The emergence of a group of ex-governors rendering support for the reelection of President Goodluck Jonathan has strengthen his efforts as the president continued to seek the backing of various groups in the country towards his ambitions into the presidential seat by 2015.
This is however against the stand of opposition as well as critics who have vowed to do everything possible to ensure that the president’s tenure is not elongated more than the six years they expect him to spend.
However, President Jonathan has reiterated against all odds that he is eligible to contest in the forthcoming 2015 general elections when he said in New York on Monday that the constitution has made the provision for a “maximum of eight years for anyone who wants to become a president or a governor”.
But the New PDP consisting of a group of seven governors and some PDP leaders are in the forefront of the fight against Jonathan’s undeclared ambition.
Hence, a group of former governors and candidates have declared their support for Jonathan saying that it would be unfair to deny the President the right to seek another term.
They are under the auspices of G13 Candidates/Former PDP Governors Forum which was led by a former governorship candidate of the PDP in Edo State, Major-Gen. Charles Arhiavbere.
The ex-governors insisted that the blames on Nigeria’s challenges should not put on Jonathan nor his administration.
The group held a meeting in Abuja, yesterday with a former Minister of Sports, Damishi Sango; former military governor and one-time Chairman of Nigeria Football Association Col. Abdulmumuni Aminu; former governor of Adamawa State Boni Haruna; former deputy governor of Ogun State Alhaja Salimot Badru; former governorship candidate of PDP in Ondo State Mr. Olusola Oke; former Minister Dauda Birmah, former Military Governor John David Dung and retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Donald Iroha in attendance.
The decision of the G-13 as presented by Gen. Airhiavbere read in parts: “The constitution provides for eight years for every office and I believe that going by natural justice, if there is a tenant in a house and it is going for sale, the first opportunity of refusal should go to the occupant.
“And I believe that based on the midterm report of the President, we believe that he should be given a second term in office to finish his project.
“President Jonathan has the right. It has not been published anywhere that he signed an agreement to run for one term. He should be given support and peaceful environment to implement his projects to completion.
They enjoined the G-7 of the New PDP to embrace peace and return to the mainstream of the party under the leadership of Bamanga Tukur.
In a related development, a source revealed that a visit by the Special Adviser to the President on the Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku to the factional leader, Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC) Otunba Gani Adams was politically-motivated. But the duo of denied discussing 2015 elections issues in their meeting.
The source, close to the presidency who did not want to attributed, disclosed that the meeting was attuned to Jonathan’s unannounced ambitions aimed at garnering the support of the South-West for the 2015 elections.
Besides, in a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary of the Abubakar Baraje-led New PDP, Chukwuemeka Eze, it was noted that party noted that the President has given enough clue of his intention to run, although he has not declared it openly.
The faction recalled Jonathan’s statement in Ankara, Turkey in February 2011, during an interactive session with Nigerians and diplomats working in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union (AU).
“We are worried that Mr. President is intent on running despite his earlier promise not to do so and in spite of the wise counsel of well-meaning Nigerians, including respected elder statesmen,” it said.
Adding that the President had stated thus: “Four years is enough for anyone in power to make significant improvement and if I can’t improve on power within this period, it then means I cannot do anything even if I am there for the next four years”, the PDP faction advised the president to listen to the voice of reason and “avoid overstretching your good luck.”
“We wish to appeal to Mr. President to abandon this ill-advised move and save our nation from catastrophe. God has been merciful to you, Mr. President; lifting you from being a university teacher to President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in so short a time is something you should be grateful for and be contented with”, the New PDP said.