By ADE ALADE
Alleging that President Goodluck Jonathan has not represented the South South region well, a group of eminent persons from the zone has chosen to join forces with the North to stop the rumoured re-election bid of the president. Towards this end, the South-South leaders, led by a former military administrator of Lagos State, General Patrick Newton Aziza, under the aegis of Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU), last week held a closed-door meeting with the leadership of pro-North group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in Kaduna.
Details of what transpired during the closed-door discussion were, however, kept secret as journalists were only told that the meeting was “to re-ignite that longstanding relationship, keep it warm and energise it in our national political journey.” Saturday Sun can exclusively reveal that beyond what was made public, the South-South leaders were at the meeting to negotiate the future of their ethnic group after complaining bitterly about their disappointment with the administration of President Jonathan who incidentally is from the same region.
One of the leaders, who joined General Aziza at the meeting, disclosed: “Without mincing words, we are not pleased with the Jonathan administration because we have since discovered that the president has given virtually everything due to the South-South to only his Ijaw people, leaving out the interest of other ethnic groups in the region unprotected.” When challenged to justify the basis of their angst against the Jonathan administration, the source said: “In this administration, the Urhobos do not have the smallest of political appointments, not even a special assistant. So, the government does not favour us in any way and that is not healthy.
This informed our decision to seek cooperation with the North and other parts of the country, which can protect our interest in the next dispensation, that is in 2015. We can’t support someone who has failed and neglected us again. We need to take the destiny of our people in our hands and protect it.” A former governor of Edo State, Chief John Oyegun, who is the Chairman of the South-South Peoples Assembly (SSPA) led by President Jonathan’s kinsman and confidant, Chief Edwin Clark, however, described the UPU move as narrow-minded. He said though the Aziza group is a formidable team, it cannot, however, decide for the entire region.
He also denied that the development was an indication of a crack in the political aspiration of the region. According to him: “I don’t think the visit of General Aziza and other leaders of UPU to ACF in Kaduna suggests a crack in the leadership of the South South. Everything boils down to the subject of their discussion. It could be on security, unity and others. Different groups can hold their meetings depending on their interest. But when the issue borders on the interest of the different geo-political zones, that is a totally different matter.
Their visit does not portend any threat at all. Don’t forget that UPU has been there for a very long time though it is a very small unit and it covers only Urhobos. Urhobos are just a part of Delta, a majority part though. “Such groups will be doing their thing now, but when the time comes and we decide on the interest of our people, we will expect everybody to fall in line. When we get to that point, we will hold discussions with everybody and UPU will surely be part of that discussion.
The issue of where the next president comes from is still too early. We have the presidency now and if our man is not going to contest, then the issue of who to support will then arise. But now, nothing like that yet. By then, we will decide where our interest lies given the alternatives that are on offer. “So, now is the time for a lot of movement, motions, body language but all that don’t affect the position of the South South because UPU does not represent the interest of the South-South; eventhough they are a very important group. We have immense respect for them, they are very well organised but they are not South-South.”
All efforts to get General Aziza’s reaction, however, failed, as calls to his telephone line were neither picked nor text messages to the same replied. Answering questions after the closed-door meeting that lasted for two hours, Aziza had said: “We came to see our brothers; we had good deliberations over what is happening in Nigeria. The Arewas and Urhobos are not strange bedfellows. We share a long political history from the days of struggle for political independence from the British to the days of the First Republic and the post-military politics. We don’t want to bore you with the details of such political affinity and the historicisms, suffice to say, however, that such political affinity was based on mutual respect and equity.
“We seek to re-ignite that longstanding relationship, keep it warm and energise it in our national political journey. ACF, in our mind, share many other similarities with the UPU. Just like the UPU, the ACF is a major platform of convergence of the Arewa people and the veritable positive force for engagement of her people. It also provides an avenue for the ventilation of the views and idea of the Arewa people on critical national issues. It is this similarity of purpose and mission statement in our mind that has convoked this august gathering.”
On his part, ACF spokesman, Anthony Sani, said that the problem of the country has been suspicion among ethnic groups, adding: “But it is a good thing that the Urhobos have come around.” He said, the coming of the Urhobos to the North would eliminate the suspicion, more so that the ACF itself has begun nationwide tour of ethnic groups for peaceful co-existence.
I dey laughooo! So Mr. Azizi, if someone from your backyard is unable to help you, why do you think someone from all the way in Kaduna will help you? This is stupidity to the highest level, “Gen.” Aziza. The prudent thing for you to do is to send a delegation to Jonathan and air your grieviances to him. I still dey laughoooo!
The Azizi man must be out to blackmail President Jonathan to do more. With hind sight, no southsouth man with common sense would want the north to succeed Jonathan in 2015.
Because as soon as Born to rule takes over in this unfinished democratic experiment, Born To Rule may for decades be succeeding itself in Aso Rock, either in military or civilian dictatorships. In fact, the ensuing dictatorship in Nigeria may be a child’s play compared to Burma’s decades of military dictatorship.
I think u r d stupid 1. To think help can only arise from one’sa backyard
Cant you see ? there are many Judas among us, General for that matter…….devil is at work, the same story with OBJ zone.
HE MOST BE STUPID USELESS MAN…DEVIL EVEN BETTER THAN HIM…OBAMA HIS SENIOR BROTHER IN AMERICA DON’T HAVE PEPER BUT HIS THEIR FOR HIS BROTHER ..THAT IS WHY NIGERIA IS EVIL AND THEY WILL NOT HAVE GOOD PLAN EVERYBODY IS LOOKING FOR HIS ONLY POCKET…LOOK AT THIS MADE MAN AZIZA …HOW HE WAS STUPID MONKEY THAT LOOKING FOR BANANA
y u dey mumu like say ur mother boyfriend give birth 2 u @london boy
I have read your comments elsewhere, and wonder why you are always so abusive, and never sticking to the subject matter. Do you have a problem or what? And, is your english due to typos or do you have limited knowledge of the language.
My reply was for London boy.
ONE THING THAT MAKE ME TO LIKE GOD IS THAT HE DO HIS OWN THING AND KNOW ONE CAN CHANGE IT IF GOD SAYS THAT JONATHAN WILL BE NEST PRESIDENT NO ONE BORN BY WOMAN WILL STOP HIM..AND HE STILL HAVE 3 YEARS TO GO..BEFORE THIS TIME MANY WILL STILL DIE AND KNOW BODY KNOW WHO IS WHO..RESPECT GOD PLEASE …!!
IS D KNOWLEDGE OF GOD GAINED BY U AFTER UR FIRST COMMENT? COMMENT WITH SENSE OF MATURITY.
I don’t believe General Aziza can go to that lenght. When he was in service how many youths from south souyh did recommend into the military. Has he seen President Jonathan one on one discoussion before going to that lenght? How many of his Ijaw brother are even benefitting from his administration? Genaral Aziza should go nd sleep. No matter the gange up he will not succed.What gives him the impression that if some one come from the North, he would be favouered. Genral Aziza is just making noise. Iwas expecting him as a general to use his past rxperience and qualification to contribute meaningfull to assist this govrnment. By the awy who is the best person to rule this country? no one. This is the reason why we should join hands together and help whoever is on the throne to succed, not to plan a kind of coup with the north to betray his brother. That period has passed.
May be he want to enslave his people forever in hands this boko’s, another Esau who sold his birth rite for a potage yam.
If Ibori can not stop him in the S.S RTD Gen Aziza can not be able to do it. Aziza has only single vote on that day, how can one man,s vote mar GEJ in that region, others tried it and they committed suicide at long run. Who is Aziza in Nigeria politics to remove GEJ? This Animal Farm they gathered and nicknamed a party can not even wrestle with him let alone Aziza. This bad news rather goes for Ade Alade for being a biased reporter and a tribalist, he ought not to be an employer to a nation most widely read news media, he should find his trade to Tribune, Sketch or observer, stupor. Very soon we are perfecting a legal tussle for impassinating against APGA, useless people. As soon as they shared their positions, you will see almost all of them will return back to APGA, and PDP do you see those people as serious in politics, no wonder why they concluded in adopting a sickling name APC, Pfizer has long ago jettisoned such brand name as ineffective to consumers. They can transformed into Phensic , Panadol or Alagbin, these gang of spirits are too weak to out class their senior demons. It is only God can restructure the nation not by man. The spirit of innocent 3 million souls they wasted unjustly is tormenting the nation, until they came together to appease to their brothers living nothing good will work for this entity called Nigeria.
@ owerri, it’s your type that is keeping Nigeria from progressing. You see nothing bad in this corrupt regime! I don’t blame you, you are not learned enough to understand the effects of bad leadership. Please tell me, what is the population of the Niger-Delta combimed ? Are you even as populous as Kano State or Lagos State ? You should canvass for votes not defend the many evils of GEJ/PDP.
Please nobody should criticise Azizi. He has right as a person to join any political group. Politics is all about interest not about brotherhood. Don’t vote for any person because he is your brother. What is important in election is to vote for that person who can solve the problem of the citizens. Your brother may not be competent to lead . So don’t vote because he is your brother. The problem of this country is tribalism, nepotism and fanaticsim. APC: ARROGANT POLITICAL PARTY cannot be better than PDP. They are all the same people. JONATHAN SHALL PROVE HIS CRITICS WRONG VERY SOON JUST AS KESHI HAS DONE. The problem with jonathan’s admistration is that the press failed to report many positive things his administration is doing. HE ALLOWED DEMOCRACY TO THRIVE AS IT SUPPOSE.
ANY ATTEMPT TO BRING HAUSA-FULANI BACK TO POWER WILL BE STOUTLY RESISTED. THIS URHOBO MAN IS SELFISH AND SELF SERVING. WE DO NOT WANT GOVT BY BOKO HARAM AGAIN. GOODLUCK JONATHAN WILL BE THE LAST PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA. BY 2014 NIGERIA WILL CEASE TO BE A NATION.
MR NWOSU ARE SAYING THAT HAUSA-FULANI THAT RULED NIGERIA FOR 40 YRS WITHOUT ANYTHING TO SHOW FOR IT ISBETTER THAN JONATHAN. YOUR HEAD HAS TO BE EXAMINED. BOKO HARAM CANNOT RULE US AGAIN. THEY HAVE KILLED US ENOUGH. HAUSA-FULANI IS CANCER WHICH EVERYBODY MUST RUN AWAY FROM.
Prince Jimmy, remeber that a man from SS,Ray Dokpesi was IBB PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN IN 2011. Did IBB win the election, did his people vote for him in the primary. Even Atiku failed in his own state at the primary election. So leave Aziza, don’t crucify him he has only one vote if he thinks that his interest would be protected in APC: ARROGANT PEOPLES CONGRESS. One thing you should know is that ARROGANT PEOPLES CONGRESS ,APC will not win any election because they will handpicked candidates that have bad antecedent as their candidates. You saw what happened in 2011 election. People didn’t vote for jonathan because he is from eastern nigeria, or because of Niger Delta militant but because he was the best among all the candidates. Forget about the ante press raises every time here.
Saboteurs, they will never change!
Prince Jimmy I agree with u.
With all due respite sir Edwin Clerk has always come to me as man of yester years, as OBJ is a problem to the west same Clerk is to the south, to me ( GEJ) has done nothing for the urobos is a stale news, it baffles me in this present adminstration that preach fair play will not have a single urobo man as a minister not even as an an errand boy but yet one Edwin clerk with sit in wealth made from militant and kidnappers negotiator and claim to have the interest of the south south people, he champion the Ibori jail saga a man who brought development to delta state. If Ibori is a thief then what do you call OBJ and his likes who are walking freely ?
With all due respite sir Edwin Clerk has always come to me as man of yester years, as OBJ is a problem to the west same Clerk is to the south, to me ( GEJ) has done nothing for the urobos is a stale news, it baffles me in this present adminstration that preach fair play will not have a single urobo man as a minister not even as an an errand boy but yet one Edwin clerk with sit in wealth made from militant and kidnappers negotiator and claim to have the interest of the south south people, he champion the Ibori jail saga a man who brought development to delta state. If Ibori is a thief then what do you call OBJ and his likes who are walking freely ?
Emmi rokah
Prince Jimmy the idiot,you people are all and will remain thesame till death,so now Jonathan is doing good because you think a notherner might become the next president?Foolish illitrates,vote him from now till eternity,you‘ll continue like till you die,so surprising yet you claim wisdom,why vote someone who can deliver instead of this regional stupidity?Wake up while you can,foolish ladies.
Guys stop believing the media, they do what they are told to do. let the general run his stuff, cos whatever transpired between them won’t be revealed.
Nigerian politics is not a one way thinking. thesame stories different versions
So Aziza wants political patronage and doesnt know how to go about it? Let him join the PDP first, contribute immensely,,be noticed, then seek compensation. By the way how does Aziza’s Urhobo/Isoko alliance in Delta treat other ethnic groups in the state ? This is not Abacha or Babangida era…where he aligned with the North and got appointments. No one went to kaduna with Aziza
LONDON BOY makes me laugh.He said if God says Jonathan is the next president nobody can change him.My question is that,is it God who made him president? Have you 4gotten some voters were given bags of rice and salt?Have you 4gotten how many lives have been lost?The price of a litre of fuel skyrocketed from N65 to about N100,is this the outcome of the administration of the man you said was chosen by God to lead us?One thing is sure, Jonathan will not go beyond 2015.Urhobo people,this is a good move,i support you from Edo state.I hate Jonathan administration,since it facilitates corruption.
I know that there is no ethnic group in nigeria that has less than one million ppl, and there are very many countries in the world today with 500 000 ppl and they are doing well, why can’t mr aziza and his ppl plan for a country of their own instead of begging the hausa ppl to adopt them, I think they sold themselves very cheap
.I know that there is no ethnic group in nigeria that has less than one million ppl, and there are very many countries in the world today with 500 000 ppl and they are doing well, why can’t mr aziza and his ppl plan for a country of their own instead of begging the hausa ppl to adopt them, I think they sold themselves very cheap. I don’t know this mr aziza but if during his active service, he did nothing for his ppl the he is working for his personal pocket now, ppl should not follow him.
@ mr. Chairman u’re right, i appreciate ur comment.
can u imagin south south or urobo people seekin colaboration wit hausa/fulani people.does it mean they can nt coperate n suport d d igbos as it is the igbos turn 2 produce d next president?i hav always said it dat d igbos worst enemies are d south south people.very soon we wil opt out of dis unholy marriage n they wil remain wit their hausa/fulani brothers since d igbos are nt their brothers.
ALL THESE FOOLS ARE LOOKING FOR MONEY FROM JONATHAN. TO BE CANDID JONATHAN IS NOT DOING WELL. HE PROMISE NIGERIANS HAVEN AND EARTH NOW HE DISAPPOINTING US. I THOUGHT HIS COMING FROM A POOR BACKGROUND WOULD HELP US.THAT WAS THE MAIN REASON PEOPLE VOTED FOR HIM. HE TURN TO BE THE WORST. GOD WILL VISIT HIM ONE DAY.
Aziza, has the right to join whatever political group he decides, however am personally against allowing the North to rule the country so soon, i don’t mind if he can align with any other interest group. I am not a fan of GJ’s Govt. It lacks sense direction and urgency needed to move this country out of the mess we found our self.
End time is now.
ALL THESE FOOLS ARE LOOKING FOR MONEY FROM JONATHAN. TO BE CANDID JONATHAN IS NOT DOING WELL. HE PROMISE NIGERIANS HEAVEN AND EARTH NOW HE IS DISAPPOINTING US. I THOUGHT HIS COMING FROM A POOR BACKGROUND WOULD HELP US.THAT WAS THE MAIN REASON PEOPLE VOTED FOR HIM. HE TURN TO BE THE WORST. GOD WILL VISIT HIM ONE DAY.
98% of the commentators should keep attacking the General and completely refused to write on the issue of underperformances of GEJ. May be when keshi’s team wins the nation’s cup, in the 2015 election campaign, the president would carry the cup on his head as achievement when he contributed nothing to the initial struggle of the boys. Most of us writing should remember to let the president understand that he should keep to his electorial promises: even right now there is no good road to yenogoa except increase in helicopters in flux which would disappear when GEJ is out of power.
IT IF GOD SAYS THAT JONATHAN WILL BE NEST PRESIDENT NO ONE BORN BY WOMAN WILL STOP HIM..AND HE STILL HAVE 3 YEARS TO GO..BEFORE THIS TIME MANY WILL STILL DIE AND KNOW BODY KNOW WHO IS WHO..PLEASE RESPECT GOD AND LEAVE OK. UP JONATHAN …UP NIGERIA AND ALSO PRAY FOR HIM PERFORM WELL. GOD BLESSING NIGERIA.
Urhobo people are not more than 100 in number.
@ Bakassi , I will not waste my time on you because you are not a Nigerian. Camerounian people will answer you in due course. You will name that evil GEJ committed for only 2 yrs in office that is more grievous than the 38 yrs with the NNPC functioning, including a total of 11 yrs leadership under OBJ, now GEJ has committed evil because he has no much rumour mint people that can save guard him than the latter, ie why he has misruled the nation, saboteurs like you will jump over from Cameroun to foment troubles in Nigeria idiot like you.
What Jonathan has is what he is giving to Nigerians. A poor background will produce a poor administration. So Jonathan administration shouldn’t be a surprise and disappointment to this nation called Nigeria. For South-south to team up with the Northerners shows that they are doom and saboteurs, and if such plan take place, they would be in blind cage forever, senseless fools.
Like it or not Jonathan will fall flat on his face in 2015. Majority of us voted for him cause we thought he would rid the country of corruption and put Nigeria on the right track to success. Instead he kicked us in the teeth and shattered our hopes. Corruption is on the increase while he stands by watching. Come 2015 it will be good riddance to bad rubbish .
U can imagine, 2015 still at distance. The wife of tinubu sen. Oluremi tinubu is eyeing d seat of a deputy senate president. Na wao d claimed apc party.oo
In politics there is no permanent friend or enemy but only permanent interest.
mr bakasi, what is the population of kano state and what parameter are you using to judge or rate jonathan? What has any govt in nigeria achieved that jonathan have have not being able to achieve withhin the same time frame? Not even talking of how you insisted in making it imposible to rule. I am not saying that he cannot do better. But we all know that all the desire of the gathering of the vultures in the name of merger is to take power back to the north, the only ones they can decieve are little minded ppl like you who are ready to go with every wind that blows. You are gloating at the bakassi ppl, it wasn’t jonathan who dashed them to cameroun for free, it is the same buhari and co. that you wish to vote in as a president, I hope the bakassi ppl are listening.
President Jonathan, dnt mind ur detractors, God pass them.
OWERRI thnks my broda, i alwaz lyk ur coments dis is my no 07034432353. Southern Nigeria shud disregard Urhobo people cox they ar enemies of progress, they hate Ijaws, they thought dat they ar d ones who wud hav been in Aso rck, their bros Ibori dd evrythn possibl 2mek sure GEJ ddnt suceed Yar’dua; nw he is in jail packin Oyibo man shit. D populatn of Urhobos is abt 200,000 to 300,000 so wot can foolish Azizi n his peopl do in a fail country lyk Nigeria, they claim dat GEJ administratn has nt appointd any of dia peopl, den i ask hw many of Calabar(Effek) peopl ar in GEJ govt? Is Effek nt populatd dan Urhobo? If ur bros who is passin dsame road wit u ddnt help u who else wil? Amongst oda peopl in Naija is only Boko Haram Urhobo went 2associate wit… I dey laf, pls my Igbos, Ijaws n odas in Delta state u peopl shud monitor Urhobos b4 they trow bomb in south oh, bcos as they ar leavin North they must hav been given some packages aka bomb 2trow in Niger Delta… Foolish fools
God knows the best, Man propose but God dispose.
Dat’s politic 4 u,all i kno is dat jonathan must run d 2nd term.And i want tell Aziza dat urhobo pple must have benefiting 4rom jona adm either directly or indirectly.it is nt possible 4 jonathan, among many ethnic groups in nigeria 2 call uhrobo pple separate and say dis wat if have 4 u
Dat’s politic 4 u,all i kno is dat jonathan must run d 2nd term.And i want tell Aziza dat urhobo pple must have benefiting 4rom jona adm either directly or indirectly.it is nt possible 4 jonathan, among many ethnic groups in nigeria 2 call uhrobo pple separate and say dis wat i have 4 u
My southern brothers are hating the North for no justifiable reason. Let us not forget history too soon. It was the same North that allowed this democracy to be a reality. The so-called PDP is a Northern Party and the Southern are un-aware of it. PDP was born in Kaduna and the majority of it criminal support base is in the North. Without the North, there is no PDP. Democracy is a game of number not Rigging !… We must allow change for the benefit of all. GEJ remains the most corrupt president Nigeria ever had! Quote me anywhere i have proofs. Sentiments will not take us anywhere.The so-called hausa/fulani man is still the best person you can work with, they are far more generous than their Southern counterparts. Use your heads ! PDP is evil !…u
@ Bakassi, pls how much did the Al Qaeda people paid you to come and tarnish GEJ,S image? So for the only 2 yrs GEJ has spent sofar had made him to be richer than IBB, ABDULSALAMI, ABACHA , OBJ, even that one that came into power with only 20,000 naira left in his account in 1999 before our brother Orji Uzor Kalu came to his rescue financially with a sum of $1million usd to bankroll his electioneering campaign, have you forgotten in a hurry? Now the said person commands the most posh home in Africa after his reign. What has GEJ acquired name it to shame ur critics? Tinubu is running over 72 different accounts today all over the world in the financial houses, is that the kind of people u re soliciting to restructure Nigeria? Is it the other one that wants to Islamised every human being in Nigeria by forceful means, you are dying for? The other one that allocates choice plots to himself and well wishers when he was at the helm of affairs at FCT is your saint before GEJ. I can see your problem is simply being attributed on mere jealousy. You re a sale out, better compose how you will manage the rest of your life with your new found country Cameroun and stop disturbing Nigerians pls.
This Bakassi must be mad, who destroyed the 2nd republics, is it not those u re falsfully claiming otherwise ? Is it not Dr Alex EKWUEME and chief Solomon Lar that formed PDP? Why giving glory to whom that doesn,t merit it? You better escape from this forum and find your way back to your country Cameroun.
Owerri you are the man of the day.Carry do .Biko.
Well general aziza,your grieviance is non sense bcos its for your own interest.your view is meaningless.I am sick and tired of our so called politicians.at this age,you guys are still thinking of sharing the money.thinking of the man that will be there to favour you.na wah o.what is UPU and AREWA?are we not one nigeria again.we need a good leader from any tribe in the country,even if its the smallest tribe since we need president to take us out of this fraudulent mess.
No vacancy in Aso Rock till 2019 so hausa/fulani go and huge transformer.The ealier you understand this the more you save yourselves of heart attack.
Ethnic sentiments at work, the issue here should be, do we have a performing president, and the answer is NO? whether Azazi was clamoring to support any group that is his right. So let us be fair and just to ourselves and remove all these ethnic sentiments which has ruined this country till date. Nigeria need a vibrant person to lead and not someone who is confused in every ramification of Governance.
check out all the falsehood,blackmail and propaganda going on in the media against the govt and d person of GEJ,it is comming from the yorubas whose penchant for trechery is legendary .the brand of politics of hatred played by omo odua is to say the least very inimical to d progress and prosperity of nigeria once a govt does not allow them latitude to continue in their blazing corruption and rip off of nigeria ,they will go into trenches and start the war of blackmail,propaganda and falsehood against that govt.this is exactly what they are doing to GEJ using the media which they control to undermine the govt and make it look as if the govt had failed.in the time when coup is the in thing dat was how they keep on inviting coup plotters to overthrow govt upon govt and kept nigeria unstable.only a new comer to d evil politics of omo odua or an ignorant fool will take this type of news report serious.for sure jonathan is slow but d truth is that he is making steady progress in every sector .
My people of south-south, it is not yet late untill it is late.so lets keep on watching president Jona
THE HAUSA-FULANI AND YORUBA MARRIAGE WILL FAIL. THEIR PARTY, ASSOCIATION OF POLITICAL CRIMINALS WILL NOT SEE THE LIGHT OF THE DAY.
Dont mind FOOLISH Patrick Aziza,The idiot is broke.He is making noise because he has finished spending the monetary compensation he got from Abacha for convicting OBJ and Musa YarAdua. You thought your bakery and your sawmill in Sapele will feed you for ever & you can no longer maintain your Lexus SUV given to you by Abacha’s administration for licking his ass.IDIOT.Why didn’t you talk when OBJ was the president.
@ owerri, u 2 much. A clasical example of a gud analyst