2011: It’s zoning or nothing, Northern leaders read riot act
From AMOS DUNIA, FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE, TAIWO AMADU AND JAMES OJO, Abuja
Friday, June 18, 2010
President Goodluck Jonathan
Photo: Sun News Publishing
More Stories on This Section

The meeting of political leaders from the North strategizing to stop the perceived ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2011 elections took place Thursday night at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
The meeting, which held behind closed-doors in the Atiku Abubakar hall started at about 8.00pm.

A dependable source close to the meeting told Daily Sun that the Northern political leaders harped on the need to put aside their differences with a view to pursuing the common good of the North with regards to the 2011 presidential race.

That common good of the North, Daily Sun gathered, centred around the need for the region to retain the presidency in 2011, in keeping with the spirit of zoning which the PDP had long adopted. Although the meeting drew attendance from across political parties, Daily Sun learnt it was headed towards, among other things, producing a Nigerian president of northern extraction.

The Northern leaders were particularly concerned that President Goodluck Jonathan had allowed some people driven by selfish desire to propel him towards contesting the 2011 Presidential election without recourse to unity and oneness of the country.

They noted that rather than face governance, President Jonathan had got engrossed in unnecessary and unwarranted tours, just to sell his candidacy, besides adopting intimidating tactics to coarse perceived opponents to drop their ambition in order to further his own cause to the detriment of the overall interest of the country.
As at the time of filing this report, the meeting was still in progress just as a communiqué based on the resolutions of the meeting is expected to be issued today.

ROLL CALL

Former military President Ibrahim Babangida; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; ex-Minister of Finance Adamu Ciroma; former Inspector General of Police Mohammed Dikko Yusufu; Alhaji Jibril Maigari, former Minister of Commerce, Alhaji Bello Maitama Yusuf; Ex-governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Lawal Kaita; Alhaji Ibrahim Isa Kaita, Alhaji Suleiman Ishiaku, Mr. Eziekiel Ibrahim, former National Chairman of the defunct Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) Alhaji Saleh Hassan, Former Minister of the FCT, Air Vice Marshal Hamza Abdullahi (retd); former Minister of Internal Affairs, Gen. Muhammed Ali Magoro; former military Governor of old Western State and Minister of Police Affairs, Gen. David Jemibewon; former Governor of old Borno State, Alhaji Mohammed Goni; Sen. Daniel Sarror; Dr. Shettima Mustapha; Sen. Nuhu Aliyu (retd DIG); Sen. Awaisu Kuta; former National Chairman of PDP, Chief Audu Ogbeh; Prof. Ignatius Ayua; Former Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Shaba Lafiaji; Alhaji Bello Kurfi; Senator Zainab Kure, wife of the former Governor of Niger State; Sen. Mohammed Ahmed; Hon. Kola Yusuf; former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Usman Albishir; former Chief of Army Staff General Salihu Ibrahim; Senator Gada who is a member of the National Interest Group in the Senate that worked to actualize the Doctrine of Necessity and the Coordinator of the meeting; former Senate President Senator Iyorchia Ayu; National Security Adviser, General Mohammed Aliyu Gusau.

If the northern part is not okay with the jonathan for 2011. Then they should secede if they can.

seanet02:

If the northern part is not okay with the jonathan for 2011. Then they should secede if they can.

Not all the North (people) are against jonathan just like not all the south are for him. So following from your post, why not the south secede if they do not want to respect PDP agreement?

i opened a thread regarding this subject nlrs attacked immediately claiming the north is over is finished blah blah blah!
Well i really cant understand how they assume jonathan can be president without the support of these northern leaders.Plsssssssssss some body tell me how?? ?? ?? ??

@nchara, then if we secede how will the north part cope?no oil, we will sell oil av international price for you no pity, no oil cash,no excess crude oil disbursement, meagre vat, no seaport to import and export, no big brother the south will make you say through your nose if you want to use our seaports or you will import automobiles with cargo planes, barren land, barren leaders coupled with brainwashed followers, agriculture that is being threatened by desert enroachment. You will just be impoverished

Does nigeria belong to pdp? why is the constitution of an ordinary political party referenced above that of the country?
i tot EVERY nigerian adult have the right to vote and be voted for? SOMEBODY please open my blind eyes!

just passing by, every part of the country has it's own role to play. we must find something to do to People Deceive People (PDP)

St. Richy:

Does nigeria belong to pdp? why is the constitution of an ordinary political party referenced above that of the country?
i tot EVERY nigerian adult have the right to vote and be voted for? SOMEBODY please open my blind eyes!

Good question for you to ask your MEDIA HOUSES and JOURNALISTS. It seems They do not themselves understand the difference.

the last time i read a newspaper is about a year now and i think they said we had over thirty political parties in this country? did prof. soludo merged them as well before he left? please help me out cos i'm curious!