The schism in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might deepen further as 20 of the party's 28 governors claimed they were backing President Goodluck Jonathan for the party's presidential ticket on Thursday . Two of the governors were represented by their deputies.
The schism in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) might deepen further as 20 of the party's 28 governors claimed they were backing President Goodluck Jonathan for the party's presidential ticket on Thursday . Two of the governors were represented by their deputies.
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At the end of meeting attended by President Goodluck Jonathan, the PDP governors and the leadership of the PDP, the governors issued a statement, saying they would support Jonathan to seek one more term of office.
But moments after the statement was made public, some of the governors spoke to SaharaReporters saying their public posturing on the matter should be discountenanced.
"Forget it. It is was a sham," one of the governors, who spoke to us said. "He (Jonathan) desperately wants us to endorse him and we have acted it out the way he wanted. But we will shock him during the primary. The man is getting too desperate."
The National Executive Committee meeting of the ruling party scheduled for Tuesday was abruptly postponed till Thursday after tense encounter between PDP governors and the party chair, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo. Also, Jonathan pleaded that he needed more time to consult with governors over the zoning controversy that is threatening to tear the party apart.
But before the Thursday NEC meeting, the president and the party held a separate meeting with the governors. A source said no sooner than the meeting began than Jonathan launched into a long speech begging the governors and other participants to save him from imminent disgrace at the primaries.
"He practically begged" the source said. "He appeared helpless as he pleaded with us to support him as he would spend only one term in office. He argued that the division within the PDP might cause the party victory at the election and that every member would suffer if that happens."
Shortly after the meeting 18 governors and two deputy governors released the joint statement below:
"At the emergency meeting of PDP Govs held Thursday 16th day of Dec, 2010 and having deliberated extensively on democratic practices the world over, observed as follows:
*Democratic systems all over the world recognise the principle of incubency and continuity.
*Entrenched Democratic culture persistent in presidential system and our constitution entitles our President to run for a second term which the PDP Govs support.
*The Govs also recognise the Yaradua/Jonathan ticket and therefore hereby support and endorse President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to contest the 2011 election as the PDP Presidential candidate for a period of four years."
But Kwara State Governor, Bukola Saraki, who is chairman of the PDP Governors' Forum, refused to sign the statement. Saraki is backing former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar who is the consensus candidate of some Northern elders for the election.
SaharaReporters had revealed how Jonathan , at a meeting with the Save Nigeria Group in Abuja, had sent a clear message to the governors, most of whom are corrupt, that if they failed to back him, he would use the largely discredited Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to hound them. He also reportedly threatened that he would compel the party to deny them the tickets of the party. The names of the 18 governors that endorsed him were not immediately available but our source at the meeting said, the Kwara state governor and one of the candidates involved in the so-called "Northern Consensus" did not sign today's endorsement of Jonathan
To demonstrate his seriousness, according to our source, Jonathan has asked his Special Adviser on Amnesty Matters, Timi Alaibe, to purchase the governorship ticket of the party for Bayelsa State. Jonathan, the source said, plans to use Alaibe to dislodge Governor Timipre Sylva, who is suspected of disloyalty. "The president might use similar tactics on other recalcitrant governors," the source added.
Jonathan's bid for the ruling party's nomination has sharply divided the party and the prospect of being strongly challenged by ex-vice president, Atiku Abubakar, anointed by some PDP elders from the north, is staring Jonathan in the face.
Atiku and his allies, former military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida, Kwara State governor, Saraki and former National Security Adviser, Aliyu Gusau are yet to react to the development. But a source in their camp said they would respond in a "politically deft and ferocious manner" to counter Jonathan's new "arm twisting tactics".
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