Support for the re-election bid of President Good­
luck Jonathan came yesterday from the least
expected quarters as Chairman of the Northern
States Governors’ Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu,
openly declared that there is no vacancy in Aso
Villa in 2015, especially for aspirants in the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Aliyu, who played a prominent role in the now
defunct G7 Governors generally seen as working
for the emergence of a northern president in 2015,
made the categorical statement in Minna when
some youths under the aegis of Babangida Aliyu
Youth for Peace Initiative, called on him at
Government House where they urged him to
contest the 2015 presidential election on the
platform of the PDP.
Mr. Inienimi Agiri, who led the youths, had told
the governor: “Now that by tenure and sheer
leadership for development capacity, you are most
qualified for national service, we feel-duty bound
to also make a clarion call on your humble and
hard working self to respond to the earnest
yearning of the patriotic youth of Nigeria for a
focused service to the entire citizens of this
country by accepting to present yourself as an
aspirant for the 2015 presidential election.”
Reacting, Governor Aliyu said: “As a loyal party
man, we will watch as things unfold in the PDP.
But for now, we have an incumbent in place and
usually, the incumbent, no matter his level of
performance; you will not want to remove him. I
believe the PDP will want to offer him that
position and so for 2015, there is no vacancy in
Aso rock.”
He, however, added that everyone in the PDP
would wait until the president made his intention
known on the issue of second term before any
scrambling could begin for the position, especially
if he acted in the negative.

THE SUN

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