governor in the
North-West is being proposed to
replace Vice-President Namadi
Sambo, whose stronghold on the
North is rated as weak. Since Sambo
came on board, the party leaders
believe he had acted more as a
“technocrat” than a politician.
“They are clamouring for a VP who
could play a political role like ex-VP
Atiku Abubakar did for former
President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“As part of the induction of the said
North-West governor into national
politics, some PDP leaders and
governors have recommended him to
succeed Governor Rotimi Amaechi as
the chairman of the Nigeria
Governors Forum in May.
“The recommendation of the governor
is based on his achievements,
antecedents with the Yar’Aduas, and
ability to reach out to Northern emirs
and opinion leaders.”
Asked of the disposition of Jonathan,
the source added: “So far, he is not
disposed to dropping his deputy but if
the party thinks otherwise in 2015, he
might have no choice.
“The President does not want to talk
about 2015 now to avoid distraction.”
Another source added that some
forces in the presidency are
uncomfortable with Sambo’s political
weight.
“I think the signs are there that the
PDP might change its team because
some forces want Sambo out. They
have no particular reason than sheer
politics. They are suspecting his
movement too.
“Recently, Sambo was scheduled for a
trip to Owerri, Imo State. His advance
team had gone to Owerri only for the
VP to be stopped from going. They
said the President asked Sambo to
represent him elsewhere.”
It was also gathered that Jonathan’s
strategists have not lost hope on their
plan to ‘capture’ the South-West in
2015.
It was learnt that they are targeting
Osun and Ekiti States.
Another source said: “Jonathan’s team
is yet to give up on the South-West
although the presidency’s cold war
with Obasanjo and the recent sack of
the National Secretary of PDP have
discouraged most party members in
the geopolitical zone.
“Their targets are Ekiti and Osun
States. The recent development in
PDP has helped to strengthen people’s
faith in the Action Congress of Nigeria
(ACN) in the zone. The performance
of the ACN governors has added much
value too.”
Although Jonathan is banking on
Governor Olusegun Mimiko and the
Labour Party to deliver Ondo State in
the South-West, there are concerns
that the politics of the South-West
does not follow a similar pattern all
the time.
It was gathered that the same forces
which claimed to have secured a
second term ticket for Mimiko, came
out openly to protest against
Jonathan’s administration for
allegedly marginalising the South-
West.

I think it will be unfair for the president to drop Sambo, who has been loyal all this while. I will not support this idea, except there's any evidence of dis-loyalty from Sambo, which I doubt. It is also possible that this report was sponsored by mischief makers to cause divison where there is none

Sincere 9gerian: I think it will be unfair for the president to drop Sambo, who has been loyal all this while. I will not support this idea, except there's any evidence of dis-loyalty from Sambo, which I doubt. It is also possible that this report was sponsored by mischief makers to cause divison where there is none

My thoughts exactly

PDP ARE DOING EVERY THING POSSIBLE TO LOSS 2015 ELECTION

Ko kan aiye mehn! Dumping a bog-standard mediocre and replacing him with any of the run-of-the-mill, stereotyped northern governors shows the politics of mediocrity and desperation in PDP!

On PDP capturing the SW especially Osun and Ekiti states, they've got a snowballs chance in hell!

Desperation is Jonah's new fad

Sincere 9gerian: I think it will be unfair for the president to drop Sambo, who has been loyal all this while. I will not support this idea, except there's any evidence of dis-loyalty from Sambo, which I doubt. It is also possible that this report was sponsored by mischief makers to cause divison where there is none

I think its a good move to me, why? Sambo has little political clout as far as North west and North east is concerned and Jonathan needs a sellable Northern figure

Mods which levels naw? Where the fvck is my coment??

The person they want to replace Sambo with is Shema of katsina, the truth is that they are the same thing apart from Katsina where does shema have any influence,

The governors with cloud in the north west are wammako,Lamido and kwankwaso and I believe all of them will never want to be any VP but the president itself

It was also gathered that Jonathan’s
strategists have not lost hope on their
plan to ‘capture’ the South-West in
2015.
It was learnt that they are targeting
Osun and Ekiti States.

I think Jonathan has forgotten Osun was the only state in the federation he(Jonathan) and his party(PDP) had Zero percent victory and the only state A.CN won all electable position in the last general election. "It is easier for PDP to win Lagos than Osun"- mark my word.

Hahaha!!!

Shema of Katsina??

Are u kidding me??.. PdP r in disarray


APC: it Will be easier than earlier thought

Wao this is 'political strategy' at play! In my own candid opinion, besides the 22 States the PDP are scheming hard to win, I think Jonathan will definitely win in Ondo and Oyo and get sizable votes in Lagos, Ekiti and Ogun States leaving out Osun as the odd one out as far as South-west is concerned! Getting a new VP is a wise move, and I am looking at the Katsina Governor as the new replacement

PDP and their turn by turn leadership rulership. Like, "oya, it's my turn to loot"

What positive moves has Sambo made. Just there like statue looting and sharing from the one billion naira gucci beans and prada rice.

tomakint: Wao this is 'political strategy' at play! In my own candid opinion, besides the 22 States the PDP are scheming hard to win, I think Jonathan will definitely win in Ondo and Oyo and get sizable votes in Lagos, Ekiti and Ogun States leaving out Osun as the odd one out as far as South-west is concerned! Getting a new VP is a wise move, and I am looking at the Katsina Governor as the new replacement

That, the PDP don't know.

And even outside Osun, PDP can't get up to 1/4 in any S/West state(ondo excluded)

Hehehehe! I de laf at Sambo. The guy who in 2011 election said even if Kaduna would burn to ashes, PDP must win the governorship.
I pray they keep canceling one another till PDP becomes a thing of the past.

miiraaj: Hehehehe! I de laf at Sambo. The guy who in 2011 election said even if Kaduna would burn to ashes, PDP must win the governorship.
I pray they keep canceling one another till PDP becomes a thing of the past.

Just my thought they will cancel themselves out at the end simple!

I dey laugh in igbo Jonathan in my own state ekiti for where?I Sue if come to ekiti will we disown him