Oppose Jonathan, divide Nigeria–Lamido
Sunday, 30 January 2011 00:38 Godwin Isenyo
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JIGAWA State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido spat fire on Northerners who are opposed to the continuation of President Goodluck Jonathan in office on May 29, this year.


If Northern opposition to the President continues, the country should simply be broken up, he declared, pulling no punches at key members of the North who have continued to raise anti-Jonathan sentiments.


Lamido noted that opposition to Jonathan is subsisting although the President has secured the nod of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to fly its banner in the election.


The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) last week declared the North’s opposition to Jonthan despite winning the PDP ticket at the party’s last national convetion in Abuja.


Lamido, who spoke on the Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) monitored in Kaduna said that no governor in the North was coerced to vote for the president at the last special convention of the party where he emerged as the party standard bearer for the election, contrary to speculations.




Lamido also argued that the issue of zoning was laid to rest by the party during the special convention of the party on January 13. He added that the overwhelming votes cast for the president at that convention superseded even the constitution of the party.


The Governor said that if Northern Muslims could insist that President Jonathan, a Southern Christian, should not be President, then, there is a need to divide Nigeria and let each zone determine its direction.


He argued further that those championing a Northern presidency are uncivilised, adding that such sentiment would only lead to the destruction of the north itself.
His words: “The point is they are using such sentiments to destroy the North. What is politics all about? Following your opinion. But for someone to say one must abide by his opinion no matter how, is wrong. People should be allowed to do what they want. If that is the case, we should divide the country so that we could have the section for Christians and that of the Muslims,” he said.


Lamido continued: “We should know that this issue of zoning, out of about 60 political parties, this zoning issue is for the PDP alone. It does not bother those in the ANPP, CPC or ANC. But because of the circumstance we found ourselves, it has become a general issue. Now they are denouncing the PDP but the fact is that they cannot change anything.


“ Look at what happened in Kano during the ANPP, there was this boy called Ibrahim Little. For many years he was the only major figure in the ANPP but in the end they forcefully rejected him. Look at how Abacha’s son joined a party within two months and seized everything. So those people, what they are doing, they feel is what everybody is doing.


“Jonathan is not the governor of Abia, he is not the governor of Borno or Kastina. Therefore such noise….It is wrong for someone to be listening to the sermons of a gossiper…for someone from another party to come and be saying all sorts of things against the PDP, like the party is against Islam, Sule does not like Muslims, he has gone astray by following non believers, okay let’s see.”


Explaining why some states did not wholly vote for Jonathan, Lamido said: “Whoever did what he did, did that based on his opinion and wishes. Some are afraid, others are frightened. But for us, we have been in it for over 30 years. We were frightened, we were made to be afraid, they said we don’t like Islam, that we are anti-North…but those who judge somebody’s faith, look at them.


“ Any person who says his fellow man does not like Islam, look at him and watch his relationship with others. They are ignorant by saying someone has deviated from his true religion. We are still in the North and we are seeing them, what is it that they have not said? Forget about such people. The electorate should go and vote for its choice, it’s an election and people know the right. They have seen those who ruled before, how was it, what level are the states in now? What becomes of the North and how strong is the Northerners’ strength?


On demonstrations in some states against the PDP like in Kaduna where the PDP flag was burnt, he said: “Any member of the PDP, wherever he might be, is known. The party has followers everywhere, in the local governments and everywhere. Those perpetuating such crisis, not all are in PDP. But the point is that there are some lazy politicians who feel they have lost. We know their antecedents, they cannot be trusted. They are Muslims but they don’t know what the religion demands.


“ All these allegations that the North has been marginalized, they don’t know about it. They are the ones causing such problem and we have small children that are unemployed. Poverty is unlimited here. These burnings, humiliations, and abuses, would that wipe out the poverty in the North? They should choose to live in peace so that we work for their development.


“All the people talking are those in CPC and ANPP, and they were never in PDP before. There was ANPP administration in Jigawa, all those in CPC or ANPP in the state, even before he was in ANPP and not in PDP.”


Lamido also said those who might defect from the party were not true members of the PDP. “I heard what Ribadu, Buhari and Shekarau were saying, that they would provide good leadership devoid of ethnic or religious sentiment…Those who failed election in the PDP and are now alleging foul play, perhaps the other time they won nobody heard them say anything. To them, PDP was the best at that time.


“It is wrong to politicize religion because of Jonathan…a Muslim does not lie, he does not gossip or mislead, or blackmail people.”

Is Jonathan being rejected because he is a southern christian or because he is incompetent? Let's not politicise, religionise and tribalise issues.

Its an insult to the many innocent dead!!!

If National Security was taken care of who would give rats ass wot anyone said about GEJ? We'd just vote for him!! The Country is slowly going up in flames and he's doing NOTHING!!!

Who cares where he's from if he's taking care of bizness? Parading him as the epitome of southern christianity is begining to be an insult!!! The guy should use the powers at his disposal for something - ANYTHING!!!

PDP should just come out with the truth!!

They can only win elections when there is tension, fear, chaos and violence because then the average Nigerian won't risk his dear life by coming out to vote!! PDP next chapter is to fan the flames of chaos on hand and refuse to quench the already burning fires so that the land is made palatable for their victory. I forsee more violence and watch the 'incumbents' do NOTHING about it. I just pray Nigerians stop being so gullible by jumping for their weapons everytime they're poked with tribe and religion.

These a.ssholes are united in corruption and thievery behind the lines!! The money they're looting does not know christian or muslim, north or south. They just keep screwing with the people!! I pray their plan backfires!!