The governors and their sins:
Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers): His political enemies, Odili and Sekibo, are in GEJ's camp. May use influence to deny him ticket
Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); Having clashes with Edwin Clark. Godsday Orubebe, ND minister, to take-over
Isa Yuguda (Bauchi);  Yar'adua's in-law. Not trusted. FCT minister, Bala Mohammed, a core GEJ supporter, alreday warming up
Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa); Cold war with his predecessor, now president GEJ. payback time
Aliyu Babangida (Niger); Openly supporting IBB. Actively pro-zoning and accused of moblizing northern governors
Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Pro-Zoning, Deputy, Mukhtar Shagari, already warming up to take over
Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi); Yar'Adua's in-law
Aliyu Shinkafi (Zamfara). IBB"s in-law. IBB contesting with GEJ

http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/9084.html
By Yusuf Ali, The nation's Managing Editor, Northern Operations, Abuja
AHEAD of a mini-convention for the choice of a presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), all is not well within the ruling party.

The battle for second term tickets is tearing the party apart, with fears that eight governors may be denied fresh terms.

The tension in the party is also compounded by moves to stop four outgoing PDP governors any future political stake.

Some of the governors have cut short their summer break for a secret meeting in Abuja at about 10pm today.

Investigation by The Nation revealed that the party leadership, with some influential players/ power brokers in the Presidency have decided to stop the return of some governors to power in 2011.

Although the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, has alluded to non-performing governors only in issuing a criteria for the party’s tickets, findings showed that political exigency might be used to stop the governors.

It was also learnt that some PDP governors considered as pro-zoning might not be accommodated in 2011 – whether they are seeking second term or vying for senatorial tickets.

In the package also is a plan to stop outgoing governors from installing would-be successors considered their stooges.

As part of the plot to stop the governors, it was gathered that the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) had been railroaded into dissolving some State Executive Committees (SECs) of the party.

The PDP has 28 governors. Of the lot, 22 are interested in second term tickets.

Some of the governors who – some power brokers plan to stop from gunning for second term are: Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); Isa Yuguda (Bauchi); Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa); Aliyu Babangida (Niger); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi); and Aliyu Shinkafi (Zamfara).

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: "The governors are aware of moves to deny them second term tickets and they are ready to fight for their rights.

"They know that the party is planning to hide under the guise of non-performance to ensure that they are not returned to office. The truth is that the high-wire politics and overriding interest of some power brokers might determine the fate of some governors.

"For instance, in Bauchi, a foremost co-ordinator of the political platform of President Goodluck Jonathan (Goodluck Support Group), Senator Bala Mohammed (the FCT Minister), is warming up to replace Governor Isa Yuguda.

"In spite of the fact that Yuguda, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s son in-law, is believed to have been secretly funding a pro-Jonathan re-election group, he is not trusted by the President’s loyalists, who are desperate to ease him out.

"Uduaghan has a match in Ijaw leader Chief Edwin Clark, who has openly shown disdain for the governor and his cousin, ex-Governor James Ibori.

"Clark is the power behind the throne and as far as Delta State is concerned, the elder statesman will play a role in determining who gets the ticket.

"Already, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, is being speculated as the anointed.

All of Amaechi’s estranged political allies, such as ex-Governor Peter Odili and ex-minister Abiye Sekibo, are in Jonathan’s camp. "Irrespective of performance, these estranged allies are set to take advantage of the new romance with the Presidency to stop Amaechi," the source said, adding:

"Amaechi too is not taking things for granted. Apart from rapprochement with the President, he ensured that the endorsement of Jonathan for second term by South-South leaders took place at his door steps."

He went on: "As for Sylvia, the dissolution of the State Executive Committee of the PDP last week was a signal that his second term ticket is forgone. His perceived cold war with the President has made the party to decide to check him. There is the rumour that he is already discussing plans to contest under another platform.

"The manner in which Babangida Aliyu co-ordinated the decision of Northern Governors Forum on zoning and his open declaration that Niger State will produce the next President in 2011 put paid to his second term ticket."

Also, Dakingari and Wamakko’s support for zoning may make them to lose the second term ticket, it was learnt.

"In fact, Dakingari, being a son-in-law of the Yar’Aduas is another disadvantage for him. He has also lost favour from some godfathers in the state who are close to the Presidency," the source said.

"It is also no longer a secret that Wamakko’s deputy, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari, is already being groomed by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s camp to succeed Wamakko. That was why Wamakko was pro-zoning and Shagari anti-zoning."

The party is also said not to be favourably disposed to some outgoing governors, including Danjuma Goje (Gombe); Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); Gbenga Daniel (Ogun); and Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who is a die-hard supporter of ex-President Ibrahim Babangida.

Another top source added: "The party leadership is aware that the scrambling for 2011 tickets by some governors and political accommodation for outgoing governors pose great threats to the survival of PDP but how it will manage it is a major challenge.

"But the governors are not prepared to be beaten in the battle; they are all scheming covertly for the worst.

"Moves to prevent outgoing governors from having a say on the choice of their successors or getting political concessions at the centre have aggravated tension on the countdown to PDP primaries.

"Unless the President intervenes and applies wisdom, some governors are set for a showdown, which may affect the unity of PDP and the 2011 re-run ticket of Jonathan.

"The governors may attempt to split the party and defect as the case with the option being looked into by a governor from the South-West and his counterpart from the South-South."

As at press time, it was gathered that some governors might meet today on the situation in the party and plot by the PDP leadership to deny their colleagues tickets.

A governor said: "We are meeting on options available to us because we cannot understand the game that the party leadership is up to.

"We are open to negotiation because we are in a democratic era. Let us watch how things will go in the next few weeks."

Mere personal speculations! Moderator, why is this on frontpage?

Zoning or no Zoning I know a company that can help any serious politician win the 2011 election in a clean way. It's 080 advertising and they will help you reach 28 million Nigerians any day!. Go to http://www.080advertising.com

I want to believe that these reasons are just speculations because we really want a situation where people get party tickets on merits instead of some frivolous reasons. Who among them and all others are doing things that are touching the common Nigerian in the street? The PERFORMERS LIKE FASHOLA E.T.C DESERVE SECOND TERM AND NOT THOSE THAT ARE LOOKING UP TO SOME BLOODY GODFATHERS>>>>>>>>>>

This is real crap.

Bukittes:

Mere personal speculations! Moderator, why is this on frontpage?

Not personal speculations. A product of investigative reports from The Nation's Yusuf Ali, arguably best Nigerian political correspondent at the moment. Remember the guy was the journalist taht reported many of the insider stories during the Yar'adua sickness days

Include Adebayo Alao Akala and I'll believe you,

If this is real, i pity Sylva. He thinks he is smart. We are all aware how he fought Goodluck during the reign of Yar'adua. After the death of the late Presido, he did a sumersault, telling everybody that cared that GJ is the man good for the presidency. He thought GJ has short memories, infact he has been transversing all the nooks and crannies of this country with his Goodluck message only for PDP Goodluck to hit him this hard. This goes for Yuguda too. Nigerian politicians can change more than cameleon.

Serves Yuguda right in particular. This was a man so loved by his people that they pulled to ANPP from PDP because of him. He later dumped them and ran back to PDP.
Now PDP are 'PDPing' him

Thats the name of the game,

i wait for the day pdp will scheme itself out of the scheme of things, so many political jobbers, bunch of rogues, no identity, no principle besides to feed their ever protruding tommies and bleach their already battered skins,

Jarus:

Not personal speculations. A product of investigative reports from The Nation's Yusuf Ali, arguably best Nigerian political correspondent at the moment. Remember the guy was the journalist taht reported many of the insider stories during the Yar'adua sickness days

investigateive report ke ? Hmm,i hail you moderator.most of these people control the exco of the pdp in their respective states,so i don't seem to see how they wont win their re-election.i guess your journalist did not include pdp-factor in reaching this conclusion.

Sylva of Bayelsa does not need another ticket until 2012 courtesy of the re-run election of 2008.

Is there a Governor called Dakingari? i have not heard the name before

PDP!always acting action film.d death of pdp will come from within pdp, so let dem conti nue actin their film.

SHEAU:

Is there a Governor called Dakingari? i have not heard the name before

That was the Kebbi state guv that married YRD's daughter shortly after YRD was sworn in.

@bluetooth

Pls note that most of the pdp state exco has been dissolved and the party is trying to wane down the powers of d gvnor at the party convention

Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers)

If PDP doesn't want him to run, he can always run with APGA. He is doing good things for Port Harcourt, the city I was raised in.

Nelton:

@bluetooth

Pls note that most of the pdp state exco has been dissolved and the party is trying to wane down the powers of d gvnor at the party convention

nevertheless,the same governors would ensure that their persons are in control of the exco else the party itself is on the verge of loosing that state.the same thing happened when Anenih and and osunbor were fighting for the control of the party in edo state.the party decided to favour Anenih against the governor and that contributed majorly to the lost of the appeal court case.governors have more power and money to get what they want.trust me,the party exco sometimes only make noise to show relevance.

please i cant find Alao Akala's name among the stupid governors of Nigeria, If hes name is not enlisted then this list is nonsense,

Plot by the National secretariat ir not, plot by godfathers or not, ALL CANDIDATES MUST EMERGE THROUGH PRIMARIES (according to the new electoral act) and so no consensus candidate.

So the Governors who from experience always have control of the grassroot marceneries might pull surprises at the primaries. It is very difficult to beat an incumbent Governor or his sponsored candidate in his party primaries.

So, this is not business as usual. No be yams again!!!

niyidrums:

please i cant find Alao Akala's name among the silly governors of Nigeria, If hes name is not enlisted then this list is nonsense,

Did the topic say list of silly governors in Nigeria?

Me sef:

Plot by the National secretariat ir not, plot by godfathers or not, ALL CANDIDATES MUST EMERGE THROUGH PRIMARIES (according to the new electoral act) and so no consensus candidate.

So the Governors who from experience always have control of the grassroot marceneries might pull surprises at the primaries. It is very difficult to beat an incumbent Governor or his sponsored candidate in his party primaries.

So, this is not business as usual. No be yams again!!!

Not so sure my friend. can you explain why Mala kachala of borno, and chinwoke mbadinuju of anambra did not get the party ticket at in 2003 even when they were incumbents?

Jarus:

Not personal speculations. A product of investigative reports from The Nation's Yusuf Ali, arguably best Nigerian political correspondent at the moment. Remember the guy was the journalist taht reported many of the insider stories during the Yar'adua sickness days

And you still believe those his UMYA reports were true?

na_so:

And you still believe those his UMYA reports were true?

He made some revelations on the YRD's state of health when it was hidden and the machinations as well as the counter-machinations of both pro- and anti-Yar'adua camps that later turned out to be true.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I no gree. the most authentic sources of info on YARDY'S health were 234next and saharareporters. This mallam wey you dey praise was part of the group that were feeding us with "he is drinking pap", "he is playing with his grandchildren", "he now jogs for 30 miutes" stories.

femmy2010:

Rotimi Amaechi should not be on that list.
He has done more good for River states and i amsure that can help him fight the so called power that be.

And that should matter to his political enemies how?

if this is true i like it, imaging my governor fueling street light with over 70m a month and we sleep in darkness take bele face ground

[size=28pt]Is this democracy or selection
Imagine New York times header "Obama to pick the governor of New york and Texas? "
Is this democracy Can Obama pick who become the governor of New york or Texas or Michigan?? NO.
That should tell you ,Nigeria does not have democracy yet? Remove the edo,delta and Yorubas for you to have democracy. Is that free and fair election?[/size]

[size=28pt]1999 to 2019= 18 years south ruled. Northerner 2 years.  by the time 2011 result is out. The northerner have become PERMANENT minority forever. I told you Northerners to remove yoruba,edo ,delta into benin republic. Let see who would be mugu. You people may end up in civil war from this . Remove the Yorubas, edo, delta into Benin republic. Some people who do not want peace since they  claim, they own the oil and they would not share the oil with the north, would discovered oil money do not bring dead people back to life in a civil war.  Oil is a gift of God.[/size]

^^ becom tell us how to remove all these states, abeg. I don't want another civil war. @Jarus. Are these permutations based on a free and fair election or what?

becomrich3:

[size=28pt]1999 to 2019= 18 years south ruled. Northerner 2 years. by the time 2011 result is out. The northerner have become PERMANENT minority forever. I told you Northerners to remove yoruba,edo ,delta into benin republic. Let see who would be mugu. You people may end up in civil war from this . Remove the Yorubas, edo, delta into Benin republic. Some people who do not want peace since they claim, they own the oil and they would not share the oil with the north, would discovered oil money do not bring dead people back to life in a civil war. Oil is a gift of God.[/size]

Ekaabo baba!

slap1:

^^ becom tell us how to remove all these states, abeg. I don't want another civil war. @Jarus. Are these permutations based on a free and fair election or what?

Jega will not conduct PDP primary elections for them

whats my Governor's name doing there as No 1? even if all other Governors woun't go, Rotimi Amaechi will oh. Odili and his like cant stop him.