From TAIWO AMODU, Abuja
As the controversy continues on the alleged pact between President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP governors, limiting the former to spend one term as president, the Presidency has cautioned the governors and party chieftains to refrain from raising the issue, which, it claimed, could distract the president.
Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu in an interview last weekend had alleged that there was an agreement sealed with President Jonathan by the governors on the party’s platform, limiting him to spend one term.
Aliyu further revealed that it was on the basis of the pact that the governors agreed to support Dr. Jonathan to pick the PDP presidential ticket for the 2011 general elections.
Reacting to the dust raised by Governor Aliyu’s revelation, Senior Special Adviser on Public Communication to President Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe cautioned that sustaining the argument on the alleged pact could inflame anger and distract President Jonathan from facing the onerous challenge of governance.
Okupe further warned that the time was not ripe for discourse on 2015 presidential campaigns “and so President Goodluck Jonathan will not jump the gun.” Part of the statement from Okupe read: “Our attention has been drawn to issues raised by some political leaders to the effect that President Goodluck Jonathan signed an agreement with some governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party prior to the party’s presidential primaries in 2011.
“From time immemorial, for every major event or contest in the world, there is always a time and a season apportioned. “We wish to state categorically that this is neither the time nor the season to begin electioneering campaign or related discourse for the 2015 presidential elections and so President Goodluck Jonathan will not jump the gun.
“Mr. President will therefore resist any disguised or open attempt to drag him into any debates, arguments or political discussions relating to a presidential election in 2015.
The president considers this as an invidious attempt to sway him from his chosen pursuit of the set out constituents of the transformation agenda, which form the basis upon which Nigerians elected him to steer the ship of the Nation in 2011.
“President Goodluck Jonathan will not for any reason abandon these laudable goals to engage in a distractive political debate with any individual or group of persons. “However, we will not hold it against anyone who wishes to pursue such agenda because Nigeria is a free country and will continue to be so under this president.
“For now, this is our position on this matter and we assure Nigerians of Mr. President’s resolve to continue to devote his energy to a successful implementation of the transformation agenda, fix Nigeria and thereby justify the mandate freely given to him by the Nigerian people.”
Nigerians are watching 2015 out come.Which way Naija?
When ever an issue as sensitve as this is raised they buy for time before they respond.u don’t need time to say d truth bcos it is d easiest statement to make at all times.
With GOD all things are posible.in biafra we stand,coming 2015,let love leed.let every body celebrate his or her new mother land coming 2015,hausa,yuroba,igbo and orthers get ready 4 a new day is coming in Jesus name amen.
Big AMEN, see Biafra.
Where will the new Biafra land boundary be delineated? What will be the longitude and latitude is this new world? What will be the land use decree of the new Biafra to accommodate all the millions of Biafrans coming back home from other parts of the country? Or are those Biafrans now in the North, West, Middle belt and South, South going be considered as living in diaspora in the country that used to be theirs? I am a little bit confused here. Will the Igbos invade Delta and Edo states in order to have sufficient land mass for their living? Please tell me Mr. Biafra, because to grant residence permits to your millions of Igbo people living out side your land will not be easy even if it will be possible. I will meet you at the Head Bridge Approach to stamp a visa on your Biafra Passport then as the Nigerian Immigration Boss there
I saw Nigeria being divided before 2015.
@ See Biafra, i say a biggerb AMEN
So when is the budget going to be signed and implemented?
oga mr. iyirhiaro sir, before you worry for Biafra (very kind of you), let there be a sovereign national conference at the expiry of the so-called amalgamation. one should have been held starting from 2nd october 1960. this is another opportunity. the people is sovereign in every state-of-society which nigeria is not. give the people a chance. nigeria as it is now is a veritable caricature of state-of-society. when you see armed/uniformed men stopping innocent people in the street and commanding them to recite the national anthem how does it make you feel? pity (for) nigeria. it is a shame, nigeria is shameless. by the way, kim kadarshian could not find toilet roll in the lavatories of mmia. however, according to agency report, 2.8 billion dollars was “spent” on it. oka na true shebi na yoke?
As if he hs been performin.
JONATHAN NO BODY IS DISTRACTING YOU RATHER YOU AND YOUR PARTY ARE DISTRACTING AND DESTROYING US SINCE 1999,YOU MUST GO IN 2015,YOU ARE NOT TRANSFORMING NOBODY BUT YOURSELF AND YOUR CLOSE FRIENDS.
@Christopher Iyirhiaro thanks 4ur honesty in at least accepting & proving that Igbo is d single largest ethnic nationality in nigeria & whole of Africa irrespective of our small land mass. Well u don’t seem to knw ur history well. Standing at the Niger Bridge as ur nigerian immigration boss is a pointer that u’re delusional. Do u knw hw close Benin is 2 Agbor but d don’t speak same language? Or don’t u knw that Agbor speak Igbo but wit their btiful & dstinctiv dialect. Abraka & Obiaruku r close but don’t speak same lang. Ur type makes me laugh when u refer them as Ika Igbos. Every language has many dialects moving from one area to d other but got a central 1 which almost everybody undrstnds. Hav u heard of d agitation 4d creation of Anioma State out of Delta State? Any Igbo man knows the meaning of Anioma but u don’t as a non-Igbo, except u understand Igbo. Do u knw that late Major. Nzeogwu (an Igboman) hails from Okpanam near Asaba. Amb. Ralph Uwechue, the immediate past President of Ohaneze Ndigbo is from Ogwashiukwu. Do u think that the Niger River makes the Igbos on its west Bini, Yoruba, Hausa? Ndigbo hav enough landmass that will take every1 when ur Nigeria breaks up. Do u want to tell us that the Yorubas in Kogi State are not Yorubas or those in Benin republic? Obama’s Luo (also called Joluo) Kenya’s 3rd largest ethnic group (after the Kikuyu & d Luhya). They r found in Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Tanzania but they are of same tribe first b4 the above mentioned countries. Nzemas r found in both Ghana & Ivory Coast but it does not stop them frm being Nzema 1st. I undrstnd ur fears & appreciate ur respect 4 Ndigbo but I MUST allay ur fears here & state that Ndigbo shall not INVADE anyone except provoked. So learn 2 do ur research properly in order 2b incisive in ur comments. God bless Ndigbo & Africa, d mother continent.
God bless bro tanks for the lecture help me tell them cos they are so mayopic
Good job Obidi. the wise one from the east.
Good talk, Okupe. Detractors shld allow Mr. President to serve the nation the way he intended before the 2011 elections. I believe that his plans are for this country.
I mean his plans are good for this nation.
BUT WHAT IS THE FORCE THAT IS PULLING THESE NORTHERS AGAINST THE PRESIDENTIAL SEAT. DO THEY UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF POLITICAL POWER? THEY RULED NIGERIA FOR ALMOST 39 YEARS OUT OF THE 53 YEARS NIGERIA HAS LIVED SINCE HER INDEPENDENCE. AND WE HAD NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENT. UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NOTHING REMARKABLE FROM THE PEOPLE THAT RULED AFTER THEM TILL NOW. POLITICAL POWER IS FOR SERVICE AND DEVELOPMENT. IF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND IT, DISAPPEAR FROM THE SECTOR AND DO NOT SHOW FACE ANYMORE !
the northern i guess has a strong conspiracy against GEJ. Jonathan if doesn’t want coup against him should dismiss all the northereners serving under him bc there is an imminent premonition of danger comes 2015. We can beat them if GEJ is determined bc Ndi-Igbo will support him, his tribe also even the yorubas who have learnt their lesson from siding the Hausas during civil will as well give their impeacable support. The hausas have plans bt can’t work this this time around bc GEJ controls the armed forces.
These governors have done their second term, and they said Jonathan will not do his second term. This is selfishness.
They mobilised support for Jonathan to win the 2011 presidential election, because they wanted to return for second term, they have completed their terms and want to destroy the party and the country.
I think the North shud thank God dat d best tin dat has eva happened 2 them is a Southernern coming on-board d ship of Nija. Check d human development rate in d North and in Nigeria as a whole btw 1960 to 1999 and dat of btw 1999 till date and draw d conclusion urself. Its more than glarring. B gratefu for once u ingrates.
I think the North shud thank God dat d best tin dat has eva happened 2 them is a Southernern coming on-board d ship of Nija. Check d human and infrastructural development rate in d North and in Nigeria as a whole btw 1960 to 1999 and dat of btw 1999 till date and draw d conclusion urself. Its more than glarring. B gratefu for once u ingrates.