[size=18pt]S’ East govs, others dismiss Ekwueme’s search for Atiku’s running mate[/size]

Monday, 13 December 2010 00:00 From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu News - National

Supporters extol ex-VP’s virtues




SOUTH-EAST political leaders rose from a meeting in Enugu yesterday and unanimously endorsed the presidential aspiration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. But they dismissed as “irrelevant” the search by former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, for a vice presidential candidate for Atiku Abubakar.

The support for Jonathan, however, came with a caveat as the leaders insisted that he (Jonathan) must support the aspiration of the Igbo to produce a president for the country in 2015 in line with the zoning arrangement that recognised the country as a federating entity.

Although the political leaders approved the action of the governors which had earlier endorsed the aspiration of Jonathan, they, however, said they should have consulted the leaders before taking the decision to avoid the discordant voices that had greeted their decision.

At the meeting chaired by Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State were Governors Peter Obi (Anambra) and Theodore Orji (Abia). Deputy Governors Sunday Onyebuchi (Enugu) and Ada Okwuonu (Imo) represented their governors.

Former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dozie Ikedife, Onyema Ugochukwu and Tim Menakaya were also there.

Also at the meeting were members of the National Assembly from the zone, Chairmen and secretaries of Ohanaeze Ndigbo from the five states, chairmen of traditional rulers’ council in the zone, market association leaders in the zone and youth and women organisations.

But Ekwueme, former Senate President Ken Nnamani, Ben Obi, among others in the campaign train of Atiku Abubakar, were absent from the meeting.

Speaking on the absence of these leaders said to be engrossed in the search for a running mate for Atiku, Elechi said: “This is democracy and they have their right to belong to any camp they want to. But let me assure you that they are not a threat and Ndigbo is not interested in producing a vice president this time around. We don’t want to discuss or stop them because what they are doing is not for the overall interest of Ndigbo and they know it. But we are happy that our people despite their political and religious leaning are today speaking with one voice for the overall interest of the people of the South-East.”

Reading a four-point statement reached at the over five hours meeting, Governor Elechi stated that the decision to endorse Jonathan and work for his victory at the primaries of the PDP till he wins the Presidency was of the concern he has exhibited in the affairs concerning the zone.

The statement reads: “That President Jonathan has demonstrated sensitivity and commitment to redressing the plight and deprivation of the South-East zone as evident in the commencement of execution of the 2nd Niger Bridge project, dealing with erosion and other ecological problems in the zone, upgrading of the Akanu Ibiam Airport to international status with the runway expansion already completed, among others.

“To endorse the presidential bid of Dr. Jonathan for the 2011 elections and urge all peoples of the zone to support the Goodluck-Sambo presidential ticket by voting en-masse during the forthcoming presidential election.

“Accordingly, to urge all delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from all zones to vote en-bloc for President Jonathan-Sambo ticket at the presidential primaries.

“That all Igbo in Nigeria and in the Diaspora should take up the Jonathan/Sambo presidential bid as a project deserving collective support irrespective of political affiliations.”

They added: “The Igbo should be supported to produce the president of the country in 2015.”

But Atiku has been described as the Nelson Mandela of the struggle to entrench democracy in Nigeria.
A Jigawa group, the Atiku Forum 2011, made the declaration in Abuja at the weekend while endorsing his candidacy for next year’s presidential polls.

Leader of the Forum, Malam Abdullahi Abdulhamid (Mutawallin Hadejia), said that the contributions of the Turaki to democratic struggle are unassailable.

According to him, Atiku’s feat in the nation’s democratic struggles stands him out in the same “way Jomo Kenyata of Kenya liberated Kenyans from the wicked arms of the colonialist and the way Mandela freed South Africa from apartheid domination.

“That is how you liberated Nigerians from the dark clouds of the Obasanjo’s third term agenda, thereby ensuring the continuity of democratic rule in Nigeria.”

Abdulhamid paid tributes to former President Ibrahim Babangida, Lt.-Gen. Aliyu Gusau and Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State for their “patriotism” in accepting the choice of Atiku as the consensus aspirant of the “North.”

Responding, Director-General of the amalgamated Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, Senator Ben Obi, assured the group that its members would be adequately represented in the Jigawa State chapter.

Speaking at the town hall meeting, Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, said there was no better candidate to fly the flag of the party than Jonathan, stressing that the zone should now go and sleep as they had achieved what other zones could not achieve.

He said: “We understand need and necessity to pitch our tent in one camp. What is critical is not just to support. What we demand is to be taken seriously. We are not part of government now. There is an effort to get us to play a pivotal role. In 2011, we will not stay behind. How do we realize 2015? We stand from 2011.
We are today the most beautiful bride in Nigerian politics. Yorubas have taken their share. The North has taken and is still taking. The South-south has taken. In 2015 it should be our turn. If we don’t make our case serious, we will be taken for granted. It is better at the primaries; we hold them by the balls. Jonathan and Sambo must tell us, this is where we stand on 2015.”

Senator Anthony Agbo from Ebonyi State said that the zone would now meet with the president to extract a commitment from him on the 2015 project.


http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32202:s-east-govs-others-dismiss-ekwuemes-search-for-atikus-running-mate&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

These governors no get sense. From SS to SE, how possible is that

I'm sorry but this is seems rather bizarre. On the one hand it's good that they aren't too interested in what Atiku is selling, but on the other hand their support for IBB's 2015-Igbo president idea puts them in the exact same camp as the Atiku group. Let's think about this logically:

1) If Atiku has an Igbo VP and gets elected or edges out the competition with the help of Igbo votes, he has just as much of an obligation or just as much pressure on him to help out or favor the south east and do the exact same things Jonathan is doing now. While Jonathan reached out to Igbos in 2006 out of genuine goodwill, and is now reaching out to them out of goodwill and for political points, Atiku is only doing so for political points but the overall outcome/results of their attempts to please the southeast will ultimately be the same. And if Atiku somehow fails to do anything for the south east, an Igbo VP will probably just succeed him in 2015 just by being handpicked by him the way Yar'Adua was and this Igbo VP will get the job done for the south east as president.

2) They seem oblivious to the fact that the very reality that GEJ will not step down in 2015 for an Igbo candidate is what is motivating those in the Atiku camp. Those in the Atiku camp are thinking with realpolitik, while those in the Jonathan camp might only just now have realized or wanted to admit that a Jonathan presidency without a doubt means an Igbo president only in 2023 and were possibly previously blinded by all the moves made to redress southeastern complaints.

3) This Igbo president 2015 idea was purely the orchestration of IBB. It simply was not on Northerner's minds prior to IBB suggestion and they even pushed aside Odili, a Niger Delta Igbo, for a former nonentity like Jonathan. This shows that the idea that 2015 belongs to Igbos as reconciliation for the civil war was purely a political calculation against Jonathan by IBB, since in fact, the same North who are crazy about this zoning thing were actually directly responsible for dashing the chances of a probable 2015 Igbo president (Odili). So this very 2015 some Igbos are calling for might easily have been "handed" by the North over to a non-Igbo Niger Deltan to quash all the militancy/Niger Delta exploitation claims.

4) How will Jonathan, the first and probably only Ijaw president of Nigeria there will ever be, after winning in 2011, if he performs even above adequately, not to even talk of whether he does well, just up and stop his 2015 chances? He would have the opportunity to cement his legacy (if he does well), or correct his mistakes (if his performance is substandard), or improve on his mediocre performance if he has enough momentum or appeal and furthermore, his appeal is not based on ethnic sentiments or ideas of zoning so if he does not step down in 2015 for an Igbo, how could any Igbo politician, no matter how good, win against Jonathan unless Jonathan performed abysmally in his first term? If Northerners don't get the presidency in 2011, they will be a force against GEJ in 2015, but not for an Igbo candidate; instead, they will support a Northerner to make up for their supposedly lost 4 years. Thus the only people supporting an Igbo president in 2015 will be some Igbo, making defeating Jonathan with an Igbo candidate if he decides to contest in 2015 an impossibility, unless, as I said before, Jonathan performs abysmally and the Igbo candidate is just too good.

5) Jonathan is humble and not too ambitious, but even this (this stepping down for Igbo in 2015 idea) requires a kind of low esteem of one's self and a "yes sir I will do whatever you say sir" houseboy kind of mentality, which he's already proven he doesn't have.


I think this Igbo-2015 caveat might be the first sign of a complete swing away from GEJ and towards the Atiku camp. Things are looking bad for the 2nd educated head of state in Nigerian history.

Obiagu1:

These governors no get sense. From SS to SE, how possible is that

I wish these Governors will be respectful enough to tell us that they found Jonathan to be the best candidate Nigeria can ever produce and go ahead to justify their argument with Jonathan's records or his policies.

But this talk of power rotating from SS to SE insults my intelligence because it is not possible under any zoning arrangement in this country.

The only way power goes to SE from SS in 2015 is if an Obama emerges in SE in 2015 and takes the country by storm through his convincing charisma not through any kind of zoning.

mikeansy:

I wish these Governors will be respectful enough to tell us that they found Jonathan to be the best candidate Nigeria can ever produce and go ahead to justify their argument with Jonathan's records or his policies.

But this talk of power rotating from SS to SE insults my intelligence because it is not possible under any zoning arrangement in this country.

The only way power goes to SE from SS in 2015 is if an Obama emerges in SE in 2015 and takes the country by storm through his convincing charisma not through any kind of zoning.

seconded!!!

I have always said that at the appointed time SouthEast will jump ship and it will begin from Imo State. This news shows that this trend is begining to fall in place.

Why did Ohakim of Imo excuse himself and was represented by his deputy? Why did Chime of Enugu do the same? The reason is simple, they have started their double moves and at the convention they will come out from their shell and truly represent the interest of SE and their personal ambition. Remember Chime and Ohakim fancy themselves as Presidential candidates from South East (while you may have doubts about these guys being President, their ambition will guide their politics at the PDP convention).

Peter Obi is of no political value at PDP primaries, the Anambra PDP machinery is firmly under Ekwueme control.

Martin Elechi of Enugu will at the appointed time jump ship and support the interest of the South East on this issue.

The only Governor I see standing by Jonathan to the end is Governor Theodore Orji and this is for the simple reason that Orji Kalu is waiting in the wings to oust him and Governor Theodore will not want to play games with his support for Jonathan just because he needs to retain his own sit and he Theodore has no Presidential ambition whatsoever.

So guys chill. The Atiku movement in on course in the South East.

And let nobody under-estimate the importance of the VP slot. Remember that if Jonathan did not accept the VP slot in 2007, he will certainly not be President today.

mikeansy:

I wish these Governors will be respectful enough to tell us that they found Jonathan to be the best candidate Nigeria can ever produce and go ahead to justify their argument with Jonathan's records or his policies.

But this talk of power rotating from SS to SE insults my intelligence because it is not possible under any zoning arrangement in this country.

The only way power goes to SE from SS in 2015 is if an Obama emerges in SE in 2015 and takes the country by storm through his convincing charisma not through any kind of zoning.

@ the bolded, Thank you.

McKren:

I have always said that at the appointed time SouthEast will jump ship and it will begin from Imo State. This news shows that this trend is begining to fall in place.

Why did Ohakim of Imo excuse himself and was represented by his deputy? Why did Chime of Enugu do the same? The reason is simple, they have started their double moves and at the convention they will come out from the shell and truly represent the interest of SE.

Peter Obi is of no political value at PDP primaries, the Anambra PDP machinery is firmly under Ekwueme control.

Martin Elechi of Enugu will at the appointed time jump ship and support the interest of the South East on this issue.

The only Governor I see standing by Jonathan to the end is Governor Theodore Orji and this is for the simple reason that Orji Kalu is waiting in the wings to oust him and Governor Theodore will not want to play games with his support for Jonathan just because he needs to retain his own sit and he Theodore has no Presidential ambition whatsoever.

So guys chill. The Atiku movement in on course in the South East.

And let nobody under-estimate the importance of the VP slot. Remember that if Jonathan did not accept the VP slot in 2007, he will certainly not be President today.

so you prefer the vp slot . how do you people think? can't you go for the presidency? gj was the vp mainly because of mend and the fact that he was from a "minority" group! YOU are from a majority group for GOODNESS SAKE!!! why bend for anyone why are you satisfied with vp position? do you think if we have an igbo vp that would guarantee ndigbo presidency after atiku? . do you not think the political terrain would have changed by then? MAKE YOURSELVES POLITICALLY RELEVANT!!! MO!

jason12345:

so you prefer the vp slot . how do you people think? can't you go for the presidency? gj was the vp mainly because of mend and the fact that he was from a "minority" group! YOU are from a majority group for GOODNESS SAKE!!! why bend for anyone why are you satisfied with vp position? do you think if we have an igbo vp that would guarantee ndigbo presidency after atiku? . do you not think the political terrain would have changed by then? MAKE YOURSELVES POLITICALLY RELEVANT!!! MO!

We are not bending for anyone, we are simply respecting the PDP zoning arrangement we helped craft. When the North produced VP under OBJ they were not fools.

There is nothing wrong for SE to accept VP at a time power has been zoned to the North. It is called honouring an agreement.

It is simply being reasonable, not being a fool or coward. The VP slot under Atiku is perfect for Ndigbo at this time.

jason12345:

so you prefer the vp slot . how do you people think? can't you go for the presidency? gj was the vp mainly because of mend and the fact that he was from a "minority" group! YOU are from a majority group for GOODNESS SAKE!!! why bend for anyone why are you satisfied with vp position? do you think if we have an igbo vp that would guarantee ndigbo presidency after atiku? . do you not think the political terrain would have changed by then? MAKE YOURSELVES POLITICALLY RELEVANT!!! MO!

Don't mind that southern subordinate to the north.I guess it still hasn't dawned on them even though Ekwueme himself tried it twice and got the same result.Even though he's trying it again indirectly, i guess 3 is a charm . MC kren, i suggest you stick to turn-tables.

chyz:

Don't mind that southern subordinate to the north.I guess it still hasn't dawned on them even though Ekwueme himself tried it twice and got the same result.Even though he's trying it again indirectly, i guess 3 is a charm . MC kren, i suggest you stick to turn-tables.

You people need to stop being arrogant for nothing and learn to play politics in Nigeria.

What Ekwueme is doing for Ndigbo is the best, I hope you guys don't realise this too late!!!!

chyz:

Don't mind that southern subordinate to the north.I guess it still hasn't dawned on them even though Ekwueme himself tried it twice and got the same result.Even though he's trying it again indirectly, i guess 3 is a charm . MC kren, i suggest you stick to turn-tables.

thank you chyz.

McKren:

You people need to stop being arrogant for nothing and learn to play politics in Nigeria.

What Ekwueme is doing for Ndigbo is the best, I hope you guys don't realise this too late!!!!

stop thinking like minority! YOU ARE A MAJORITY GROUP LIKE THE YORUBAS AND HAUSAS NOT IJAWS OR EFIK OR WHATEVER!!! you are entitled to the presidency like every other group is. the ijaws have realised this so why don't you i am not trying to play the devil's advocate but stop belittling yourself politically!!!

McKren:

You people need to stop being arrogant for nothing and learn to play politics in Nigeria.

What Ekwueme is doing for Ndigbo is the best, I hope you guys don't realise this too late!!!!

funny but true

alj harem:



funny but true

i know you would be happy since they do not oppose the north politically.

McKren:

You people need to stop being arrogant for nothing and learn to play politics in Nigeria.

What Ekwueme is doing for Ndigbo is the best, I hope you guys don't realise this too late!!!!

Playing second fiddle because of a promised from a northerner in an unstabled political party is not playing GOOD politics. PDP will soon be dead in the SW.Look at how many PDP members decamped to the ACN because of the new governors. They left in droves, check the articles.There is no way akala is going to win oyo state the same may apply to ogun, this if if the election isn't rigged. That weakens the name of the "ruling" party of nigeria. The APGA is putting forward great candidates in the SE, at least in Ebonyi and Imo.They are more than likely to win is again, PDP doesn't rig the elections. Also, with the riff-raff thats going on in Enugu PDP, chime is likely to leave if it goes against his way. Then after that happens PDP will no longer be the "ruling" party of nigeria. Now where does that leave your Igbo VP? Have you not seen the articles in which IBB planned to leave the PDP with other northerners if zoning is not honored? What makes you thing that before 2015, time for an "Igbo president" that they wont leave en-masse and not just the northerners? Please think my brother.

chyz:

Playing second fiddle because of a promised from a northerner in an unstabled political party is not playing GOOD politics. PDP will soon be dead in the SW.Look at how many PDP members decamped to the ACN because of the new governors. They left in droves, check the articles.There is no way akala is going to win oyo state the same may apply to ogun, this if if the election isn't rigged. That weakens the name of the "ruling" party of nigeria. The APGA is putting forward great candidates in the SE, at least in Ebonyi and Imo.They are more than likely to win is again, PDP doesn't rig the elections. Also, with the riff-raff thats going on in Enugu PDP, chime is likely to leave if it goes against his way. Then after that happens PDP will no longer be the "ruling" party of nigeria. Now where does that leave your Igbo VP? Have you not seen the articles in which IBB planned to leave the PDP with other northerners if zoning is not honored? What makes you thing that before 2015, time for an "Igbo president" that they wont leave en-masse and not just the northerners? Please think my brother.

may Almighty GOD bless you!!! AMEN!!!

@ mckren

i can not explain it better than what chyz has said! a word is enough for the wise.

McKren:

We are not bending for anyone, we are simply respecting the PDP zoning arrangement we helped craft. When the North produced VP under OBJ they were not fools.

There is nothing wrong for SE to accept VP at a time power has been zoned to the North. It is called honouring an agreement.

It is simply being reasonable, not being a fool or coward. The VP slot under Atiku is perfect for Ndigbo at this time.

why did the north not make an igbo man the vp when yaradua was in power since after yaradua it was the igbo's turn? why did atiku not become the president after obj? lol. your zoning has been jettisoned since 2007 so now everyone is back to their tent and with ndigbo as the beautiful bride (as usual). its like you love playing second fiddle and that is why you are not respected in the political terrain. i can tell you that the igbos can be the most powerful group politically only if they stand up and say NO!. why? you guys are the most wide spread group in nigeria and possibly the largest group but when you allow the north and the west to play with your psyche then you get what you have been getting that is the vp slot but never the presidency. i can also assure you that if you get the presidency (maybe 2025 if you continue with this vp thing), he would be a pawn head to one of these groups (west or north). you have to learn to be politically mature and not to be spoon fed by them. this is my own opinion though
_{it was not meant to insult ndigbo but this is how i see it}

Here we go again.How many times will they endorse Jonathan?This is rather becoming childish to me.

Strategically, the Governors decision to support GEJ & extract as much commitment as possible from him on infrastructural projects in the East may be the best option for Igbos.

The idea that Jonathan can 'deliver' the presidency to the Igbos in 2015 is unrealistic. The guy can barely deliver it to himself now! Jonathan has no base in PDP & is currently propped up by OBJ & the like. How can he deliver it to the Igbos??

It's the big players behind the scene who will decide 2015, not necessarily Jonathan.

Chyz

What some of you need to realise is that if Ndigbo ever get to produce the President anyday, another ethnic group will have to produce the VP at that time. At the rate you guys keep demonising the idea of VP position; trust me there will be nobody ready to play second fiddle for you. And you know what happens at a time like that? You will be isolated like the arrogant fool you are.

We are a country of 300 ethnic groups. Some are not even mentioned in the scheme of things. Jason is a Yoruba man who has already benefitted from zoning and will rather destroy it so that he can eat his cake and have it and you are accepting his bait.

There is nothing wrong if Ndigbo play as you put it second fiddle on this occassion. When OBJ was President, the North played second fiddle, when Yar'adua was President the South South played second fiddle. So there is nothin wrong if we play second fiddle in 2011.
It is the arrogance of people like you that has meant Ndigbo are simply outsiders in Nigerian politics.

I have no interest taking political lectures from Jason because I recognise that no ethnic group alone can elect any President in Nigeria. So people need to form coalitions and reach concensus with others. Jason is simply not happy that two major ethnic groups Hausas and Igbos can ever reach a concensus.

They used to abuse us for being unable to agree with others, now we are doing our best to aggree with others they want to turn arround and tell us we are playing second fiddle. It seems to me this group of people will criticise everything Ndigbo do.

I will certainly not take political lectures from my adversaries, I don't know about you.

McKren:

Chyz

What some of you need to realise is that if Ndigbo ever get to produce the President anyday, another ethnic group will have to produce the VP at that time. At the rate you guys keep demonising the idea of VP position; trust me there will be nobody ready to play second fiddle for you. And you know what happens at a time like that? You will be isolated like the arrogant fool you are.

We are a country of 300 ethnic groups. Some are not even mentioned in the scheme of things. Jason is a Yoruba man who has already benefitted from zoning and will rather destroy it so that he can eat his cake and have it and you are accepting his bait.

There is nothing wrong if Ndigbo play as you put it second fiddle on this occassion. When OBJ was President, the North played second fiddle, when Yar'adua was President the South South played second fiddle. So there is nothin wrong if we play second fiddle in 2011.
It is the arrogance of people like you that has meant Ndigbo are simply outsiders in Nigerian politics.

I have no interest taking political lectures from Jason because I recognise that no ethnic group alone can elect any President in Nigeria. So people need to form coalitions and reach concensus with others. Jason is simply not happy that two major ethnic groups Hausas and Igbos can ever reach a concensus.

They used to abuse us for being unable to agree with others, now we are doing our best to aggree with others they want to turn arround and tell us we are playing second fiddle. It seems to me this group of people will criticise everything Ndigbo do.

I will certainly not take political lectures from my adversaries, I don't know about you.

my brother, first of all, i am of itsekiri origin.

secondly, what has the yorubas benefited from having one of their own as president? what has the hausas benefited from having one of their own as president? you so called zoning did not surface until 2003. do you even know why obj was made the president? it was because the nrth wanted to appease the sw from seceding. my brother, there is no zoning. its all about your political relevance. its about what another group can gain from you like how GJ said his middle name is azikwe lol.

anyway, if you think i am trying to trick you or anyone from seeing the truth then carry on. Goodluck!

McKren:

Chyz

What some of you need to realise is that if Ndigbo ever get to produce the President anyday, another ethnic group will have to produce the VP at that time. At the rate you guys keep demonising the idea of VP position; trust me there will be nobody ready to play second fiddle for you. And you know what happens at a time like that? You will be isolated like the arrogant fool you are.

We are a country of 300 ethnic groups. Some are not even mentioned in the scheme of things. Jason is a Yoruba man who has already benefitted from zoning and will rather destroy it so that he can eat his cake and have it and you are accepting his bait.

There is nothing wrong if Ndigbo play as you put it second fiddle on this occassion. When OBJ was President, the North played second fiddle, when Yar'adua was President the South South played second fiddle. So there is nothin wrong if we play second fiddle in 2011.
It is the arrogance of people like you that has meant Ndigbo are simply outsiders in Nigerian politics.

I have no interest taking political lectures from Jason because I recognise that no ethnic group alone can elect any President in Nigeria. So people need to form coalitions and reach concensus with others. Jason is simply not happy that two major ethnic groups Hausas and Igbos can ever reach a concensus.

They used to abuse us for being unable to agree with others, now we are doing our best to aggree with others they want to turn arround and tell us we are playing second fiddle. It seems to me this group of people will criticise everything Ndigbo do.

I will certainly not take political lectures from my adversaries, I don't know about you.

Bro you got to understand, it is not about yoruba. Its about your own people.The yoruba are going to do what they do regardless. The yoruba did not benefit from zoning.They didn't even vote OBJ. He was installed by his military buddies IBB,and the rest of his Elites military and non-military northern brothers. Your main focus should lie on the development of Igbo land not an "Igbo president". What we are trying to do here is correct the wrong thats being done against us federally. If jonathan delivers what we need, then why should he step down? Even if he doesn't step down who are we to say that he can run passed 2015? As long as he does it fair and right then so be it,let the competition begin. Second fiddle brought us nothing in the past and will bring us nothing now.Why cant you reason with thorough logic? If jonathan fail to live up to egualizing the Igbo in to the federal world which includes infrastructure et-all then the Igbos must FIGHT away the presidency from him.This should be done by voting,population, litigation, and diplomacy.

Don't take 'political lectures' from your adversaries but take it from me as a fellow Igbo and a brother, they will use and dump us! VP's are not voted on yet Yaradua could not choose Odili as VP, why? Please don't throw away your vote on a promise by a worldly evil being.

In as much as i  selfishly want GEJ to win becos as a Bayelsa man he is if he attracts or locates a refinery in Bayelsa it wud b easier for my people to access it than if it is in adamawa via atiku.
But sincerely thinking as a Nigeria I don't think GEJ is the better option cos he hasn't got the exposure to advance the country. And look , don't say that's why we hav adviser becos if the head can't fashion out a reasoning in wat the advisers says he wud find the idea ludricious and thereby wudnt implement it. Ie if an adviser recommends selling off government properties, and the president isn't in the know abt basic economics and hasn't heard or seen countries doing it he wudnt accept the decision. He wud see it as a typical local Nigerian wud see it: as selling your property.

And sorry but for whateva reason I think GEJ has a fisherman reasoning
Sori but judging from his antecedents so far

1. Suspending dredging of river Niger

2. Hasn't enabled the EFCC to persecute any of the over 400 people in their books. Oji Uzor Kalu was more a less a condemned criminal during yaradua era n knew it that was y he was quiet all thru but now he has started gallivanting.

3. A point in time when every agent and economist is suggesting the federal government to whitle her financial commitment off university and others, a time when rich investors are ready to invest in the country's educational sector: there re over 40 pending applications for private university, a time when existing fed unis are so barren dry, made autonomous and denied money from d fed becos the fed hasn't got the money just yet our fisherman president is building 6 more !

4. I'm afraid GEJ will b a waste of 4 if nt 8 years to attain greatness for Nigeria

5. Moreover i think it's time we had someone who wants to b a president, someone who has a vision with stong passion to embark on this mission. Obj,YDA and now GEJ never wanted it, that's why they were/re all devoid of ideas

Jonathan all the way. No Northern tokenism. No Northern pretences of sudden loads of love for Ndigbo.Which VP has ever been a P in Nigeria? Only one. GEJ. God's choice. GEJ all the way.

chyz:

Bro you got to understand, it is not about yoruba. Its about your own people.The yoruba are going to do what they do regardless. The yoruba did not benefit from zoning.They didn't even vote OBJ. He was installed by his military buddies IBB,and the rest of his Elites military and non-military northern brothers. Your main focus should lie on the development of Igbo land not an "Igbo president". What we are trying to do here is correct the wrong thats being done against us federally. If jonathan delivers what we need, then why should he step down? Even if he doesn't step down who are we to say that he can run passed 2015? As long as he does it fair and right then so be it,let the competition begin. Second fiddle brought us nothing in the past and will bring us nothing now.Why cant you reason with thorough logic? If jonathan fail to live up to egualizing the Igbo in to the federal world which includes infrastructure et-all then the Igbos must FIGHT away the presidency from him.This should be done by voting,population, litigation, and diplomacy.

Don't take 'political lectures' from your adversaries but take it from me as a fellow Igbo and a brother, they will use and dump us! VP's are not voted on yet Yaradua could not choose Odili as VP, why? Please don't throw away your vote on a promise by a worldly evil being.

Unfortunately if there is any thing we have learnt from the last 11 months of Jonathan it is that he will be a monumental failure of a leader. He is catastrophe waiting to happen and I certainly will not be part of that failure.

Trust me the likes of Ekwueme and Ken Nnamani are not kids in politics.

^^^^^^^^
You are wasting your time with that NigerDelta boy named Chyz . . . . . He doesnt get it all.

@OP
2015 Igbo presidency is not negotiable . . . Atiku/Soludo or Atiku/Nnamani already have the votes of the Ndigbo.

MetalGong4:

^^^^^^^^
You are wasting your time with that NigerDelta boy named Chyz . . . . . He doesnt get it all.

@OP
2015 Igbo presidency is not negotiable . . . Atiku/Soludo or Atiku/Nnamani already have the votes of the Ndigbo.

@ bolded

how is that possible?

MetalGong4:

^^^^^^^^
You are wasting your time with that NigerDelta boy named Chyz . . . . . He doesnt get it all.

@OP
2015 Igbo presidency is not negotiable . . . Atiku/Soludo or Atiku/Nnamani already have the votes of the Ndigbo.

Has nothing to do with Niger Delta but everything to do with the Igbo.I will never accept second fiddle for the Igbo because of some greedy Igbo politicians like Soludo and Nnamani want to reach their dream of being an Igbo president. If they do want to reach it then this definitely ain't the way.

McKren:

Unfortunately if there is any thing we have learnt from the last 11 months of Jonathan it is that he will be a monumental failure of a leader. He is catastrophe waiting to happen and I certainly will not be part of that failure.

Trust me the likes of Ekwueme and Ken Nnamani are not kids in politics.

Now remember how I told you about them decamping en-masse when "time" for an "Igbo" president?I guess you thought I was naive about nigeria politics when I explain scenarios earlier. Read this:


[size=15pt]28 govs threaten to quit PDP, over MPs’ NEC membership bill[/size]


Tuesday, 14 December 2010 04:48 Habeeb I. Pindiga & Suleiman M. Bisalla

Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party yesterday met with President Goodluck Jonathan where they threatened to defect from the ruling party unless he worked with them to scuttle a bill seeking to make federal lawmakers members of national executive committees of political parties.


The meeting, held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was a follow up to an earlier one by the PDP Governors Forum on Sunday night, where they resolved to stop the National Assembly bill, which has already been passed by the House of Representatives. They had set up a six-man team, headed by their chairman, Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State, to register their protest with the president.



Daily Trust learnt that soon after the governors’ meeting ended early morning yesterday, the delegation proceeded to the villa to see the president, who, however, asked that the meeting be held at 4pm with all the 28 PDP governors and national chairman Okwesilieze Nwodo in attendance.

By 4pm, the meeting kicked off, and inside sources told Daily Trust that some of the governors accused Jonathan and the party’s leadership of instigating the lawmakers to pass that bill with the aim of eroding the governors’ influence in the party.

Nwodo, however, denied the accusations, insisting that both the party and the president were opposed to the bill.

According to our sources, at this point the governors said they were satisfied with the explanation by the president and Nwodo, but they asked both of them to impress it on the National Assembly to drop the bill.

The governors told the president to withhold assent if the bill is eventually presented to him or else they would defect en masse to another party. They said they had already started discussions with an unmanned opposition party for all the 28 of them to move together as a block out of the PDP.

Also yesterday in Abuja, the Northern Governors’ Forum rose from a meeting vowing to use any means necessary to frustrate the lawmakers’ bid.

Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, who is chairman of the forum, said the governors would use all means at their disposal to stop the National Assembly members from ramping themselves into the excos of their various political parties through the controversial bill.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting of the forum in Abuja yesterday, Aliyu said stopping the lawmakers was necessary and that if the governors cannot achieve it in the end, “there are many ways of killing a bird.”

The controversial bill, which seeks to amend the Electoral Act 2010, is being sponsored by some senators and members of the House of Representatives, and the Senate is likely to pass it today.

Apart from making the lawmakers members of the parties’ excos, the bill also seeks to hand over to the legislators all the processes of National Assembly primaries within the parties. The bill elicited widespread condemnation from political parties and other interest groups across the country, but the lawmakers have so far moved on unperturbed.

The Northern Governors Forum yesterday also denied reports that it chose to meet in Abuja, instead of its traditional headquarters Kaduna, because of security concerns. It said in a communiqué that the meeting was held in Abuja out of convenience only.

It added that this was in line with the forum’s decision to “rotate the meeting among member states in alphabetical order, starting from Adamawa State, while Kaduna remains the headquarters and the secretariat as coordinating centre.”

The forum also agreed that in view of the prevailing circumstances in the country, it would increase the frequency of its meetings in order to “rejuvenate economic prosperity to foster the desired political development, peace, unity and progress of the north and the country in general.”


http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8303:28-govs-threaten-to-quit-pdpover-mps-nec-membership-bill&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

These Govs need to stop speaking out both sides of their mouth.

You can't support GEJ and still be asking for Presidency in 2015

Ibime:

These Govs need to stop speaking out both sides of their mouth.

You can't support GEJ and still be asking for Presidency in 2015

gbammmm

Ibime:

These Govs need to stop speaking out both sides of their mouth.

You can't support GEJ and still be asking for Presidency in 2015

this is exactly what we are saying.

Power can never be zoned from SS directly to SE in 2015. It will never happen and I personally will not support such a move because that is simply recipe for confusion.

Under zoning power is moving between North and South. when it goes to North the geopolitical zones can take turns and when comes to South the geopolitical zones can also take turns.

If Jonathan stays 2011 - 2015; the next President after Jonathan will surely be a Northerner. That is the fair thing to do and that will be the move of most politicins.

I would have personally supported Jonathan even if it means SouthEast will take their turn in 2025; but the problem is Jonathan is a waste of everybody's time and hence no need to jettision PDP zoning for a vissionless man.