Several influential emirs have rebuffed a lobby by a fellow emir on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of next month’s election.

The emirs, it was gathered, have chosen to be neutral and back whoever is freely voted into office by the electorate.

In the same camp as the pro-Jonathan emir are other traditional rulers from the North central and North west, according to a source familiar with the development.

One source said: “The Emir has been telling his colleagues that Jonathan has been fair to the North and to avoid a dent in the North/South south relationship, the President should be allowed to have a second term in office.

“Some of these Emirs and royal fathers pointed to the volatility of Northern politics and opted to take the back seat to await the people’s choice. Remember how a special adviser was burnt to death in the Second Republic for querying the Emir of Kano.

“A few other Emirs have discovered that the lobbying Emir has some vested interests to protect and they have chosen to ignore him.

“So, these Emirs may not be able to reach any consensus on either Jonathan or Buhari.”

It was also gathered that division has crept into the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the Nigerian-Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) over who to back between President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

NIREC has not been able to meet for almost a year owing to what a source described as “sheer politics.”

According to investigation some prominent NSCIA, NIREC and CAN members have taken a position on a presidential candidate but others yearning for change have disagreed.

Some however argued that these organizations should be neutral and rally round whoever wins the race.

It was gathered that some of these top leaders attributed their position to certain favours, perks and honour they stand to enjoy if their choice wins.

Findings revealed that the division in these top organizations has led to mutual suspicion among members and leaders.

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “There are issues about Jonathan and Buhari among members in these organizations. The body language and comments of some of these leaders have shown the direction they are going.

“The situation degenerated to the extent that in a meeting of one of these organizations, a leader was advising members on why a candidate must not be supported.

“Some of us are however saying that we should not take sides at all in the overall interest of the country.

“Of what use will it be when you are holding a position of trust to ensure unity and stability of the country and you are taking a partisan position.

“The inherent danger is that you will lose focus. Whatever favours or opportunities anyone might have enjoyed in the past and present, it remains a private matter.

“Before you know it, whoever is elected will be looking at how to cripple these associations.”

Investigation confirmed that NIREC appears worse hit by petty politics because the Inter-Religious body has been unable to meet in the past one year.

Another source said: “Contrary to what the public is being fed with, NIREC had fixed a meeting for Gombe but one of our leaders said he was uncomfortable with the state because of Boko Haram insurgency. This was after Gombe State Government had bankrolled our meeting and even guaranteed our safety.

“Later we shifted the NIREC meeting to Abuja and Gombe State Government was still ready to assist us. But some people did not just want the session to hold because of politics.

“Yet, this is a body which ought to assist the nation to address ethno-religious crises nationwide.”

The Emir of Zauzau, Alh Shehu Idris had in March last year pleaded with President Goodluck Jonathan to resuscitate NIREC

He made the plea when Jonathan met with traditional rulers from Kaduna State shortly before attending the zonal unity rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said: “I want to make a passionate appeal to the government to resuscitate the Nigerian Inter-religious Council at the national level

“After this, there should be the establishment of branches of NIREC in all the 36 states of the Federation.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/feb-poll-emirs-rebuff-pro-jonathan-lobby/

Now he is begging the emirs of the same people he was playing ethno-religions bigotry with.
Is emir Sanusi included?

kwikwikwi

seunfly:
Now he is begging the emir of the same people he was playing ethno-religions bigotry with.
Is emir Sanusi included?

I thought his supporters said the Emirs were the ones breeding terrorists. GEJ is desperate to get second term. The 21 Billion Naira donation won't help him a bit.

You call them terrorist, A,boki and different names but you still want them to vote for you. Never!

I don't read nationsnewspaper.

jona how.market

GEJ has lost it. It will be surprising if he dose'nt loose woefully.
Even PDP is regretting his sole adoption and candidature.
Better for him to resign.

Naija sha

Streets is watching

Good

Traditional rulers must be neutral in politics.

That is all.

brutef0rce101:
You call them terrorist, Aboki and different names but you still want them to vote for you. Never!

That is the problem I have with many PDP supporters here.

Many of them refer to Northern Muslims by uncomplimentary names....and yet...they cannot win this election without getting votes from them in substantial numbers.

Obama was not liked by conservative white christians....and he too did not like them. Yet...when running for president in 2008....he stilll reached out to them....because he knew that he had to get votes from them.

Likewise, Mitt Romney campaigned among blacks in 2012...even though he knew they would not vote for him...but he still tried.

In this democracy....we have to get rid of tribal and religious bigotry. That goes for all of us.

Buhari/Osinbajo to Aso Rock and Aguda house respectively come May 2015.

Emir or No Emir......All i can say is GEJ till 2019.

.

GMB 2015
As the presidential Election approaches remember
these factors:
1. The Chibok Girls.
2. NNPC Scam.
3. Police pension fund.
4. Missing $20Billion.
5. $9million Arms deal.
6. Bomb Blasts.
7. Immigration job scam.
8. Petroleum pump price.
9. Dwindling external reserves
10. Oil theft.
11. Incessant Power outage.
12.ASUU & poly Strike.
13. Doctors' Strike.
14. National Assembly tragedy.
15. Stella's Oduah Aviation Scam
16. Kerosene subsidy
17. Near-empty Excess Crude Account
They Didn't Raise 21Billion for Ebola;
They Didn't Raise 21Billion for dilapidated
hospitals;
They didn't raise 21Billion for Military Weapons
against Boko Haram
They Didn't raise 21Billion for children dying of
Vaccine preventable disease
They didn't raise 21Billion for the homeless>:O
BUT they all gathered to raise 21Billion for another
4Years of INEPTITUDE. IMPUNITY, MEDIOCRITY
AND BAD GOVERNANCE.
~:-) NO WAY!!! NO MORE!!!

Choi.. GEJ till 2019 ...... But wait oo , E be like say this OKECHUKWU BUHARI Get better plan for naija ooooooo

they want lame duck Buhari


who can fall down if the breeze is not blowing in his direction

If they really mean to be nonpartisan,, then it's quite commendable!... However my instinct tells me they're rooting for the geriatric general!.... Otu ocha!!.. My second comment on NL lands me on Frontpage?!!... This feels so good, it's got to be illegal... This year is defo gon make excess brain!

Coming from the nation newspaper owned by Jagaban. A source, a source and another senior source. How did this make the front page btw?

I'm beginning to suspect that Nairaland and her moderators are sympathetic to a particular party/candidate.

Born to rule.

GoldCircle:
Coming from the nation newspaper owned by Jagaban. A source, a source and another senior source. How did this make the front page btw?
I'm beginning to suspect that Nairaland and her moderators are sympathetic to a particular party/candidate.

Dont pretend to be blind...even if you are, u are not deaf, you can hear the sound of CHANGE every where. Jonathan is retiring back to Otuoke May 29

He never see anything yet

Ok

Who the hell is GEJ?

GoldCircle:
Coming from the nation newspaper owned by Jagaban. A source, a source and another senior source. How did this make the front page btw?

I'm beginning to suspect that Nairaland and her moderators are sympathetic to a particular party/candidate.

Some people are of a differing opinion!

Nairaland is neutral.

True statesmen always stay neutral in such matters, unlike that Mbaka guy

I always hear the saying "esu e kin wo bata (devil wears no shoe)", and i always gulfed by the thought "how did these people come to know this? Had any one of them ever crossed path with devil and saw his true being as the being who wears no shoe? But i found no answer to these questions. After many years of thoughts about the saying, a man surfaced as the one who had no shoe, the one who truely knows and understood the mind of the needy because he was once in the state and he begged for our votes to get the presidential seat for him. Less than four years later, i got answer to the question my mind was curious to get...and i really understood and affirmed to the saying that truely "devil wears no shoe"