After many months of suspense, President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday opened up on his intention to seek re-election during the 2015 presidential election.
All organs of the Peoples Democratic Party had before now endorsed the President as the party’s sole candidate for the election.
Groups such as the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria had also been campaigning for Jonathan by highlighting at rallies and through advertorials what they consider as his achievements.
Even though he had kept mum on the matter, his body language clearly showed that he had made up his mind to seek re-election.
Jonathan, who has already raised a 37-member declaration committee, will formally declare any day between November 7 and 15.
A reliable Presidency source, who pleaded anonymity told journalists in Abuja that Jonathan made his intention to contest known to the party leaders at a closed-door meeting in one of the guest houses inside the Presidential Villa.
The source said after thanking the party leadership for giving him the right of first refusal as far as the party’s presidential ticket was concerned, he told them that he had accepted the offer and was ready to run.
Jonathan was also quoted as telling the party leaders that he would come to the party headquarters to pick his nomination form before the October 30 deadline fixed by the party.
The source said, “President Jonathan today (Thursday) met with the leadership of the PDP and party leaders from the various zones of the country. He thanked them for giving him the right of first refusal as far as the party’s presidential ticket was concerned.
“The President told them that he had accepted their offer and he was interested in the presidential race.
“He told them that he will come and pick up his nomination form before the deadline stipulated by the party.”
The source added that following the declaration, the President announced the composition of a committee saddled with the responsibility of coming up with an elaborate declaration programme.
He said the committee chaired by a former Minister of Defence, Dr. Haliru Bello, was asked to work towards ensuring that the declaration held between November 7 and 15.
The committee, according to the source, has a former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani, as the deputy chairman, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, as secretary.
Members of the committee include a governor from each of the six geopolitical zones of the country, four National Assembly members; four members of the Federal Executive Council; four PDP officials as well as eight party members and four others appointed on presidential discretion.
A breakdown of members according to zones showed that the South-South, the North-East and the North-Central have six representatives each while the South-East, the South-West and North-West have five representatives each. The Federal Capital Territory has one representative.
Apart from Bello, Nnamani and Anyim, Prof. Rufa’i Alkali, Julius Imagwe and Baraka Sani are members of the committee.
State governors representing the various zones are Liyel Imoke of Cross River State; Theodore Orji of Abia State, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State, and Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State.
The National Assembly representatives are Hosea Agboola, Ahmed Makarfi, Bitrus Kaze and Salmas Badru.
Representatives of the Federal Executive Council are the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke; Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Abduljelili Adesiyan; Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina; and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed.
Officials of the party in the committee are the Deputy National Chairman, Uche Secondus; Benue State chapter Chairman, Chief Emmanuel Agbo; National Woman Leader, Kema Chikwe; and the North-West Zonal Chairman, Ibrahim Kazaure.
Party member representatives include Stella Omu, Walid Jibirn, Ibrahim Bunu, Jolly Nyame, Aniete Okon, Peter Obi, Remi Adikwu-Bakare, A. B. Mamman and Abdullahi Maibasira.
Those appointed at the President’s discretion are Halima Alfa, Nimota Akanbi , Micah Jiba and Sam Ikon .
Shortly after that meeting, Jonathan also entered into a crucial meeting where a committee saddled with the responsibility of raising fund for the PDP presidential campaign was formed.
The committee has a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, as the chairman.
Party chiefs who attended the meeting included the PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu; the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Tony Anenih, and the President of the Senate, David Mark.
The All Progressives Congress has however described Jonathan’s decision to seek re-election as an anti-climax.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said it would have been news if the President had declared that he was not running.
Mohammed said, “This is an anti-climax. Of course, if the TAN have been going all around spending billions on television advertorials and campaign, all the governors have adopted him, the National Working Committee, said he is the only one. As far as we are concerned, it is an anti-climax. It would have been news only if he said he wasn’t running.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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You will indeed fail. God will save his country.
ReplyDeleteAnd who is that saviour?
DeleteHis village HEAD!
DeleteYou have to repent for saying this you will be very surprise that he will win landslide because GEJ is pursuing Gods agenda for Nigeria that is why APC does not have any credible candidate for any of the seats it is waiting for PDP Protestants as "" New PDP " to come to APC to contest. So is this what Nigeria wants to make bounch of rebaliouse people our leaders, God forbid
ReplyDeleteBlah blah blah! I ve accepted offer... Abegi! Tell that to the fools. Nobody can make you do what you don't want to do anyway all the best. I wonder why none of you considered cleric Gunmi advice.
ReplyDeleteMark.
who is deceiving who? " I have accepted offer to contest". Try to make it look as if people were begging him to contest. Hmmmmmmmmmm.God will help us.
ReplyDeleteGod had already safe Nigeria with the Govt. of GEJ but not for him Nigeria would have been thrown into civil War & secession. APC should stop deceiving Nigerians until the screen themselves of Criminals in their cohorts. Good luck is transforming Nigeria and I wonder what APC is fighting for whether to destabilize Nigerian-God forbid , Why cant APC for ones say the truth by Congratulating GEJ on his transformation height and achievement , all they are clamoring for is to steal power from South South so that they can loot again as past Northern Leaders e.g Sani Abacha that died on top Nigerian stolen wealth- Shame to APC
ReplyDeleteYou are insulting the north, how do you think GEJ will win. If the northerners all has access to some online news and comments, i bet you they will never vote GEJ again. So if you love GEJ just campaign for him and pasuade the north to see reason why they should leave their own candidate and vote yours. All this useless comments against the north will only make him fail.
DeleteI am very sure that the people in this forum supporting GEJ have never been exposed to a better life before. This is no insult. If u live in a country with good government and reap the dividend of democracy, u will know PDP and GEJ are jokers. How can a country with over 180m people not have a credible leader. It's ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI dont understand why the north is clamouring for power. All the geopolitical zones have had a taste of power but the south east,yet I don't see them complaining. For now we're better off with GEJ. The polls will soon tell you that. No need to make noise. GEJ carry go. Them go chop pepper!
ReplyDeleteIt would ve been ur turn with the initial plan on zoning,but ur own pple from the south east supported in distroying de formula, so stop complaining.
DeleteMy brother God BLESS u jaare. All those supporting him on this forum are just stooges and instruments of his image laundering & deceiving d public campaign including Ojoma above. They take joy in calling falsehood truth & vice versa..for a mess of pottage. People till date in Nigeria still sell their birthrights like Esau for present gain on the altar of religious,ethnic,family,regional,sectional,personal interest & even conspiracy theory bias.
ReplyDeleteElection is not won on this platform & no mata ho much u campaign to deceive others ppl are beta informed now! So earn ur salaries as publicists or agents of propaganda..dat's wat u re paid for..but Nigeria is BIGGER than an individual or a group of individuals interest to hold on to power in perpetuity. LONG LIVE NIGERIA!
Obinna O
God bless u my brother. I dont know if it's God's punishment for some pple in this country who are suffering on a long term to be smiling on penury that only lasts them minutes. God save Nigeria from the ENEMIES within.
DeleteTHE OPPOSITION IS NOT PRESENTING ANY CREDIBLE CANDIDATE. BUHARI IS NOT LIKED BY MANY VOTERS DUE TO THE BELIEF THAT HE IS AN EXTREMIST. ATIKU IS MORE CORRUPT THAN GEJ AND IT WILL BE BUSINESS AS USUAL IF HE GETS THERE. APC IS A BUNCH OF DIGRUNTLED PDP MEMBERS. SO WHO IS DECEIVING WHO? THEM GO SOON CROSS CARPET AGAIN!
ReplyDeleteWhere are the youth? Tired of this different head same hat politicians. We need younger generation with serious goal to end corruption and lawlessness in Nigeria. GEJ is inept and corrupt. Buhari can not be trusted because of the crooks that are backing him, Tinubu, Atiku and host of others. What we need is new political parties of young and restless men and women that understands what development is about.
ReplyDelete