The emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan and a former military Head of State, General Mohammadu Buhari (retd), as presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress respectively have set the stage for a political war among various ethnic and cultural groups in the country.

SUNDAY PUNCH enquires showed that while some of the groups have taken decisions to queue behind either Jonathan or Buhari, others are in the process of taking decision on whom to support.

This is happening even as some of the groups have, however, chosen to be neutral.

Buhari is the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate for the February 2015 election.

He defeated four other APC aspirants: Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Rochas Okorocha and Sam Nda-Isaiah to clinch the party’s ticket at a national convention/primary that held Thursday in Lagos.

His victory sets him yet again as the number one challenger to President Goodluck Jonathan, who on Wednesday was formally handed the Peoples Democratic Party flag for the 2015 presidential election without having to contend with any opponent in the party.

The Ijaw National Congress told SUNDAY PUNCH it would support President Goodluck Jonathan’s bid for a second term in office. It said its decision was based on the performance of the President.

The INC spokesman, Mr. Victor Borubo, said the congress had compared Jonathan’s performance with that of past presidents and came to the conclusion that he (Jonathan) deserved a re-election.

“Apart from the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan is a son of the Niger Delta people and we will naturally vote for him, he is the only President that has been so criticised and yet did not harass anybody or send assassins against anybody,” Borubo added.

The Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, is however queuing behind Buhari. The convener of the group, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, urged the electorate in the North to vote for the APC candidate.

He observed that while the PDP schemed out other presidential aspirants in the party in favour of Jonathan, a candidate of northern extraction emerged from an open process in the APC.

The Second Republic federal lawmaker, who stated that he was not speaking for the North, said Nigerians now had the option to choose between the status quo or vote for a change in the country.

Mohammed said, “There are only two candidates in this (presidential) contest in 2015 – there is Goodluck Jonathan, who is incompetent, and there is Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who is not only a former Head of State but also a complete personification of integrity.

“What this means is that Nigerians now have a very clear choice: If you don’t like what is in this country in terms of the national economy, insecurity, corruption at all levels and decadence in government, then you have a very clear-cut choice.”

Similarly, a pan-Yoruba association, Afenifere Renewal Group, said it was solidly behind whoever the APC fielded as its presidential candidate.

Speaking with one of our correspondents, the Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr. Kunle Famoriyo, said, “We have a soft spot for the APC as progressives, considering the work they are doing in the South-West. We can rightly say the APC is our adopted party. A majority of our members are in the party and we support our members who want to contest for public positions, majority of whom are in the APC.

“The APC primary was a step forward for Nigeria’s democracy from the point of view that the election of Buhari was transparent. It marked a new dawn in the way we select people who are to govern in us in Nigeria, because it was done in the presence of everybody. People were able to see that there was no imposition,” he said.

The Publicity Secretary of Afenifre, Mr. Yinka Odumakin on Friday, however stated that the group would meet to decide which presidential candidate it will throw its weight behind in 2015 election.

“We will look at where both presidential candidates (President Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari) stand on the issue of federalism which is at the core of what the Afenifere group advocates. Afenifere is concerned about the restructuring of this country,” the Yoruba group spokesperson stated.

Also, the Coordinator of the Federation of Middle Belt People, Mr. Manasseh Watyil, told one of our correspondents that the organisation had yet to take a common stand as regards who to support in the 2015 presidential election.

Manasseh said the organisation would be having a convention from December 27 to 29 to decide on a particular candidate.

Similarly, the pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, stated that it had not decided yet on which presidential candidate to support.

The National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Osita Oganah, stated that the group was only interested in good governance and that the decision to support either the PDP or the APC will depend on who emerges as the running mate of Buhari.

“I have to let you know that at the moment, our support goes to President Jonathan. Jonathan has been doing well for the Igbo

“Yet, we will wait to decide who we will finally support in the 2015 presidential election,” he said.

In the same vein, the President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, Mr. Legborsi Pyagbara, said MOSOP was still consulting on whether to support Jonathan or Buhari.

Pyagbara, who spoke through his Media Assistant, Mr. Bari-ara Kpalap, maintained that MOSOP’s consultation would cut across all spheres of Ogoni people and added that the position of the body would be made known at the end of such consultations.

But even as some groups take a definite stand, a northern pressure group, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, has said it will rather remain neutral, and not support either of the candidates.

The National President of the group, Yerima Shettima, said it had listened to several manifestos and wanted to be careful to avoid aligning with a party or an individual whose antecedents may serve as a red flag.

Asked if any of the candidates had sought support from the organisation, Shettima said, “All of them, including the APC, the PDP and those parties that are not considered popular have sought our support.”

According to him, the group has been meeting with candidates from several parties.

“We are in Kaduna and we have been in several meetings to consider everything. Soon, we will make our position clear to Nigerians,” the AYCF president said.

The Yoruba Unity Forum is another group that would rather remain neutral. It said it would not have a preferred candidate for the 2015 presidential election.

The Chairman of the forum, Bishop of Akure Diocese, Anglican Communion, Bolanle Gbonigi, told our correspondent in a telephone interview that since the forum was not a political party, it would not be in tandem with its mandate to back a particular presidential candidate.

He however said the forum would meet to discuss the emergency of the two presidential candidates of their respective parties, noting that only after could the forum offer a formal reaction to the development.


http://www.osundefender.org/?p=199913

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has asked all politicians of Igbo extraction not to join the 2015 presidential race if President Goodluck Jonathan decides to seek reelection.

The Chairman of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Anambra State chapter, Mr. Eluemunoh  said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Awka.


He said  the Igbo people were satisfied with the Jonathan’s administration and would support his reelection bid, if he indicates interest to do so. Eluemunoh said Igbo people had benefited more basic infrastructure and political appointments in Jonathan’s governemnt than any other administration since Independence.

“Any government like Jonathan’s administration that shares national resources equitably needed to be encouraged to stay in office and perfect the administration programme to a logical conclusion.

“It is on this stance that I commend the president and pledge our loyalty to him. I urge any Igbo man nursing the ambition to contest as president to drop it now, for us to speak with one voice.’’

Eluemunoh said: ‘’Any Igbo man who works against the president would be fighting the Igbo race because for now the Igbos have no national political platform under which they should contest.

“How do you present a candidate when our own brother is there? Ohanaeze has said we will pull our support for Jonathan now and in 2015, so, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock.

“Ohanaeze is the voice of the Igbo nation. We cannot fight anybody, we cannot bite anybody but we can embarrass you as an Igbo man if you contest.

“We resolved that we should allow our own brother to go for second tenure. Who else can do better than what Jonathan is doing for the Igbo people.”

He also commiserated with the federal government and the judiciary over the death of Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, who died on May 4.



http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/drop-2015-presidential-ambition-ohanaeze-urges-igbos/177992/

Noted

its not suppose to be.

Buhari is an agent of Balkanization and retrogression. Nigerians shine your eyes.
Buhari spared president shagari because he is Hausa Fulani and sent Vice President Alex Ekwueme to prison because he is Igbo.
Buhari sent Ambrose Ali and Adekunle Ajasin to prison eventho the tribunal he set up discharged and acquired the duo. In the case of Pa Ajasin, he was discharged and aquited twice but was still sent to jail. Yet he spared many nothern politicians from his draconian clamp down.
Buhari denied tai Solarin access to medicine and treatment eventho he knew tai Solarin was an asthmatic patient before he was imprisoned.
Buhari said in 2008 that Abacha is not corrupt and didn't steal any money from Nigeria.. Why wouldn't say so when Abacha is no less Hausa Fulani.
Buhari toppled a democratically elected govt and is the only head of state who never planed a transition to democracy yet he wants to be president under a democracy. What if abdusalam abubakar chose to be like Buhari and not plan a transition and hand over to civil rule, Buhari would av graciously served under that military govt. Like he served under Abacha's govt of tyrany and wickedness.
Do u know that if there was no Buhari, there may not have been an IBB as military head of state and there may not have been an Abacha as military head of state? Imagine that Nigeria has been practicing democracy since 1983 till date, wouldn't we have made considerable progress as a nation? It was general Buhari who destroyed that democracy and imprisoned anybody who dared to request for a transition to democratic rule. Atiku abubakar some weeks before the ApC presidential primaries told apc delegates not to vote for a religious bigot like Buhari.. Nigerians shine your eyes. Buhari is being repackaged in beautiful carton of lies and deceit. Buhari can only take us back, never forward.. Don't say we didn't tell you o. Buhari didn't build any rifinery in Nigeria, he only commissioned it. The rifinery project had been ongoing for over 6 years before Buhari toppled Shagari's govt. Inflation under Buhari in 1984 was 40%. The only credibility Buhari has to his name is the war against indiscipline which of clouts was selective and inequitably applied depending on whether u are from the north or south. If not for Buharis lack of vision and foresight, Lagos would not be experincing the kind of traffic and gridlock it is experiencing today. It was Buhari who refused to approve the Lagos metro line project in 1984/85.
Let the house rat tell the bush rat oo that a vote for Buhari is a vote against the labours of our heroes past. Hhhhhmm.

We igbos are for uncle jona and no amount of blackmail will make us shift ground.

My main point is not ethnicity buh who can be more tolerance and democratic.


Buhari is aging out and don't need enormous brain work to steer the affairs of great nation like ours, we need younger and vision filled leader that may not really be GEJ or him.


Am still thankful to APC for coming up with a stronger opposition to challenge the status quo and the excesses of PDP in order to pave way for better governace.


GEJ till APC produce a more competent candidate than the one we are having now.

torhuke:
Buhari is an agent of Balkanization and retrogression. Nigerians shine your eyes.
Buhari spared president shagari because he is Hausa Fulani and sent Vice President Alex Ekwueme to prison because he is Igbo.
Buhari sent Ambrose Ali and Adekunle Ajasin to prison eventho the tribunal he set up discharged and acquired the duo. In the case of Pa Ajasin, he was discharged and aquited twice but was still sent to jail. Yet he spared many nothern politicians from his draconian clamp down.
Buhari denied tai Solarin access to medicine and treatment eventho he knew tai Solarin was an asthmatic patient before he was imprisoned.
Buhari said in 2008 that Abacha is not corrupt and didn't steal any money from Nigeria.. Why wouldn't say so when Abacha is no less Hausa Fulani.
Buhari toppled a democratically elected govt and is the only head of state who never planed a transition to democracy yet he wants to be president under a democracy. What if abdusalam abubakar chose to be like Buhari and not plan a transition and hand over to civil rule, Buhari would av graciously served under that military govt. Like he served under Abacha's govt of tyrany and wickedness.
Do u know that if there was no Buhari, there may not have been an IBB as military head of state and there may not have been an Abacha as military head of state? Imagine that Nigeria has been practicing democracy since 1983 till date, wouldn't we have made considerable progress as a nation? It was general Buhari who destroyed that democracy and imprisoned anybody who dared to request for a transition to democratic rule. Atiku abubakar some weeks before the ApC presidential primaries told apc delegates not to vote for a religious bigot like Buhari.. Nigerians shine your eyes. Buhari is being repackaged in beautiful carton of lies and deceit. Buhari can only take us back, never forward.. Don't say we didn't tell you o. Buhari didn't build any rifinery in Nigeria, he only commissioned it. The rifinery project had been ongoing for over 6 years before Buhari toppled Shagari's govt. Inflation under Buhari in 1984 was 40%. The only credibility Buhari has to his name is the war against indiscipline which of clouts was selective and inequitably applied depending on whether u are from the north or south. If not for Buharis lack of vision and foresight, Lagos would not be experincing the kind of traffic and gridlock it is experiencing today. It was Buhari who refused to approve the Lagos metro line project in 1984/85.
Let the house rat tell the bush rat oo that a vote for Buhari is a vote against the labours of our heroes past. Hhhhhmm.

Well said, thank you. Let the GMB minions keep fooling themselves. They will soon learn that the Yoruba do not suffer from amnesia. Besides, Tinubu concocted APC idea for self rather than Yoruba enhancement.

[s]

torhuke:
Buhari is an agent of Balkanization and retrogression. Nigerians shine your eyes.
Buhari spared president shagari because he is Hausa Fulani and sent Vice President Alex Ekwueme to prison because he is Igbo.
Buhari sent Ambrose Ali and Adekunle Ajasin to prison eventho the tribunal he set up discharged and acquired the duo. In the case of Pa Ajasin, he was discharged and aquited twice but was still sent to jail. Yet he spared many nothern politicians from his draconian clamp down.
Buhari denied tai Solarin access to medicine and treatment eventho he knew tai Solarin was an asthmatic patient before he was imprisoned.
Buhari said in 2008 that Abacha is not corrupt and didn't steal any money from Nigeria.. Why wouldn't say so when Abacha is no less Hausa Fulani.
Buhari toppled a democratically elected govt and is the only head of state who never planed a transition to democracy yet he wants to be president under a democracy. What if abdusalam abubakar chose to be like Buhari and not plan a transition and hand over to civil rule, Buhari would av graciously served under that military govt. Like he served under Abacha's govt of tyrany and wickedness.
Do u know that if there was no Buhari, there may not have been an IBB as military head of state and there may not have been an Abacha as military head of state? Imagine that Nigeria has been practicing democracy since 1983 till date, wouldn't we have made considerable progress as a nation? It was general Buhari who destroyed that democracy and imprisoned anybody who dared to request for a transition to democratic rule. Atiku abubakar some weeks before the ApC presidential primaries told apc delegates not to vote for a religious bigot like Buhari.. Nigerians shine your eyes. Buhari is being repackaged in beautiful carton of lies and deceit. Buhari can only take us back, never forward.. Don't say we didn't tell you o. Buhari didn't build any rifinery in Nigeria, he only commissioned it. The rifinery project had been ongoing for over 6 years before Buhari toppled Shagari's govt. Inflation under Buhari in 1984 was 40%. The only credibility Buhari has to his name is the war against indiscipline which of clouts was selective and inequitably applied depending on whether u are from the north or south. If not for Buharis lack of vision and foresight, Lagos would not be experincing the kind of traffic and gridlock it is experiencing today. It was Buhari who refused to approve the Lagos metro line project in 1984/85.
Let the house rat tell the bush rat oo that a vote for Buhari is a vote against the labours of our heroes past. Hhhhhmm.

[/s]

torhuke:
They are welcome back home.

Is Inec still doing voters registration? These lads and lassies need to exercise their franchise. And they need to vote for Goodluck Jonathan.

GEJ till 2019

saTANic lamentation. We know where you belong so who gives a shitttt about your saTANic verses... Worry about your Jonadumb if you really care and worry less about about #GMB15.

We know all the endless and meaningless essays on NL = Fear and anxiety per your impending doom and Jonadumb's exit back to otuoko or >>>>Straight to jail...

arresa:
[s][/s]







saTANic lamentation. We know where you belong so who gives a shitttt about your saTANic verses... Worry about your Jonadumb if you really care and worry less about about #GMB15.

We know all the endless and meaningless essays on NL = Fear and anxiety per your impending doom and Jonadumb's exit back to otuoko or >>>>Straight to jail...

Mayor has endorsed this message!

torhuke:
Buhari is an agent of Balkanization and retrogression. Nigerians shine your eyes.
Buhari spared president shagari because he is Hausa Fulani and sent Vice President Alex Ekwueme to prison because he is Igbo.
Buhari sent Ambrose Ali and Adekunle Ajasin to prison eventho the tribunal he set up discharged and acquired the duo. In the case of Pa Ajasin, he was discharged and aquited twice but was still sent to jail. Yet he spared many nothern politicians from his draconian clamp down.
Buhari denied tai Solarin access to medicine and treatment eventho he knew tai Solarin was an asthmatic patient before he was imprisoned.
Buhari said in 2008 that Abacha is not corrupt and didn't steal any money from Nigeria.. Why wouldn't say so when Abacha is no less Hausa Fulani.
Buhari toppled a democratically elected govt and is the only head of state who never planed a transition to democracy yet he wants to be president under a democracy. What if abdusalam abubakar chose to be like Buhari and not plan a transition and hand over to civil rule, Buhari would av graciously served under that military govt. Like he served under Abacha's govt of tyrany and wickedness.
Do u know that if there was no Buhari, there may not have been an IBB as military head of state and there may not have been an Abacha as military head of state? Imagine that Nigeria has been practicing democracy since 1983 till date, wouldn't we have made considerable progress as a nation? It was general Buhari who destroyed that democracy and imprisoned anybody who dared to request for a transition to democratic rule. Atiku abubakar some weeks before the ApC presidential primaries told apc delegates not to vote for a religious bigot like Buhari.. Nigerians shine your eyes. Buhari is being repackaged in beautiful carton of lies and deceit. Buhari can only take us back, never forward.. Don't say we didn't tell you o. Buhari didn't build any rifinery in Nigeria, he only commissioned it. The rifinery project had been ongoing for over 6 years before Buhari toppled Shagari's govt. Inflation under Buhari in 1984 was 40%. The only credibility Buhari has to his name is the war against indiscipline which of clouts was selective and inequitably applied depending on whether u are from the north or south. If not for Buharis lack of vision and foresight, Lagos would not be experincing the kind of traffic and gridlock it is experiencing today. It was Buhari who refused to approve the Lagos metro line project in 1984/85.
Let the house rat tell the bush rat oo that a vote for Buhari is a vote against the labours of our heroes past. Hhhhhmm.

Shut up! Provost

Word!

But we however have neighbours in the south that tag their trickery as sophistication, and they are seeking power again and feel throwing up Buhari, just because he had 12 million votes (which they barely contributed to) in the past will help them come back...

But as GEJ has dug in his heels, so have we, Ndi Igbo, we will sink or swim with GEJ... we are not known to be people that sit on the fence, double-faced, or speaking from both mouth-ends... we tell you straight up - we are with you! Buru (Chiri) gawa!

menesheh:
My main point is not ethnicity buh who can be more tolerance and democratic.


Buhari is aging out and don't need enormous brain work to steer the affairs of great nation like ours, we need younger and vision filled leader that may not really be GEJ or him.


Am still thankful to APC for coming up with a stronger opposition to challenge the status quo and the excesses of PDP in order to pave way for better governace.


GEJ till APC produce a more competent candidate than the one we are having now.

There is a reason why the british left Nigeria in the hands of the north

arresa:
[s][/s]







saTANic lamentation. We know where you belong so who gives a shitttt about your saTANic verses... Worry about your Jonadumb if you really care and worry less about about #GMB15.

We know all the endless and meaningless essays on NL = Fear and anxiety per your impending doom and Jonadumb's exit back to otuoko or >>>>Straight to jail...

Potential Boko haram recruit spotted.
He needs a de-radicalization counseling asap before wires himself with IEDs.

arresa:
[s][/s]







saTANic lamentation. We know where you belong so who gives a shitttt about your saTANic verses... Worry about your Jonadumb if you really care and worry less about about #GMB15.

We know all the endless and meaningless essays on NL = Fear and anxiety per your impending doom and Jonadumb's exit back to otuoko or >>>>Straight to jail...

Potential Boko haram recruit spotted.
He needs a de-radicalization counseling asap before wires himself with IEDs.
With all the education you have, abdulmutallab is your mentor. Smh.

stanech:
There is a reason why the british left Nigeria in the hands of the north

To underdevelop Nigeria and it is a shame that the so called sophisticated tribe is backing them to defeat and disgrace