MUHAMMAD KABIR, Kano
Font size:   


Second Republic vice president, Dr. Alex Ekwueme yesterday urged President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to respect the zoning arrangement in the party, insisting that except for his death, President Umaru Yar’Adua would have completed his term of eight years.

Ekwueme, who spoke with the British Broadcasting Service (BBC) Hausa service in London, said: "To me this arrangement which is now the subject matter in Nigeria is a party arrangement which is supposed to be maintained. But it wouldn’t have reached this stage if Yar’Adua was alive because he would have taking his automatic ticket as agreed upon."
He said rotational presidency clause was included in the 1995 constitution during the National Constitutional Conference as part of the efforts to unite the citizenry and have a viral and just country, "but was unfortunately truncated by the regime of Abdusalami Abubakar who amended the constitution and removed that potion."

He said members of the conference agreed that the clause should be inserted in the constitution so that the bickering and misunderstanding among Nigerians arising from the misrule of the military governments would be addressed. He said the initial arrangement was that by the time all the six geo political zones take their turns, the formula would have lasted for 30 years. He regretted that this was removed from the original draft of the 1995 constitution.

Ekwueme who said because of his insistence on rotational presidency he was called ‘Mr. rotational presidency,’ noted that late General Sani Abacha agreed that the clause be reflected until Abubakar came he removed it living it as party agreement.

He said he was also part of the agreement that saw the reaching of the agreement of the rotational presidency during the Olusegun Obasanjo regime.

He said: "It was a gentlemanly agreement which was overwhelmingly agreed upon, and I bet you, Yar’Adua would have completed his tenure if not for the unfortunate death that took him away."

He said as at the time they agreed on the rotational presidency, Nigeria was at cross roads and something needed to be done urgently to reassure its citizenry that they are one. "So we said the best option was to make it a constitutional matter and we unanimously agreed to put it in the 1995 constitution to go round for 30 years with all regions taking their slots; but unfortunately Abubakar who was in a hurry to hand over to civilians cancelled that potion and in fact rejected entirely1995 constitution which I think was one of the best for this country.

"Still because of the importance of this issue when we came in the PDP we created the rotational arrangement so that the South and the North would have taken eight-year term each and already Obasanjo had done his own for the South and if Yar’Adua was alive he would have completed his own eight years, meaning nobody would be talking about this or that by now."

Ekwueme was however silent on the perceived ambition of President Jonathan in running for the presidency in 2011.



http://www.champion.com.ng/index.php?news=33838

As one of the founding fathers of PDP, Ekwueme has clarified the issue of whether the PDP agreed on rotational presidency arrangement or not.

metal-gong:

[size=13pt]Ekwueme who said because of his insistence on rotational presidency he was called ‘Mr. rotational presidency,’ noted that late General Sani Abacha agreed that the clause be reflected until Abubakar came he removed it living it as party agreement.[/size]

very important piece of info!

Ekwueme has always talked with both sides of his mouth. If actually he believed and respected PDP rotational arrangement why did he contest with obasanjo in 2003 primaries?

Ekwueme is just a loser.

9ijaprince:

Ekwueme has always talked with both sides of his mouth. If actually he believed and respected PDP rotational arrangement why did he contest with obasanjo in 2003 primaries?

Is he not from the south? So why is he barred from contesting with OBJ? All these pro GJ people, the man is just saying they agreed to do things that way within PDP. The real people talking from both sides of the mouth are OBJ and Anenih, who supported it when it favoured them, and deny it, when they need things their way.

Ekwueme, is making sense, but loook at it.

In the PDP 

Obasanjo                     South
Yar adua                       North
/                       should it be  South or North



There is no guarantee  anyone win the second. What guarantee  was there that yar adua would have won. none.

So the solution is to still go back to the map.   While we create a new country for the yorubas,edo, delta and bayelsa or we create a country for southern niger benue if the north agree.

9ijaprince:

Ekwueme has always talked with both sides of his mouth. If actually he believed and respected PDP rotational arrangement why did he contest with obasanjo in 2003 primaries?

You are really a confused fellow . . . . .Is Ekwueme not from the south?

metal-gong:

Ekwueme was however silent on the perceived ambition of President Jonathan in running for the presidency in 2011.
http://www.champion.com.ng/index.php?news=33838

That's why i hate Nigerian Journalism. Why was he avoiding this very important issue.

Thank God Old men like Ekweme can still say the truth for once before joining his ancestors.
Though i do not support the so called rotational presidency, neither do i even give a damm abt PDP come 2011, but even a kid in Nigeria Knows abt abt PDP rotational arrangement. I was surprised for someone in the position of OBJ denying this arrangement that brought him into power.

It will be a disgrace and as a sign of self denial if Jonathan runs for presidency come 2011 under PDP. No body is denying his right to contest for presidency, but under a different party. Jonathan should respect the agreement or an arrangement that brought him into power as the VP and now the President or rather run under a different party without such arrangement. Truth need to be told even when it does not favour us.

Spyker:

That's why i hate Nigerian Journalism. Why was he avoiding this very important issue.

Has Jonathan ever made his mind known to you he want to run for presidency come 2010? What is he to comment abt it?

princekevo:

Has Jonathan ever made his mind known to you he want to run for presidency come 2010? What is he to comment abt it?

Ekwueme should be able to say "Jonathan should not contest because we (PDP) have zoned the Presidential election to the North". Why was he avoiding to take a stance. He is standing on the fence when the northern leaders are seriously taking a stance on that same issue. People should be able to say something and whether it favours them should not deter them from saying the truth. What truth has he said that people have not said.

@ spkyer , if you were in his shoes who you side the north, this same north that mad it impossible for Ekwueme to contest simply because he is igbo.

The same north that refused to make GEJ an acting president even when UMY was awayfor treatment the first and second time ,They refused to handover to GEJ.

The Same north that did not honor a soldier and gentleman's Agreement in 1966 that could have3 prevented an unneccessary bloodshed, starvation, killing and raping of women in 1966, yes the north refused to honor the Aburi Acord that was done and witnessed by the whole wolrd, now you want the people to respect an agreement of thieves that power should rotate between north and south done by a rogue party.

9ijaprince:

Ekwueme has always talked with both sides of his mouth. If actually he believed and respected PDP rotational arrangement why did he contest with obasanjo in 2003 primaries?

Lol . . . . I am glad @buffox answered you well there

@metal-gong, i dont like joining issues with people on the net. Ekwueme was only showing his frustration over what obj did to him. I just want to ask one question is it a crime if jonathat contest in 2011? If you were in jonathan's shoe wount you take a shot at the presidency?

9ijaprince:

@metal-gong, i dont like joining issues with people on the net. Ekwueme was only showing his frustration over what obj did to him. I just want to ask one question is it a crime if jonathat contest in 2011? If you were in jonathan's shoe wount you take a shot at the presidency?

It is Not a crime for Jonathan to contest in 2011 but it is a breach of the agreement he made when he joined the party.

Jonathan agreed to not take the shot when he joined the PDP until it was the turn of his region to. For him to now decide it is in his power to go against the agreement, it makes sense that people in his party will be upset by it.

Kobojunkie you talk as if you dont know Nigerians. As soon as money start flowing they will start making u turn. Have you noticed that of recent the increase of praise singers? Lets watch out as the drama unfolds.

9ijaprince:

Kobojunkie you talk as if you dont know Nigerians. As soon as money start flowing they will start making u turn. Have you noticed that of recent the increase of praise singers? Lets watch out as the drama unfolds.

WHat the heck has that to do with anything? You are the one asking naive questions of the situation. I gave you answers and you now want to blame Nigerians and their love for money for this? Come on now. You are mature enough to know that a man is responsible for his own actions. I don't know what is going on within the PDP but what this article tells us is that agreement does exist and it only makes sense that those in the party respect it or risk being seen as unreliable. Jonathan was not FORCED to agree to this . . . he benefitted from it since he would not even be where he is today had it not been for this agreement.

You see people are making mistake. Which article are you talking about? The last time i checked there was nothing as such in Pdp constitution. Mind you am not a fan of GJ only that i see thighs from the objective point. Goodluck will contest and i dont see any crime in it.

9ijaprince:

You see people are making mistake. Which article are you talking about? The last time i checked there was nothing as such in Pdp constitution. Mind you am not a fan of GJ only that i see thighs from the objective point. Goodluck will contest and i dont see any crime in it.

Nothing like what?

sign of frustration on alex ekwueme, a very corupt man since the early days, seems contracts are no more pouring in for him. shameful lots.

@9ijaprince, keep wasting your precious time arguing with somebody like kobojunkie, i have known him for aver long time, would frustrate you will pragmatic sentimentality.

It is good that he pointed out that there was such an agreement.

But why didnt he answer the question on whether GJ should run in 2011. That should have made him a more  honorable man.



Ekwueme is not a good person he appears to be. He is one of the silent vices that is holding Anambra back today.

He have his hands on anything political in anambra.

9ijaprince:

Ekwueme has always talked with both sides of his mouth. If actually he believed and respected PDP rotational arrangement why did he contest with obasanjo in 2003 primaries?

Because he is from the south and eligible to contest.

onye_ngbu:

It is good that he pointed out that there was such an agreement.
But why didnt he answer the question on whether GJ should run in 2011. That should have made him a more honorable man.
Ekwueme is not a good person he appears to be. He is one of the silent vices that is holding Anambra back today. He have his hands on anything political in anambra.

Most 99.5% of our politicians fall under that category -- not good people. So, I am not certain why we suddenly want to judge this one on that. The fact is the man OWNED the agreement and even goes as far as to state that he was among those who demanded the agreement. Note he did not say the HAUSA's Manufactured it.
As for commenting on whether Goodluck can run for 2011, you and I know that in politics, you try to play safe and it is not surprising that he chose here to do same.

seanet02:

sign of frustration on alex ekwueme, a very corupt man since the early days, seems contracts are no more pouring in for him. shameful lots.

This is jst a clear definition of Nigerian problem. Each time anyone says the truth or stands for something right we term it as a means of getting noticed, frustration or otherwise. Please can any of you criticising this particular speech from ekwueme tell me if wht he said is the truth or false?
It was for this PDP agreement that OBJ (SW) became the president with a northern Vice. We all knew it was for this same rotational agreement among PDP the Ibo's held the post of Senate president for 8years even as many times as they kept on impeaching themselves.

It was for the rotational agreement within PDP OBJ selected a northerner(yaradua) with a southern Vice even when People like Odili, Donald duke indicated their interest to contest for the  presidency. It was for this same agreement people like Orji Uzo Kalu decamped from PDP to contest under another party, becoz he knew that would never be possible under PDP. Jonathan as a rightful citizen of Nigeria is not denied to contest  an election, but should do that under another party or respect the agreement that made him a VP even when he never dreamt of it. You don't climb up through a ladder and remove the ladder from others to climb.

Kobojunkie:

Most 99.5% of our politicians fall under that category -- not good people. So, I am not certain why we suddenly want to judge this one on that. The fact is the man OWNED the agreement and even goes as far as to state that he was among those who demanded the agreement. Note he did not say the HAUSA's Manufactured it.
As for commenting on whether Goodluck can run for 2011, you and I know that in politics, you try to play safe and it is not surprising that he chose here to do same.

What I meant by him not being a good person is that as regards his stand on the issue, he might be saying those things because there is something in it for him. Not because he is standing for justice and thats why I wondered why he didnt take a step further and call a spade what it rightly is by saying that going by the  PDP arrangement, the President should not run.

Why is it hard for him to say it  if he is such a good person.

Do you think it will be a hard thing for Gani or Soyinka to say if they are in Ekwueme's position?

onye_ngbu:

Why is it hard for him to say it if he is such a good person.

Again, the question of if the man is good or bad does not come up at all. So why are you going on about him being good and all?

onye_ngbu:

Do you think it will be a hard thing for Gani or Soyinka to say if they are in Ekwueme's position?

He is not Gani or Soyinka . . .he is a politician and like most every politician out there, he plays it safe. Did you ever read anywhere of the Fashola administration publicly criticizing or bringing down the yar adua administration? I bet that never happened because the man knows he is a politician first.

Kobojunkie:

Again, the question of if the man is good or bad does not come up at all. So why are you going on about him being good and all? He is not Gani or Soyinka . . .he is a politician and like most every politician out there, he plays it safe. Did you ever read anywhere of the Fashola administration publicly criticizing or bringing down the yar adua administration? I bet that never happened because the man knows he is a politician first.

Let me help you explain this to onye_ngbu.

Chief Vincent Ogbulafor (the ex-PDP Chairman) said exactly the same thing (like a Gani or Soyinka), where is he today? I know you'd say that Ogbulafor was corrupt, but the question is did he speak the truth on this? Which politician is not corrupt anyway? There is at least one bone in EVERY politician's cupboard (my own quote ).

So what has being a good or bad man got to do with this? Did he say the truth or not? That is the question, and I'll guess the answer is YES.

However, my take is that Nigerians (particularly northerners) killed the spirit of agreements in 1966.
So, Jonathan is free to do whatever he deems fit with Nigeria.

Northerners can go to hell with their silly agreement. Is PDP constitution Nigerian constitution? GJ does not need to honor such a silly arrangement. Since when have the North lived up to agreement btwn them and South? Its time we beat them to their game. Play the game like they play it too. Middlebelt states like Plateau are not even on the same page with them so nothing mega.

It is not about him being a good person or not.

What he said is good if it is true.

Im saying  that theres something in it for him.  He is not known for coming out to speak the truth in times of confusion.

onye_ngbu:

It is not about him being a good person or not.

What he said is good if it is true.

Im saying  that theres something in it for him.  He is not known for coming out to speak the truth in times of confusion.

Regardless of what he is personally known for, what we ought to focus on is the message and not the messenger in this case. All he has done is confess that he is part of the making of the agreement and confirms that this is a PARTY-WIDE agreement made from the start for the PDP. So, every PDP member since 1995, including Jonathan must have had knowledge of this from day one. So it is not for us to expect Ekwueme to suddenly turn from being a politician to a man with heart here, and maybe tell us that Goodluck is not to run. We can, as individuals put two and two together there.