Governors elected on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party are meeting in Abuja on Tuesday (today) to deliberate on the primaries conducted by the party across the country. The Chairman of the forum, who is also the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio, has already sent a notice of the meeting to his colleagues. The notice showed that the only agenda of the meeting was the outcome of the primaries. The notice says, “Notice is hereby given that the PDP governors’ forum will meet in Abuja on Tuesday. Agenda is primaries and matters arising therefrom. Attendance is important.” Our correspondent learnt that some of the governors were angry that the national leadership of the party and President Goodluck Jonathan reneged on the agreement they had with them that each governor would be allowed to produce his successor. Apart from this, it was also said that the agreement included that the party would give interested second term governors tickets to contest for the senatorial slots in their respective states. This, it was learnt, was part of the issues raised and agreed to before the governors endorsed the President for a second term. The endorsement made the President to be the sole presidential candidate of the party during its presidential primary which was held in Abuja on December 10. Among the governors said to have been betrayed by the President and the party were Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), and Sullivan Chime(Enugu). While Sullivan was only denied the party’s senatorial ticket, Uduaghan and Elechi were apart from this, equally denied the opportunity of having hands in the election of the party’s governorship candidates in their states. A source close to the forum said that “the governors are angry that the President and the party reneged on a simple agreement. “The fear is that if the President could do this even when he has not been elected, what is the assurance that he would not renege on other promises if he’s elected in 2015? “The anger of the governors is visible and we have to see what we could do to make sure that some of them do not engage in anti-party activities in 2015.” Meanwhile, a former National Chairman of the party, Dr. Haliru Mohammed, has described the Goodluck Jonathan/Namadi Sambo presidential ticket as the most credible, workable and formidable. He stated this in Abuja on Sunday while responding to commendations and messages of solidarity by political leaders, groups and organisations over the conduct of 2014 PDP national convention where President Jonathan and his deputy, Sambo emerged as the party’s presidential candidate and running mate, respectively. He said that the convention was successful because of the sacrifice, commitment and support of all delegates, members and supporters of the party who came to Abuja from across the country to cast their votes for the President to continue with his transformation agenda. Mohammed, who was Chairman of the Convention Planning Committee, said, “President Goodluck Jonathan has always communicated his message of peace, unity and stability as a necessary foundation for the rapid and complete transformation of our dear country. “This is a statesman’s message. We are delighted that Nigerians who desire peace have made up their minds to vote for him in 2015 because he is a man of peace.”
Posted on: Tue, 16 Dec 2014 08:04:46 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015