http://saharareporters.com/news-page/jonathan-recruits-briefcase-political-parties-arrange-rallies-support-fuel-subsidy-policyJonathan Recruits Briefcase Political Parties To Arrange Rallies In Support of Fuel Subsidy Policy
Posted: December 24, 2011 - 00:22
Goodluck Jonathan in an earlier meeting with major political party leaders failed
In a desperate effort to garner support for his widely unpopular plan to remove fuel subsidy, President Goodluck Jonathan last night held a secret meeting during which he tried to persuade officials of numerous minor political parties to endorse his policy.
Saharareporters learned that former Senator Ben Obi, the newly appointed special adviser on inter-party affairs, took charge of cobbling together some forty party leaders who agreed to take part in the secret parley with the president. Our sources disclosed that the meeting started at 8:30 p.m. with President Jonathan, his VP, Namadi Sambo, Minister of Information Labaran Maku, and Jonathan's Minister of Planning among the participants. Also in attendance were Senator Ben Obi and Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who flew in from a public event in Lagos to join the group.
The officials of the fringe political parties were led by Emmanuel Okereke, a self-styled leader of the "Interparty Advisory Council (IPAC)" and also chairman of the African Liberation Party. Another notable participant was Mr. Shittu Mohammed who doubles as secretary of Mr. Okereke's council and chair of another briefcase party known as the Republican Party of Nigeria. Other attendants included Mr. Udemba Chukwudelue, national chairman of National Solidarity Democratic Party (NSDP), Felix Modebelu of the Liberal Democratic Party, Mr. Damian Ogbonna of the Progressive Peoples Party, Yinusa Tanko, national secretary of the National Conscience Party (NCP) and running mate to Ovation Magazine publisher, Dele Momodu. Also present was Mr. Ebenezer Oyetakin of Nigeria Advanced Party (NAP), a party founded by Dr. Tunji Braithwaite.
Our sources disclosed that the meeting lasted for several hours, with most of the time focused on hashing out a strategy to organize rallies in support of the removal of petrol subsidies.
A source at the meeting said some of the party leaders came armed with proposals and budgets for the planned rallies and other actions to support Mr. Jonathan's deregulation policy. However, many of the participants left disgruntled and humiliated when they were each handed paltry sums of N100,000 as transport fare. “One of them grumbled that N100,000 was not up to what he could give his girlfriend for weekend shopping,” said one of our sources.
However, a source said Mr. Jonathan also proposed to offer political appointments to some of the leaders of the parties after a planned January shake-up of his government.
A source within Aso Rock told SaharaReporters that Mr. Jonathan is planning to remove some ministers and special assistants after the new year to give an appearance of a rejuvenated cabinet. The source also disclosed that Inspector General of Police Ringim has been slated for compulsory leave prior to retirement in February 2012.
One of our sources revealed that a more credible group of political party leaders under the aegis of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties had declined an invitation to meet with the president in a similar parley. The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) led by former Kaduna State Governor Balarabe Musa reportedly said there was no point meeting with a president who is not serious about tackling the nation’s economic and political crises, but is focused on preserving elite privilege at the expense of millions of suffering Nigerians. SaharaReporters learned that firebrand party activist, Olapade Agoro, was not invited to the meeting with Jonathan on the ostensible ground that his party was no longer registered by INEC. Mr. Agoro has openly expressed opposition to Mr. Jonathan’s plan on oil subsidy.
A source indicated that, despite the disappointment of participants with the paltry transport fare given to them, they agreed to start planning pro-government rallies in earnest to provide Mr. Jonathan the cover to pursue his policy of fuel subsidy removal. “In the end, the meeting agreed to organize nationwide rallies to sell the deregulation policies to Nigerians,” said the source.
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