2015 Presidency: Sambo meets Northern Govs, PDP Chieftains .




http://www.nationaldailyngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7405:2015-presidency-sambo-meets-northern-govs-pdp-chieftains&catid=99:current-cover&Itemid=489






Seeks support against opponents

THE present Federal Executive administration of President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo may probably be the first of its kind, in the history of democratically elected civilian administrations, to ensure a smooth transition of power from an incumbent to the vice without unnecessary drama.

Indication of this possibility emerged at the weekend when National Daily reliably gathered that the country's Vice-President (VP) has heightened his political networking to seal his emergence as the choice candidate of not only his political zone, the North but also that of the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Northerner as next President

National Daily investigation discovered that the VP has been spending quite a lot of time oiling his political machinery in recent past. It was also gathered that Sambo has been arranging and holding series of meetings with notable political bigwigs in the North and that his networking has equally prompted some other emergency meetings to be organized by those working on his behalf and those trying to reposition themselves to challenge him.

A lot of political factors is presently working for Namadi Sambo, who was initially plucked from his seat as the Governor of Kaduna State to run with President Jonathan just before the last general elections, aside his being the VP, the fact that he is from the North is weighty enough. Political pundits were quick to point out the fact that the North remains displeased with the untimely death of late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and the subsequent emergence of Jonathan as his successor. The unwholesome trauma which Jonathan was subjected to before he emerged as Acting President when late Yar'Adua was critically ill was seen as the handiwork of prominent Northern political gladiators that were then hell bent on replacing Yar'Adua with another Northerner.

Not done yet, the stubborn insistence on the part of some Northern heavy weights to finally terminate the candidature of Jonathan when it was clear that he was ready to contest having been made president on the demise of Yar'Adua, led to a great debate about the PDP's now popular zoning formula, which according to former President Olusegun Obasanjo was a gentlemanly agreement that was to ensure that a Northerner rule the nation as President for eight years after Obasanjo, from the South-West might have fulfilled his tenure.

The North suspecting an attempt to renege on this seeming sacrosanct agreement came together under the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) led by Malam Adamu Ciroma and demanded that a consensus candidate be prepared to lead the North into the PDP presidential primaries. Former VP Atiku Abubakar was chosen but he eventually lost to the Jonathan/Sambo ticket.

But it was a known fact that the cost of emerging as President at the last PDP presidential primaries was too much for Jonathan who was pressed to agree to a formal agreement this time, written; to spend only a single term. Although, Jonathan refused to put pen on paper, the promise to spend only a single term of four years was a campaign mantra Jonathan recited throughout his campaign in the run up to the presidential election.

National Daily gathered from reliable sources that it was the unpleasant treatment meted out to him during the high power horse trading that characterized the days that led to both the PDP presidential primary and the general election that necessitated his resolve to sponsor the single term of seven years tenure for future would be presidents in the country. The President was said to be also miffed by the sheer cold determination, desperation and unbecoming resolution of some influential Nigerians to become president at all cost, a single term of seven years was thus seen as a good bargain that would help the country as regard future office holders.

David Mark

National Daily was authoritatively informed of the unwavering support VP Sambo is currently enjoying from his boss. It was this unusual support that forced the present Senate President, David Mark to back down from preparing grounds for his own ambition of emerging as a contender for the 2015 presidential poll.

It would be recalled, that VP Sambo felt slighted last August during the probe of the activities of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) ordered by the Senate. Sambo is the Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) which oversees the activities of the BPE; any unpleasant outcome would be tantamount to a direct indictment of the VP, in the fashion similar to the exercise carried out by former President Obasanjo against his VP Atiku Abubakar through the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) probe.

The probe of BPE was ordered by the Senate following a motion sponsored by over 20 senators last month and the senate ruled for the probe. It was learnt that the probe of the government companies by the Senate was being perceived in the presidency as a way of weakening the political influence of Sambo.

Sources disclosed that both Sambo and Mark are at vantage positions to succeed Jonathan and the camps of both politicians have lined up campaigns to outwit each other.

It was learnt that Mark deliberately chose Ahmed Lawan of the opposition party All Nigeria People Party (ANPP) to head the committee to avoid suspicion.

Lawan, a second term senator from Yobe State and two-term member of the House of Representatives, played a prominent role as campaign manager in the re-election of Mark as Senate president.

It was learnt that Sambo was wary of Mark's relationship with President Jonathan, and saw the timing of the Senate probe as targeted at him.

The office of the Senate President however reacted and denied any rift with the Vice President, saying both are working together for the success of the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Sambo gathers support

It was, however, the confidence engender by Sambo's relationship with the President that saw him canvassing for support from his immediate constituency of the North-West much of last week.

Various Sambo's political supporters trooped to General Hassan (State House), Kawo venue of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), North West Zonal Meeting in Kaduna displaying large bulk of pamplets reading, “The Promise, Namadi Project.”

The pamphlets contained projects and promises of the Jonathan/Sambo Administration, focusing on the areas that Sambo is playing crucial roles like power generation, railway lines resuscitation.

Sources at the venue of the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the Vice President is bent on taking over from his Boss in 2015 following the agitation by some influential Northern power brokers.

The source also volunteered that the odds on the ground favoured Sambo following speculation that Jonathan is bent on his single tenure project and the belief in many quarters that the North might only support the project if the President would not be the pioneer beneficiary.

In attendance in the crucial meeting were four Governors of Kaduna, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, Kebbi, Usman Dakangari, Kano, Musa Kwankwaso, Katsina, Ibrahim Shema, while Jigawa and Sokoto States sent in their respective Deputy Governors.

Others attendance included the former PDP National Chairman, who is now the Defence Minister, Mohammed Haliru Bello, former Speaker, House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na'aba among others.

The impressive turn out of prominent stakeholders at the meeting, according to the source was the handiwork of Sambo who was to have mobilized the prominent members of the PDP in the zone to help him push through his political preparatory to 2015 polls. Earlier in a communiqué signed by North West zonal chairman of PDP, Ambassador Ibrahim Musa Kazaure said “the meeting deliberated on the forth coming party congresses and national convention and called on members to ensure that the ongoing party membership drive succeeds.” It said.

Part of the communiqué further reads “The meeting recognizes the need for discipline among party members and directs the formation of disciplinary committees at all levels of the party as provided for in the party's constitution. The meeting deliberated on preparations for elections in Sokoto and Katsina states and formed the zonal election committee to strategies on ways of winning elections in the states.” It also read.

In his address the vice president Namadi Sambo said that what belongs to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must be reclaimed back in their lost various election positions during the last 2011 April general elections that are before tribunals.

“Our great party the  PDP has recorded great milestone in these petitions where tribunals ordered for re-elections having found malpractices and irregularities, manipulations and other negative vices perpetrated by our opponents to get favourable outcomes of such elections even in our areas that were not only  adjudge as our strong hold or domain. The senatorial as well as representatives reruns in Katsina state and as well as some parts of the country attest this claims. We should  muster enough strengthen to reclaim what rightly belongs to us by effectively sensitizing our people on the need to vote for the party that will transform Nigeria through the provision of various infrastructural facilities such power, roads, water, bridges, irrigation scheme, education” he stated.

Although, the intentions of David Mark as regard the election into the Presidency in 2015 is presently fuzzy, what is clear is that there are still two yet to be placated political stalwarts from the north who are seriously eyeing the same number one position seat in this country; they are former military President, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and former VP, Atiku Abubakar, whether these highly influential political gladiators would be easily pacified to make way for Sambo, many have assumed to be the man of the moment is yet to be seen.

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I no fit shout!

Who said GEJ no want second term? . . .SAI FASHOLA 2015

neither sambo and mark would become the president  Insha Allah

People, STOP VOTING FOR PDP thieves !!!

Look at candidates like Sanusi and Fashola even Rochas

Vote for humble and effective people not people that have ciroma, obj and ibb as there God father

Sambo?I'd rather have GEJ for a trillion years