[size=14pt]Jonathan at Last: Await My 2011 Declaration[/size]
•S’East govs give conditions for endorsement •Opposition alliance talks continue
From Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu, 08.23.2010

For the first time since speculations began to mount on his next step, President Goodluck Jonathan has personally divulged his position on the 2011 presidential election, promising to declare his interest “on or before September 10”.

Last week, newspaper reports had quoted unnamed sources that the president would join the race early next month on a day a foreign news agency reported that he had decided against running.
But Jonathan finally spoke up on the issue at his meeting with the Northern politicians who paid him a visit at Aso Rock on Saturday.

Over 100 politicians, representing the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, said they were at the seat of power to persuade Jonathan to contest in next year’s presidential election.
“The president seemed to be comfortable with us. He spoke freely and discussed his plans with us. He promised that he will finally declare his bid next month,” one of the politicians who attended told THISDAY.
“Specifically,” he added, “the president said latest by September 10, he will make his bid open, having consulted far and wide on the issue.”

The group, led by former Ambassador to the US, Alhaji Hassan Adamu (Wakilin Adamawa), met with Jonathan late into the night.
Adamu said: “We know what we want. We have come here to call you to come out. After 50 years, Nigeria must move forward. We believe in unity and progress of the country, no matter where a person comes from. It is God that brought you and God does not make mistake. The road will be tough and rough but we will succeed.”

Other notable members of the delegation are Deputy Governor of Sokoto State Alhaji Mukthar Shagari, former minister Professor Jerry Gana, former governor of Kano State Alhaji Musa Kwakwanso, former FCT minister Alhaji Abba Gana, Senator Bala Mande, Senator Bello Gaddah, FCT minister Senator Bala Mohammed, former PDP chairman, Chief Solomon Lar, among others.
Meanwhile, governors of the five states of the South-east zone yesterday rose from their meeting in Enugu declaring that they had neither endorsed President Jonathan nor any of the presidential aspirants that have so far declared their intentions to run for the 2011 elections.

They said their position would be made public only when all the candidates have declared their intentions to run for the exalted office.
While restating their earlier resolve not to contest for the president or the vice president in the next election, the governors said they would only endorse a candidate with the best programme that would address the imbalance in the country and marginalization of the South-east zone.

Briefing newsmen at the end of their meeting which lasted for about four hours, the chairman of the South-east Governors’ Forum and Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi, said the governors had discussed extensively the unfolding political scenario in the country and agreed to work together irrespective of party affiliation.

“We are not against anybody, but what we are saying that we’ll only make our support known when all the aspirants have declared. We are working for the interest of the region and not for our individual interests,” Obi stated.
He added: “This is the first time we are having this kind of unity and it is our hope to continue to work together. For now, we are not ready to support or endorse anybody, until we see somebody whose programmes are tailored to addressing the marginalisation plaguing the zone. As it is expected of us, we are committed in our support for the president in his avowed commitment to giving the country a new direction.”

Meanwhile, in view of the position by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that any political party wishing to merge should give the commission a six-month notice, the planned merger between the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) is longer feasible but alliance talks are still alive.

This is the position of the DPP in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Lt. General Jeremiah Useni.
According to General Useni, “Democratic People’s Party took  resolution in an enlarged caucus meeting on August,16,2010, which resolves that due to impracticability of a merger, by legislative  requirements,  actions and common testimony of both DPP and AC, the working arrangement towards merger is not feasible.”

“We therefore, decided to achieve a working relationship not only with AC but with other political parties. If we apply for merger, the processes are too long  that we may not achieve that before the 2011 general elections, we decided to have a good relationship with AC and other registered political parties," Useni said.

THISDAY learnt that the major opposition parties with relative strengths in many areas of the country are making progress in their discussions to have a strong alliance towards general election.
The parties in discussion include ACN, DPP, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Labour Party (LP).

“The discussions have been very positive,” a senior ACN official told the newspaper last night. “To defeat PDP and send them out of power, we in the opposition have discovered that we need to work together. There is no doubt about that. So we are looking seriously at forging a coalition. We are also looking at the candidates that can make this alliance work.”

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