Abuja — Ahead of his September 18 declaration for the presidential race, President Goodluck Jonathan has appointed six state governors as campaign coordinators in the geo-political zones of the country.
He announced the appointments at a meeting which took place at House 7, State House, where the president intimated the governors elected on the platform of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of his intention to contest for the party’s ticket.
Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State, the home of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, is to coordinate Jonathan’s campaign in the North-west comprising Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Jigawa and Sokoto State.
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State is to be in charge of the campaign in the North-east, made up of Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Borno, Adamawa and Taraba.
This may checkmate Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, from contesting the governorship ticket against Yuguda.
Another governor appointed as the campaign coordinator is Chief Gabriel Suswam of Benue. He will oversee Kogi, Kwara, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger and Benue.
Governor Gbenga Daniel will be the arrowhead in the South-western states of Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos and Osun, while Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State is to be in charge in the South-eastern states, namely Ebonyi, Ana-mbra, Imo, Enugu and Abia. The governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, will coordinate Rivers, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Cross River in the South-south zone.
The following were also appointed assistant campaign coordinators: Dr. Olusegun Agagu for the South-west, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso for Northwest, Kaola Aliyu for North-east, Chibudom Nwuche for South-south, Ojo Maduekwe for South-east and Shaaba Lafiaji for North-central.
THISDAY gathered that the meeting between the president and the PDP governors was to ensure that the governors are duly involved in the electioneering that would eventually lead to the emergence of Jonathan as the PDP presidential candidate.
According to one of the governors of PDP who spoke to THISDAY, the Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Senator Dalhatu Tafida, was also confirmed as the Director-General of the Goodluck Jonathan Presidential Cam-paign as exclusively reported by THISDAY two weeks ago.
Tuesday’s meeting was attended by 11 PDP governors. Though a substantial number of the governors that are Muslims are still in Saudi Arabia, the governors agreed to hold the meeting with the understanding that another meeting would be called with more participation from the PDP governors.
According to a source, President Jonathan first met with the PDP governors at about 4.30 pm on Tuesday, but the meeting was later shifted to House 7 at the State House, where some of the governors were appointed as campaign coordinators.
Comments 1 to 5 of 9 Post a comment
9jerians shud allow jonathan & shun IBB 2011
" .. meeting between the president and the PDP governors was to ensure that the governors are duly involved in the electioneering .."
1) "duly"?
Are they is office for electioneering purposes?
Where does that leave the little thing about doing the job for which 'the people elected them'?
.
2) Now, does EFCC and Independent National Electoral Commission (staffed by oyibo's Obadluck operatives) tell us that the people's (public) resources will not be commandeered in this 'electioneering'?
Will the governors refrain from "piggybacking" private, electioneering work on public, official trips paid for by the people?
So far, Obadluck seems to think that he can use the peoples' resources any way he feels like.
EFCC, we eagerly wait to read the charges in court next year. [But we are not holding our breathe. These "southerners"! Obadluck inflicts damage on 9ija - even before he seeks to get elected!]
Is it by sheer coincidence that those loudly campaigning for Obadluck "one who buys yatch and jets with destitute 9ija peoples' money" jonathan at allAfrica.com also mention a "God"?
Should we read anything in that? [Well, we note that Mr Adolf Hitler prayed to THAT same "God" So does the genocidaire extraordinaire Pol Kagame. .. So do the slave-traders. So do the foreigners who slaughter Africans in Somalia.]
God save President Goodluck. Mr President has done the right thing for appointing six state governors as campaign coordinators in the geo-political zones of the country. President Goodluck has not finishED his good and divine sovereign socio-political and economic workS and services for Nigeria and Nigerians. And above all things, God Almighty has not finished with President Goodluck.
In the current affairs of the preset state of our country, I have received God's divine knowlage and vision of the right man for the job of the president of our copuntry. The divine knowlage and vision bear these good words from God Almghty: A minority becomes a champion. A minority backs up by a majority. Goodluck fixed the commission. Fellow Nigerians and good people of God Almghty, President Goodluck is our chosen man. President Goodluck is our next people's democratic president. Let us unite and stand upright and make him our president as God Almighty has done for us and our country.
Thank you god bless you for supportig President Goodluck for 2010 presidency.
It is very clear now that our main problem in Nigeria are the Northerners. The have ruled this Country for many years, there was not a single improvement in the life of our people. Now they are trying to unseat the incumbent President who is ordain by God to rule Nigeria.
The Northerners and all those who do not want President Goodluck to continue in office to note that it an act of God that he is the President today. It is an act of God and there is nothing any body can do about that. Any right minded person should have realised it that it is not possible for him to demote himself just because of zoning. If the Northerners really had the interest of Nigeria at heart they would have realised it that you cannot change an act of God. Their turn have been overturned by God and they should now have to wait for their turn to come again in a few years time. Goodluck Jonathan has the right to contest the election without fear or favour. I am not disappointed with him for not declaring his intention to contest because it is implied, he does not need to tell any body. He is the incumbent and by an act which is none of his doing he is the President and would need to complete his two terms in office. All those who are interested can either form their own Party or Stand as independent. The PDP ticket belongs to Jonathan and to Jonathan alone.
See All Comments