[size=16pt]North Raises Dust Over Jonathan’s ‘2015 Agenda’ [/size]

• Threatens To Deal With Belgore On President’s Alleged Tenure Extension ‘Plot’

• Presidency Describes Claim As Mischief

NORTHERN political and opinion leaders have been meeting, with a pair of issues on their advertised menu: insecurity and poverty in the North.

But watchers of the polity have noted that behind the closed doors were discussions connected to the 2015 elections, particularly the presidential contest.

Truly, events of the past week have lent credence to this permutation, with several media reports credited to topnotch leaders of the region, alleging plans by President Jonathan to extend his tenure beyond 2015.

The presidency denial of the claimed plot has done little to erase the suspicion of the North that Jonathan will elongate his stay in Aso Rock beyond 2015.

Dr. Junaid Mohammed, who heads a group of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, spoke to The Guardian on the steaming topic.

He stated that some top personalities in the North had been contracted to achieve President Jonathan’s alleged plot to remain in power after 2015, warning that they would deal with the said northerners.

However, the presidency has denied the claims of Mohammed and others.

Dr. Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, told The Guardian yesterday that, “the terms of reference for the Belgore committee are in the public domain and cannot be speculated on, except for mischief and for those who want to play politics with the issues of constitution amendment.”

He said the Belgore committee, essentially, “is to look at previous positions for harmony, collate and advise government in its recommendations.”

“The committee and the executive do not have powers to amend the Constitution,” he stressed, adding that, “for anybody to now come up and make wild claims about a committee that has not submitted its report is more of mischief than anything else.”

“Secondly, the issue is to stress the point that this is an administration that has not completed its first year in office, that has a transformational agenda and has been doing its best to remain focused on that agenda.

“For a group not to see this commitment means that it has a sinister motive, and is only attempting to distract, but the administration remain focused,” he said.

Abati noted that tenure was a constitutional matter and the debate did not start with Jonathan.

“There can be no problem with the president expressing an opinion or suggesting a proposal on tenure, having regard to the bitter politicking, stress and obsession people have with election matters at the governorship and presidential,” he said.

“The issues have been debated and we have stressed that it is up to the people and the National Assembly to decide. We should be able to separate ignorance from politics,” he added.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=80448:north-raises-dust-over-jonathans-2015-agenda&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

The 2015 elections have started in earnest!
Anyone caught off guard will be sorry.

I'm sorry to ask this question, but does the average northerner's mentality favour being in charge over actually being happy? I ask this question, because they don't appear the least bit worried about the deplorable rot of infrastructure and education going on in their states. It doesn't appear to bother them that more northerners are moving in droves to the south to come sit in the middle of the roads to beg.
All they talk about is presidency. Priorities sha.

i don't know why they are so power-hungry. what's the point of being president when your people will still be ignored and left to wallow in abject poverty and ignorance?

The fact that they love their people to rule rather living good lives make them daft

The average northerner has been brainwashed by their elites to believe that gaining political rather than economic power is the ultimate. Even the Igbos that have been shouting igbo presidency are not really interested in it. They're just shouting just for the heck of it. The average igbo man has given up on politics. They're more interested in a favourable climate for their business. The north should take a cue from the east and other southerners and learn that power is not the ultimate.

Ejiné: I'm sorry to ask this question, but does the average northerner's mentally favour being in charge over actually being happy? I ask this question, because they don't appear the least bit worried about the deplorable rot of infrastructure and education going on in their states. It doesn't appear to bother them that more northerners are moving in droves to the south to come sit in the middle of the roads to beg.
All they talk about is presidency. Priorities sha.

well said

once an aboki is always an aboki

That the North is obsessed with the acquisition of political power is not a new story. That is one of the MAIN NIGERIAN PROBLEM that must be addressed. Like I say often, their obsession with acquiring power is only harmful to Nigeria mainly because they are NOT QUALIFIED to rule more educated southerners. That was exactly how Nigeria wasted DECADES under Northern rule without investing in something as basic as electricity supply.
If they were to wait until at least the average Northern state equals the average southern state in education levels, then we would at least know that they won't set us backwards again. One of the biggest Nigerian problem has been that critical national institutions were headed by less qualified people by way of quota system. The consequence is part of the mess we have today; but things are gradually changing as more qualified people are now taking over slowly.
The North can continue obsessing over political power, it has that right, BUT it must go to school first!

Nigerians are funny indeed. Why would anybody frown at the political exigencies of the northerners? Northerners have every right to talk, live, think and strategize about Nigerian presidency.

It is very ironical that individuals who would readily label someone tribal bigot are remotely twisted out of form because a northerner had shown a determined interest on Nigerian presidency.

If you are disturbed by the hunger of northerners to control the central government of Nigeria, you must support the disintegration of the cesspit called Nigeria.

Instead of ibos to strategize,they are busy propagandizing the north.Jonathan's tenure enlongation or second term is a derogatory to the ibos.

None of these people is putting forward any plans or agenda to move Nigeria forward, it is all about grabbing power for the sake of it and using it to benefit themselves.
Isn't Joe qualified to seek a second term? Whether or not he should get it is a different matter.