While several state governors and members of the National Assembly were scrambling to be nominated for the vacant seat of Vice President following the death of President Umaru Yar’adua, Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako had rejected President Goodluck Jonathan’s offer for the job, Daily Trust has learnt from an aide of the governor.

The aide who does not want his name in print told Daily Trust that Governor Nyako was the first to be contacted by the President, but he turned down the offer politely. He did not state why Nyako turned down the VP job but he said part of the offer was to retain Governor Nyako as Jonathan’s running mate in the 2011 election.

But another source told Daily Trust that Governor Nyako had actually rejected the offer for two reasons. First, he felt he could not deputise for a much younger person especially given that the Vice President’s office is at the complete mercy of the President who could decide to render the occupant very jobless. Secondly, the governor had taken into consideration the consequences of his departure from the office as governor and its impact on the majority/minority politics of Adamawa State, the source said.

When former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was nominated as running mate to Chief Oulusegun Obasanjo ahead of the 1999 presidential election, Mr. Boni Haruna, from a so called minority tribe in the state who was Atiku’s deputy, was sworn in as governor, a position he held for eight years apparently against the wish of the majority tribes.

But in 2003, when the majority/minority politics came to a height during Haruna’s bid for a second term, Atiku who was believed to be nursing presidential ambition stood firm to see that the governor was re-elected. “You can see that the same scenario would have played out the second time,” the source said.

The present Deputy Governor Mr. Bala James Nglare is from a minority tribe in the northern part of the state.

Daily trust also learnt that Governor Nyako may have been recommended to Jonathan by former President Olusegun Obasanjo , assuring him that Nyako, with so much experience and a discipline military background would actually make loyal and useful VP.

Governor Nyako had told Daily Trust in an interview in Yola, May last year, that he was literarily ‘dragged’ to the Adamawa Governor’s office in 2007 by former President Obasanjo against his wish.

is a very vast region with lots of people with able character and I believe the president in his own wisdom will come up with the best candidate from the region.”

Obansanjo, again!!

Governor Nyako had told Daily Trust in an interview in Yola, May last year, that he was literarily ‘dragged’ to the Adamawa Governor’s office in 2007 by former President Obasanjo against his wish.

Please how old is this man? I believe he must be 1 year old for someone to drag him into a position against his wish, and since then the same OBJ tied his aass down to the sit of the governor. This Nigerian politicians could ridiculous. In fact, is a goat being dragged into a yam barn?

@prince, Politics is very difficult, once ur in, it's not easy to get out. plus, maybe OBJ has something on the guy,