By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

Northern elders have pointedly said President Goodluck Jonathan will not be re-elected in 2015.

They, therefore, said a segment of the Niger Delta people, particularly erstwhile militant leader, Alhaji Asari Dokubo, who said there would be war in Nigeria if their kinsman, Jonathan, is not re-elected, may start their action now.

According to them, the Jonathan sympathisers do not need to wait until their kinsman is defeated in 2015 to act.
The northern elders, under the aegis of Northern Elders Forum (NEF), hinged their opposition to the president’s re-election on non-performance. They added that Jonathan was not entitled to the office of president in the first place.

Prof. Ango Abdullahi, their spokesman, conveyed their position in an interview with Sunday Vanguard.

Abdullahi, a former Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, pointed out that the North was dissatisfied with Jonathan’s presidency.

“We in the North are not going to support Jonathan in 2015 because he has done nothing for this country since he became president,” the NEF spokesperson declared.



*Ango Abdullahi
“In fact, things in this country are worse than they have ever been. So far, in terms of the performance of this president, I don’t see how he can stand and win an election if you judge him in terms of the social, economic and political indices in the Nigerian environment where we are now. Things have gone from bad to worse since his coming.

“In the first place, he should not be sitting as the president of Nigeria going by the zoning formula of his party, the PDP. The president should have come from the North based on the zoning policy of the PDP.

“Under the PDP zoning policy, the North allowed the South to produce the president for eight years, which Obasanjo took and, by their own signature, including Jonathan himself, when he was the Deputy Governor, on behalf of his governor, that the North will then run for eight years and we agreed. Umaru Yar’Ádua started by died after two and a half years.”

Abdullahi continued: “Of course, the constitution allows that his vice should serve out the remaining term of the joint ticket and we did not complain. Commonsense should have dictated to Jonathan that he should be honourable enough to respect the zoning agreement which he was a party to.

“He should have been gentlemanly enough to say to his party, ‘look, I’m not qualified to put up myself for election beyond 2011 and that a northerner should run for the post as agreed. He did not do so, but came out to say that he did not know about the zoning.
“So, how do you deal with this kind of a person who cannot honour a simple gentleman agreement? So, from all these perspectives, I don’t see how one can support the president or his ability to be able to lead this country.”

On the threat by ex-militant leaders to cause violence if Jonathan was not returned in 2015, the NEF spokesperson challenged them to start the war now and stop waiting until their kinsman was voted out.

The renowned agriculturist made it clear that the North was not afraid of the threat as no tribe, group of groups of individual had the monopoly of causing mayhem.
Abdullahi said, “The choice to resort to violence or not is that of the militants. The choice for peace or no peace is that of all Nigerians. No individual or group of individuals has monopoly for peace or lack of it.

“My reaction is that but for the fact that I am aware that (Alhaji) Dokubo (ex-N-Delta militant leader) is a spokesperson for the corridors of powers, I would have ignored him. But my reaction now is directed to their leaders, elders, including the president, that if it is their feeling that this is the way things should go, I am saying, on behalf of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, that they should start the crisis now because I’m putting them on notice that Jonathan will not be president in 2015. So they can start now and we in the North are waiting.”

The NEF spokesperson boasted that the North was capable of presenting a common candidate, who would be able to defeat Jonathan in a free and fair election in 2015.

He said, “Look, what I want to see is democracy in practice so that as many candidates who want to contest the next presidential election, including Jonathan himself, can do so freely, without being witch-hunted or harassed by anyone.

“In fact, I would prefer that Jonathan should contest and I can assure you that he would lose. And as far as the North is concerned, there are many credible and qualified candidates and, once a free and fair election is guaranteed, the people would choose who they want to be their president come 2015.”

Former militant leader, Asari Dokubo, last week, warned of dire consequences if Jonathan was not re-elected in 2015.

Although the House of Representatives has raised a panel to investigate him for making provocative statement, Dokubo and other Niger Delta groups have dared the lawmakers to arrest him.
Source

It has begun

Damn!!!!!!!!!!

2015 is so gonna be bloody!!!





People.....People.....People..... Please!!! stop voting in P.D.P....They have too much power over this country and are so sure anyone chosen by their party is gonna win!
They don't care about Nigerians

Seems like 2015 is Ijaw vs Hausa-Fulani, while it's supposed to be Nigerian vs Nigerian

We Yorubas are watching.....

Texas.Cowgirl:
Seems like 2015 is Ijaw vs Hausa-Fulani, while it's supposed to be Nigerian vs Nigerian

We Yorubas are watching.....

Same here with Igbos. We have fought our own decades ago and so on that basis, I sa "good morning" to Niger Delta. Hope Adaka Boro is happy wherever he is.

alexchiny:

Same here with Igbos. We have fought our own decades ago and so on that basis, I sa "good morning" to Niger Delta. Hope Adaka Boro is happy wherever he is.

They've started crawling out of their holes... smh

As for the clownish professor, why don't the sheepish Nigerian populace tell him and the PDP to take their arrangement and stuff it up their rear end... We don't need these fo0ls to make deals on who leads as if elections count for nothing.

JONATHAN i hope you will be able to contain the fire that your kinsmen have started o...

So because jonathan did not honor the agreement he is not performing. So it until a northerner is president before you can say he is performing.

I think jonathan has done better for the north than all northern presidents the north has ever produced. Yet this man says he is not performing.

He claims that things are worse that before. Yes its in the north, and they are responsible for it.

I honestly don't see how Dokubo is showing support for the President.

Seems to me that by daring himself to be arrested, what he is saying is that the President and all institutions in this country have no power over him - in effect, he said the gvernment of Jonathan is 1mpotent, said "he is just sitting down there and doing nothing" - Wow, what "praise" for someone you wish to remain as president!

Professor Ango and his NEF are another set of deranged dolts cut in the cloth of Dokubo. If a child behaves childishly, shouldn't elders behave like an elder? Why reply a thug like Dokubo?

Look. EVERYONE should be able to run for President. Jonathan, Buhari, Fashola, and even Dokubo himself.

Anyone who wants to start violence, should be dealt with violently. It will not be the "North", or the "South/South" that they will be hurting, but everyday Nigerians.

All I want is for my vote to COUNT, and for my vote to be RESPECTED. That's all.

Anyone who wants to be President by force can go to he.ll.

mekaboy: So because jonathan did not honor the agreement he is not performing. So it until a northerner is president before you can say he is performing.

I think jonathan has done better for the north than all northern presidents the north has ever produced. Yet this man says he is not performing.

He claims that things are worse that before. Yes its in the north, and they are responsible for it.

Honestly, I pity the lives of people that believe this unfocused,visionless,and clueless administration of GEJ is performing.

Popular prayer on NL: May God do to you what GEJ is doing to Nigerians.

nuclearboy: I honestly don't see how Dokubo is showing support for the President.

Seems to me that by daring himself to be arrested, what he is saying is that the President and all institutions in this country have no power over him - in effect, he said the gvernment of Jonathan is 1mpotent, said "he is just sitting down there and doing nothing" - Wow, what "praise" for someone you wish to remain as president!

Professor Ango and his NEF are another set of deranged dolts cut in the cloth of Dokubo. If a child behaves childishly, shouldn't elders behave like an elder? Why reply a thug like Dokubo?

I think you got it wrong. Asari speaks for the interest of his Oga Jona. He dared the N/A and police because he feels he has the support of a more powerful arm, which is the presidency.

In case you miss this point from the professor;

“My reaction is that but for the fact that I am aware that (Alhaji) Dokubo (ex-N-Delta militant leader) is a spokesperson for the corridors of powers, I would have ignored him. But my reaction now is directed to their leaders, elders, including the president

Oya ooo

Asari and those war mongers dem don talk am dont wait till 2015 start the war now

“So, how do you deal with this
kind of a person who cannot
honour a simple gentleman
agreement. Agreement ke what about gowon and northern elders that was blinded on aburi accord agreement

Walks into tread,... Saw some nothern retarded elders doing a "cowards dance" with my homies..

Laughs,..cant stop laughin... Cos the next round of "Operation Resoure Control" will be sweet..

Thanks for the AMNESTY bull.shi*.. Boys, now have better education..

The reality of this tale is when u hear a 600level medical student say "tarry after med sch na NDVF things o"...

Walks out of tread...waitin for the 2015 fun..

No amount of self-bombing, treats of blood, name calling, screems of delusional corruption, "awof" loving can change my stand for FRESH AIR..

Happy Sunday to all the "saddistsees" in the house.

I.Joan:
Damn!!!!!!!!!!

2015 is so gonna be bloody!!!





People.....People.....People..... Please!!! stop voting in P.D.P.... They are so sure anyone chosen by their party is gonna win! They don't care about Nigerians

Nothin will happen, Nigeria will ofcourse breakup as the respected CIA predicted. Unless the northern hawks allow GEJ to complete his constitutional 2nd term.

Lol... abeg make una start the war ooo....

Who is afraid of disintegration and why? Northern Elders should tell us what they achieved in their 38 years of disastrous rule that ruined Nigeria and produced 10 million alamajiris. Anytime northerners hear something like disintegration they will start to panic. Does the life of northerners depend on south south or south east?
Let northern elders push Jonathan out if they want the crisis to start today. Northerners should know that We are not one and we can never be.

^^ These SouthEast must always attache themselves to SOuthsouth by force sha

Na wa for this parasite mentality o

Neo-XVI:


Still thinking like your forefathers at your age and with all your schooling. I guess you never came by the ageless quote "divided we fall"? If the country was divided, would it be terribly wrong for you to aspire to make it one? Can you point to a single such divided country living up to its potential?

Change your ways, madam ekiti

U S S R disintegrated into 15 countries of which Russia is among.Is Russia doing badly?

Regionalism,sectionalism,fragmentalism,tribalism,ethnocentrism,nepotism,favouritism,ergocentrissm and all the other "tism" this is what is killing my country, I weep, where in states that have vision like the US, U'll never see state of origin buh rather state of residence, why had thou youths and people of this great nation fallen into durgeon of religiotribal bigotisms created by our founding fathers? IF we claim to be one nation, then why d divide?

My fellow youths , we re one human we re one nation, we should try to incorporates meritocracy into us and kill tribal powers dat is d only way to achieve a one nation n greatness... DIVIDED WE FALL
Andd we shall strt by making our votes count by deposing the PDP's of dat position as dey have fueled a 4da disintegration of our unity! And imposing a zoning formula , a minuscule set of individuals re using to impose on Nigerian enlarge...
A concernerd Comrade 'Uncle Ray'

Hahahah u r funy..u tink breakup means everybdy wil jst go his way?? Even d biafra war wil b small tin b4 dis con3 wil b divided

Chima_Adeoye:

Nothin will happen, Nigeria will ofcourse breakup as the respected CIA predicted. Unless the northern hawks allow GEJ to complete his constitutional 2nd term.

Mr Ango Abdullahi, but they was another greater agreement that was not kept, it is called the Aburi Accord.

dayokanu: ^^ These SouthEast must always attache themselves to SOuthsouth by force sha

Na wa for this parasite mentality o

You are iidioooot. Why are you people shivering.
What is the difference b/w Igbos of south East and Igbos of South South.

Sad it is sabre-rattlers showing the zeal to speak for both sides, wrongly in my opinion, in this cold war because those who are neutral and can see beyond the rhetoric would quickly note the erring side if issues were presented along purely democratic/political lines.

Nigerian political leaders must simply learn to keep emotions/sentiments in check and let the politics speak for itself.

If this were done in this case then it would be immediately obvious the blind backers of GEJ have not once mentioned democracy because they all know that GEJ will be disgraced if he accepts to test his popularity starting from the PDP primaries. They therefore issue threats due to how they want a coronation to defeat the democratic process that represents guaranteed loss for them.

Rather, it is the much maligned North , erstwhile held as "born to rule" and undemocratic, now challenging GEJ to democratically test his popularity.

If the North can rise above the pettiness of getting into the gutter with the clannish kinsmen of the President and make their argument political, instead of being drawn into responding unthinkingly with 'fire for fire' idiocy against those who know the cannot win at the numbers game, then they will simply blow GEJ out of the water.

Asari-Dokubo, Briggs, Kuku are counting on 'cashing in' on the negative image of the North by provoking bellicose reaction from a region often held as bullying and anti-democratic so that, in the ensuing chaos and mindless threats flying back and forth, no one actually realises it is the kinsmen of the Presidency who are anti-democratic elements , war-mongerers and troublemakers in this case -to suit their agenda of bypassing electoral democracy that represents 100% defeat for their 'free bank' i.e GEJ.


Every rational person will know I call GEJ "free bank" appropriately because that is what he is to the Kuku's, Asari-Dokubo's and other ethnic sabre-rattlers of the world while ordinary Nigerians, from all corners of the nation, derive nothing from him being/remaining in Aso Rock.

My advice to the North is that they should ignore the treats of Dokubo, Briggs, Kuku et al and focus on hammering home the message that GEJ should test his popularity democratically from the PDP Primaries. No established electoral structure/rules should be changed for anyone and no favours (hinted automatic "first refusal" for Presidency and Governors for example) should be entertained. Let GEJ, at every stage, democratically face the numbers and win if he can.

Intelligent observers know that the noise from the kinsmen of the Presidency comes from the glaring realisation that they will be soundly defeated by how democracy remains a game of numbers. This option of divisive threats and ethnic baiting is the deliberate strategy of folks who are fully aware of how, much as they want, they and their allies cannot go it alone to defeat superior numbers. What the man said below is what the North should focus on because when that is done consistently, team GEJ will soon be alienated, home and abroad, with how the entire world will notice that all the anti-democratic pontifications and threats are coming from 'team GEJ'.

He said, “Look, what I want to see is democracy in practice so that as many candidates who want to contest the next presidential election, including Jonathan himself, can do so freely, without being witch-hunted or harassed by anyone.

“In fact, I would prefer that Jonathan should contest and I can assure you that he would lose. And as far as the North is concerned, there are many credible and qualified candidates and, once a free and fair election is guaranteed, the people would choose who they want to be their president come 2015.”

^^ may I sah when we depose pdp who we would vote? Apc? Tinubu ,and buhari? U dey mad? Abeg until soludo pat utomi or somebody more progressive comes out its GEJ all the way

austinsmat: “So, how do you deal with this
kind of a person who cannot
honour a simple gentleman
agreement. Agreement ke what about gowon and northern elders that was blinded on aburi accord agreement

we dey talk head you dey talk tail

ijaw people start war. they will kill all of them, is it uhrobo they have locked up. gbewe

alexchiny:

Same here with Igbos. We have fought our own decades ago and so on that basis, I sa "good morning" to Niger Delta. Hope Adaka Boro is happy wherever he is.

How can you say Igbos 've fought their own Years ago when infact the western region saw it pre-1957 and tried to prevent Union 'One Nigeria'. Stop the piracy of other people's intellectual work.