I thought every single Governor in Nigeria had "endorsed" Jonathan ? "whipping" Governors into line, changing the order of the Primaries and the general election that has remained as is for a while and under hardened election riggers, undemocratically wanting your political appointee who are not members of the PDP to vote in the Party's primaries, etc ,etc . How much more desperate and undemocratic will Jonathan get in trying to actualise a highly unpopular ambition ? Why not recognise that , despite all the fake noise of "endorsement" , you do not have much real support? Why then not settle for conducting free and fair polls so Nigerians can gain good leaders at all level ? http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/11765.html2011: Jonathan’s camp gets team to check governors
Yusuf Alli, Abuja 01/09/2010 00:30:00
THE President’s loyalists have raised a five-man committee to work out how he can win the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The secret panel is also expected to come up with options to checkmate the PDP governors who are believed not to be backing Dr Goodluck Jonathan.
The committee, among other objectives, is to look at whether holding presidential primaries first will help to secure the governors’ support for the President.
But, having got wind of the plot, the governors have launched a counter-strategy ahead of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party where the order of primaries and dates will be ratified, The Nation learnt Tuesday.
The five-man committee is expected to submit its report before the end of this week.
Members of the committee are a former Minister of Information, John Nwodo; the PDP National Organising Secretary, Uche Secondus; ex-Minister of State for FCT Solomon Ewuga; a Political Adviser to the President, Aminu Indabawa; and a flamboyant Lagos newspaper publisher.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said: "While we are awaiting the timetable from INEC, the Jonathan camp has decided to go ahead with its plans for the PDP primaries.
"The five-man team will assist loyalists of the President on how their candidate could emerge as the PDP flag bearer. We expect the committee to submit its report either by this weekend or early next week.
"The truth is that time is no longer on our side and we cannot take anything for granted again."
It was learnt that a major task for the committee is how to "whip" PDP governors into line to support the President.
The committee, which is to work with the party leadership, is also expected to "look at the possibility of holding the presidential primaries of the party ahead of the governorship primaries."
The source said: "Definitely, the order of primaries will change from the pattern in 1998, 2003 and 2007. That is one of the areas that the five-man panel will consider as suggested by the strategists of the President.
"In 1998, the party started its primaries from the election of candidates for the local government election through the state candidates and ultimately the presidential candidate at the Jos Convention.
"The same sequence of elections was repeated in 2003 and 2007 when the party completed the primaries into all offices with the election of a presidential candidate in Abuja. But with the conspiracy on ground, Jonathan’s camp is seeking a change of the old order.
"Everyone pretends to be loyal to the President and the party but they are working subtly to frustrate PDP at the poll. But with presidential primaries coming first, all party members will be able to pledge their loyalty and work for the party’s victory."
Another PDP source said: "Since the party may opt for indirect primaries, Jonathan’s camp wants presidential primaries to be held first as a bargaining power with the governors and other party members seeking elective offices.
"The strategy is based on the conviction that if the presidential primaries are held first, governors who are not supporting Jonathan will be afraid that if he wins the ticket, he will use the party machinery to stop them from winning their own primaries.
"While the strategy is directed at first term governors, strategists of President Jonathan are also of the view that second term governors who are desirous of installing their surrogates as successors will also be wary of denying the president the votes in their states - a position that may make him work against the emergence of their surrogates as party candidate.
[b]
"The new strategy is simple. If the President loses in a state controlled by the PDP, it can only be because the governor worked against him. The President will then have the opportunity to also work against such a governor when it comes to their gubernatorial primaries."
"The President and his team are said to be working round the clock to win the support of at least 10 governors of the party. It is hoped that by holding the presidential primaries ahead of the governorship primaries, more governors will be forced to deliver their states to avoid reprisals from the party leadership in their own elections."
It was also gathered that the idea of making presidential primaries the first leg of the intra-party elections might be to "prevent the emergence of some of the state governors or their surrogates in 2011."
The source added: "The targeted governors fall in two categories. The first are those opposed to the President’s presidential ambition.
"The second category is made up of governors who are perceived as not capable of winning their states in the general election, thereby constituting a baggage to Jonathan’s chances. The states in the category are Oyo, Ogun, Kaduna, Taraba and Benue states. Many leaders of the PDP are said to be of the opinion that the party will be doing a disservice to itself and the states, if it hands over the states to these governors or their surrogates."
It was gathered that the governors are hatching a counter-plot.
A source said: "By virtue of their influence in NEC, the governors will prevail on the party to allow the presidential primaries to come last. The governors favour the old order.
"It is going to be a battle royale like the zoning palaver. Every power bloc in PDP is set for presidential primaries[/b]." |
some comments to the article; Ali Ayara on 01/09/2010 01:03:35
i wonder why our politicians devote so much energy at grabing power with little care about what they do with it.
Michael Adefarakan on 01/09/2010 01:14:27
First they borrow from the template of late dictator Sani Abacha. And now they are borrowing a leaf from former President Olusegun Obasanjo. They should have read the hand writing on the wall: Nigerians will not be taking for a ride anymore. The president alluded much to this when he was labouring to convince us that he did not beg IBB to drop his presidential bid. Well if he thinks he can checmate the governors then he is naive. He will be in for a shocker. So, this is the free and fair polls he promised us. He may yet turn out a worst dictator than those he is throwing barbas at. It is very clear that this president does not have anything to offer, but is merely a desperado. If he and his camp are so confident that they are acceptable to the generality of Nigerians, why brow beat the governors into supporting him. Anway, even as he embarks on arm twisting and other forms of blackmail and intimidation he should not forget that he was one of the governors that former chairman of EFCC Mallam Nuhu Ribadu had concluded investigations of graft on before Obasanjo forced him on us. And secondly, his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan still has a case to answer with the anti-graft agency. |
So I am supposed to read an article from The Nation about Jonathan  Its like asking your enemy to advice you on a business proposal!! The Nation= Tinubu, Sun= Orji Kalu, Compass= Gbenga Daniel, Daily Independent= Ibori. These are not credible sources of information in political times. Their partisanship is beyond cheap!!! Only the smartless believe their fabrications. If I need accurate political news I would go for non partisan papers like Thisday, Guardian Vanguard, Next and a few others!! |
