Jonathan cancels Ogun visit over PDP crisis

Posted by admin Goodluck Jonathan (2010-present), Ogun, Presidency, State News Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

President Goodluck Jonathan will not visit Ogun State in his nationwide campaign until the crisis between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Gbenga Daniel is resolved, THE PUNCH learnt on Tuesday.

Our correspondent gathered that the crisis forced the President and members of his campaign team to postpone the planned visit to state on Tuesday (yesterday) after its rally in Lagos State. The Director of Publicity of the Presidential Campaign Council, Mr. Abah Dabo, confirmed the decision in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said the campaign train had decided to stay away from the state from the list until all the resolution of issues in contention.

Dabo said, “Yes, I can confirm to you that the campaign would not be in the state until all the issues in the state are resolved. That was the reason he was not in the state today.”

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party had on Sunday said it had received a court order restraining it from accepting candidates from the primaries conducted by a faction loyal to Daniel. The crisis between Obasanjo and Daniel led to the conduct of separate primaries by the rival factions.

While the pro-Daniel faction held its primary election at the M.K.O Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta, the rival group loyal to Obassanjo conducted its own poll at the Obasanjo Presidential Library, also in the state capital. The Daniel faction’s poll produced Alhaji Gboyega Isiaka as its governorship candidate while the Obasanjo group elected Maj.-Gen. Adetunji Olurin (retd.).

The battle over the authentic governorship candidate has shifted to a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, which is expected to deliver judgment on Thursday (tomorrow).

Meanwhile, the President on Tuesday said he would win the first round of voting in the April elections. He said the speculation by opposition parties that the election might lead to a run-off was not based on political realities.

Dabo, who spoke on behalf of the President on Tuesday, advised members of the opposition to work harder instead of expecting a run-off.

The leadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party and the Congress for Progressive Change had met in Abuja a few days ago on modalities for forging a common front against Jonathan’s ambition. But Dabo said advised all the political parties that fielded presidential candidates to campaign well instead of planning a conspiracy against a particular candidate.

He said, “There will be no need for any rerun because the President is going to win convincingly. He will win after the first round of voting.

“We have gone round the country telling people what we are capable of doing. The presidential aspirants of some of these political parties are still busy doing newspaper campaigns. Tell them that we are winning with the first round of balloting. Nigerians know the kind of leader they want and that is why they are going to vote for Jonathan.”

He said the interactions between Jonathan and members of the Northern Political Leaders Forum led by Mallam Adamu Ciroma had further shown that the President was interested in the unity of the country and his party. Asked if the meeting had not been abandoned since the two parties ought to have met to finalise their agreement, he said the President’s busy schedule was responsible for the seeming short progress being experienced.

“It is wrong to assume that the meeting was deadlocked. No, we are meeting and we are progressing. The fact that the President agreed to meet with aggrieved members of the party shows that he wants a united party and a united Nigeria,” he added.

Dabo refused to disclose the actual amount budgeted for the President’s campaign, noting that it was not close to the sum of N178bn being rumoured by some opposition parties. He said the campaign would not go beyond the N1bn stipulated by the Electoral Act.

-Punchwp_posts