Jonathan’s Group Defects to Atiku’s Camp
From Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Mathew Onah in Yola , 11.21.2010
A pro-Goodluck Jonathan Campaign/Supporters group, known as the New Nigeria Project, yesterday defected to the Atiku Campaign Organisation, alleging that President Jonathan has let its members down due to what they referred to his  inability to manage and control security in the country as well as  the persisting Niger Delta crisis.

Also,  weekend,  the  visit of  former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,  to  the  premises of  Adamawa state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  secretariat in Yola , was almost marred, as  party thugs engaged themselves in a free for all confrontation.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, National Coordinator of the New Nigeria Project, comprising of 1000 groups out of the 1,750 groups championing the President Jonathan’s Presidency in 2011, Alhaji Abuduallhi Maibirgi, said  his members were defecting to the Atiku Camp  because President Jonathan has allegedly failed them.

“The style of President Goodluck Jonathan leaves much to be desired because he has developed a full head of steam by manipulating his ways than to submit himself for public approval,” Maibirgi alleged. “We have found ourselves supporting a campaign organisation that does not enjoy the acceptability of Nigerians and, more so, when it is evident that the Goodluck group is distracted by its catalogues of failures.”

He listed other reasons for their defection to include alleged insensitivity of the Jonathan Campaign  group to the plights of Nigerians, saying  the wide gap in all sectors of the economy  has defied solutions.


Accordingly, he said  they have found the Atiku Campaign Organisation a better alternative, describing   the former Vice President as a visionary leader and  role model for the current and future Nigerian generation.

Meanwhile, the weekend visit of  former vice president  to  the  premises of  Adamawa state PDP party secretariat , was almost marred, as  party thugs engaged themselves in a free for all.

  Atiku, who was visiting the state party secretariat for the first time since 2006 when he was de-registered  from the party in the wake of the third term struggles,  had driven to the secretariat, along Numan road, in a long convoy, with his supporters  singing  and shouting his praises. The situation however degenerated when  another group led by the state PDP youth leader,  Adamu Bakari, began chanting the praises of the state governor.

The ensuing fracas forced the former vice president to remain in the  conference  hall of the secretariat  for   almost one hour before  a combined team of mobile police men and other security operatives could restore  a certain measure of order before he was  driven out.

Addressing   the party executives led by the state  party secretary, Mr.  Philimon Elisha , Atiku however  charged the state party leadership to create a conducive atmosphere that would enable all former  members coming back to the party free access without discrimination to actualize their ambitions.

He stressed that internal democracy within the party was necessary  to strengthen the party, if the party is  to go and face other political parties in the forthcoming general elections.

‘’My feeling is that , any member who wants to contest should be allowed to contest’’  Atiku asserted.

Atiku  told the party leaders that he was prepared to assist the party win the forthcoming general elections, from the ward level to the presidential elections, saying  he as a person has no personal preference for any candidate in the state.

Adding that he has since forgiven any partymen who were  behind his travails  during his trying period when he sought re-entrance back in to the party and his waiver issue.

Atiku,  who disassociated himself, from the recent spate of court cases involving the party and some aggrieved members , said he did not take the party to court either directly or through proxy.

Welcoming Atiku, to the party secretariat, the state party secretary, Elisha, said the former vice president was one of the founding fathers of the party in 1999 and has remained a committed democrat.

High_Chief:

Total Rubbish. Atiku is the most naija corrupt politician

Total Rubbish. Atiku is the most naija corrupt politician

debeginin:

Akitu abi akuku is a total rubbish!as much as I hate IBB I would rather he wins instead of dat fool headed,good for nothing Atiku.

na_so:

^^^^^^^^^

The same people that accuse OBJ of achieving nothing in 8 years , are the very same people seeing atiku as a visionary. So tell me Atiku's vision for the nation and why he could not use his position as VP for 8yrs to influence things and see to the actualisation of that vision?

fagin1982:

@ SILAMI


you are just an agent of destruction with your campaign for Atiku, EIYAAAAAAAAAAAAH , Good will always triumph over evil people like you and Atiku,

Foooooooooooolllllllll

aikokoro:

u guys should just take a chill pill & relax!! GEJ is not God! There is no way in hell he's gonna make the sort of impact you guys want or are expecting considering the kind deep s h i t this country was and is in. GEJ has really tried within the little time (6 months  ). cut the guy a little slack!

silami:

Na wao even Nairaland dey do politics on which topic appears on the fron page. this topic was briefly on the front page and now removed.