AN instant rebuttal came from the Presidency last night to a foreign media report that President Goodluck Jonathan had dumped his ambition to remain in Aso Rock for a second term.
Presidential spokesman, Ima Niboro, in a statement immediately the President’s entourage arrived from Gabon where he had attended that country’s independence anniversary, said the President has not made a final decision on whether or not to participate in next year’s presidential elections.
He said the report by a foreign wire service was “sponsored by interested parties.”
The foreign medium, Reuters, had quoted unnamed Presidency sources as saying that the President is “considering not standing in elections due next January but will make his intentions known by the end of the month.”
Niboro noted that “at the appropriate time”, Jonathan would make known his final decision.
Until then, he said “every comment on the subject remains mere speculation.”
The full statement by Niboro reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a report published by Reuters today, quoting “Presidency” sources as stating that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan may have decided not to run in the 2011 presidential elections after all.
“Information at our disposal indicates that this is a story sponsored by interested parties. Unfortunately, the highly rated global news
agency was misled into publishing it. The truth is that the President has not said he will not run. Neither has he said he will. At different times, he has given clear reasons why he considers it premature, in the interest of governance, to make any commitment both ways.
“At the appropriate time, the President will inform his country men and women of his future plans. Until then, every comment on the
subject remains mere speculation.”
There were also indications yesterday that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears uncomfortable by statements credited to some presidential aspirants from the North.
In order to avoid further stoking of the political fire in the region and the entire country, The Guardian learnt yesterday that the PDP leadership is tinkering with a stakeholders’ meeting to urge caution on the part of politicians and address other thorny issues.
Since former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, declared their ambition for the 2011 presidency, the political clime in the North had been overheated with debates as well as criticisms of their quest having rule the country in the past.
Also, a movement to galvanise the North into presenting a fresh face for the race is gathering momentum.
The Guardian learnt part of the plans is to get the PDP structures in the 19 northern states to discuss the matter before the party’s special convention, which will be held in less than one month.
The meeting, expected to be chaired by the PDP Deputy National Chairman, Alhaji Haliru Mohammed Bello, is allegedly to appeal to all stakeholders from the North to go about the 2011 politics with caution.
The summit, party sources hinted, will discuss the lingering crisis over the status of some members such as Atiku Abubakar and the possibility or otherwise of presenting a consensus presidential candidate from the North.
As a prelude, the leadership of the party in the North has started reaching out to stakeholders and sensitising them on the imperative of working out a smooth arrangement for the meeting.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, told The Guardian that PDP is still a cohesive party and no amount of propaganda from the opposition parties could distract it.
He said the party is making steady progress in the preparation for the next general elections.
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has written to the PDP leadership, asking for confirmation of a waiver to enable him contest for the nation’s highest office.
The letter dated August 17, 2011 is entitled: “Confirmation of waiver and or request for waiver to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the Platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.’’
In the letter, Atiku said he is a “bona fide and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party,” adding “I was the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria elected on the platform of the party for two four-year tenure in 1999 and 2003 respectively.’’
He continued: “It is a matter of public knowledge that a number of the founding and prominent members of the party including myself were forced out of the party around 2006/2007.’’
Atiku recalled that a reconciliation committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Alex Ekwueme was set up by the party and did some recommendations, among which was the revisiting of the membership revalidation “to allow for unfettered and unconditional return of all members of the party and access to new members.”
The former vice president also recalled that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party endorsed it, reiterating: ‘’Clearly, the decision of NEC which accepted Dr. Alex Ekwueme’s committee’s recommendation will preserve my right to re-register and contest for any elective office. That decision is binding on all organs of the party.’’
A reply from the party was being awaited by his camp last night.
Aug182010