Northern group endorses Jonathan for 2011 President
By FEMI ESEKU
Monday, April 19, 2010

•Yerima
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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As the first four year tenure of the presumably eight-year political dispensation of ailing president Umaru Yar’ Adua administration nears its end, politicalpumdits in the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), are already up and doing to ensure that not only the party retains its strong hold on the political landscape of the country but to ensure that the north produces the next president to complete the second half of the regions eight years slot at the presidency. This is line with the party’s policy of rotating the position of president between the north and the south.

However, in a surprising twist, a prominent northern socio-political organization, headed by Alhaji Suleiman Yerima and known as the Northern Friends of the South-South (NFSS), is calling on the Acting Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to run for president during the 2011 general elections. This call was made during a world press conference held in Lagos at the organization’s national secretariat on Thursday 15, 2010.

“After watching the political atmosphere in the country for a while, and bearing in mind that the remaining tenure of the Acting presidency of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is very short, Northern Friends of the South-South (NFSS), have put every machinery in its disposal in place to ensure continuity in government as we earnestly urge the Acting President to run in 2011 presidential election”, Yerima said.

He declared further that the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP),which he belongs to should allow the Acting president contest the next election under its platform. He explained that if the PDP refuses to allow Dr. Jonathan to run under their platform and he decides to opt for another political platform, PDP will be the loser if he wins. “We are of the opinion that if the PDP, of which I am a member decides that Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will not run under its platform, PDP will be the loser if he eventually wins.”

Yerima noted that the organization has watched in dismay how the nation, in the past couple of months has been drifting due to the political turmoil’s occasioned by the president’s ailment. He mentioned that the continued deprivation of the peoples of the oil rich Niger Delta was occasioned by the lacunae in the polity. He also noted that the prediction of the United States of America that the country would cease to exist by 2015 and recent remarks made by Libyan president, Muammar Gaddafi, for the country to be split into several entities are unnecessary and unfortunate.

“As we are all witnesses, at a point in our national life, the Niger Delta crisis posed a serious threat to our continued peaceful co-existence as one indivisible country. We believe that the American prediction that Nigeria will break up in 2015 as well as the recent suggestion by the Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi that the country be Balkanized all stem from the Niger Delta crisis as well as recent Jos mayhem, which should not be allowed to continue. We need to realize that this country belongs to all of us and not any one particular region” he said.

Speaking further, he said that the NFSS had been in the forefront in championing for the Niger Delta people. “We have always been in the forefront of agitation for the development of the region by the Nigerian government through our activities which culminated in the relative peace we now enjoy in the region” he said.
When asked to explain how his organization hopes to achieve its aim at persuading and eventually succeeding in returning the present Acting President to power, when faced with formidable contenders from the north, such as the recent declarations of former military president Ibrahim Babangida, General Muhammad Buhari, Atiku Abubakhar and others, he responded thus:
“We are not saying that other aspirants should not run for presidency in 2011. Our belief is that the Acting President as a citizen of Nigeria has a right to contest under the constitution and should not be barred by the PDP from running just because of its intra party zoning system.” “Good enough, the Acting president has said that there is no law stopping him from running if he chooses to do so. Zoning is not a constitutional matter. It is a political arrangement by the PDP.

“We shall continue to apply pressures on both the PDP and Acting President to rise up to the challenge and opportunity to do what is right for this nation by taking up the leadership position.” He said. When asked about the position of the people in the north to his organizations aspirations, Alhaji Suleiman Yerima said that he had just concluded an extensive tour of major northern states such as, Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states. He said the trip was successful and many people agreed with the points being canvassed by his group.
http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/abujareports/2010/apr/19/abujareports-19-04-2010-003.htm

The charlatans have started.

the heading should have been 'northern group' and not the 'north'. this topic is misleading.

Misleading title, its a northern group and not the north as an entity.

desgiezd:

Misleading title, its a northern group and not the north as an entity.

Thank you ooo!!!

Misleading Title Edited!

the north wan come use our head again.dem wan claim say after 2015 na their turn.i just dey pity those behind dis becos after 2015',another southerner go succeed GJ

. . . . . Thus, the saga continue

Abagworo:

the north wan come use our head again.dem wan claim say after 2015 na their turn.i just dey pity those behind dis becos after 2015',another southerner go succeed GJ

naw i doubt it probably El rufai or ribadu.