How Shagari, Gowon tried to save Bayelsa governor

Posted by admin Bayelsa, Goodluck Jonathan (2010-present), Governors, Presidency, Shehu Aliyu Shagari (1979-83), State News, Yakubu Gowon (1966-75) Sunday, November 20th, 2011

Former President Shehu Shagari and former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, have reportedly advised President Goodluck Jonathan to be cautious over his role in the internal politics of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his home state, Bayelsa.

According to a source close to Shagari, the two national leaders in separate telephone calls advised President Jonathan that his direct involvement in the crisis engulfing the party in the state could affect his stature as the leader of the nation.
They were said to be particularly miffed by the deployment of security agencies in the state at a time the Jonathan government appears lost about how to handle pressing security challenges in parts of the country.
Sunday Sun learnt that the idea to speak to Jonathan was mooted by Shagari, who initially reached out to Gowon and asked him to call the President to advise him to steer clear of the murky politics in his home state.

Gowon, it was learnt, however reminded Shagari that he was a military Head of State and that the message will carry more weight if it came from a democratically elected President.
The two leaders were said to have agreed to call Jonathan separately, believing that the strategy will exert more pressure on the President and they both called him on Thursday night, it was authoritatively learnt.

The president was said to have assured them that he had no role in the crisis, that it was purely a party affair.
The pressure by the elder statesmen followed similar appeals by national leaders like Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Lawal Kaita, Alhaji Abdulkareem Daiyabu and civil rights activist, Mallam Sheu Sani following the controversy surrounding the disqualification of Governor Timipre Sylva from the PDP gubernatorial primary held yesterday in Yenagoa.

-Sunwp_posts