Our country is in bondage , for how long shall we wait for our own Moses to free nigerians from the hands of these pharaohs of our time. However long it is going to take the wicked will never go unpunished. 2015: Jonathan, PDP govs strike deal The decision by all the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party to support the second term aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan was not done until the governors were able to get some commitments from the President,Saturday PUNCH has learnt. It was gathered that the governors discussed openly the merits and demerits of supporting or not supporting the President for the 2015 race. Two different sources who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity on Thursday night and Friday morning, said the governors extracted words of commitment from the President before they endorsed him. The governors were said to have been assured that they would not be harassed by the agents of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission after leaving office because of their support. Though there was no known petition against any of the governors who are still enjoying immunity now, aides and children of some of them were however said to have been interrogated by the operatives of the EFCC. If not that the governors still enjoy immunity, it was learnt that some of them would have been picked up or invited for interrogation in connection with alleged fraud in their states. It will be recalled that two sons of Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, were some months ago arrested by the EFCC over an alleged N10bn fraud. It was not clear if the two sons will no longer be prosecuted since their father, who was nursing presidential ambition, was among other PDP governors that had endorsed President Jonathan for a second term. The conviction of three former governors was said to have made some of the serving governors to be apprehensive of what might befall them after leaving office. Those convicted were Lucky Igbinedion (Edo), Diepreye Alamieyeseigha (Bayesla) and James Ibori(Delta). Of the three former governors, Ibori was the only one convicted outside the country while Alamieyeseigha has been pardoned by President Jonathan, who served as deputy governor to the pardoned ex-convict. Some other former governors like Gbenga Daniel (Ogun), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu), Danjuma Goje (Gombe), Saminu Turaki (Jigawa) and Adebayo Alao-Akala(Oyo) are currently facing corruption charges. A governor, who played a prominent role in the endorsement of the President by his colleagues, also said the President had agreed that all the outgoing governors are free to pick their successors. He said, “Because of this, just like the Presidential Convention on December 6 will be a formality, so it is going to be in most of our states on November 29 as we are going to be the one to pick our successors.” He said the plan not to rock the boat in the states was also responsible for the party’s allowing the Acting Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, to be cleared before winning the governorship ticket in his state by the party. “Fintiri’s clearance by the PDP appeal panel was significant because he ought not to have been allowed in the first place, but in order not to rock the boat, he was asked to run and he eventually won the ticket,” the governor added. Another governor, who spoke with our correspondent on Friday morning, said the party and the President would support any of the governors who is interested in coming to the Senate. Among the governors who have signified their interest in contesting senatorial election in their states are Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Godswill Akpabio(Akwa Ibom), Sulivan Chime(Enugu) and Babangida Aliyu(Niger).
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 10:18:56 +0000
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