President Jonathan knocks out Atiku for PDP ticket
By Chido Nwangwu, Publisher of USAfrica multimedia networks, Houston.
Nigeria’s President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has trounced his two opponents for the presidential ticket of the ruling PDP by winning 2736 votes. His chief opponent Atiku Abubakar scored 805 votes while Dr. Sarah Jubril scored 1 vote. Jonathan’s victory, USAfrica analysts and correspondents note, is a remarkable reflection of the weight of incumbency, strong campaign work and an influential network of supporters. The PDP National Convention took place at the Eagle Square, Abuja.
Jonathan supported and worked out a mutually-beneficial deal with the PDP Governors who won their own state nominations. Significantly, Atiku, Nigeria’s former Vice President (1999-2007), left the PDP ahead of the 2007 clash with his former boss President Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2009, he returned, and was given a waiver in 2010; already weakened and seeming indecisive. Former army General Obasanjo is supporting Jonathan. Also, Atiku faced stiff opposition in his home base even after he struggled to return to the PDP hence Adamawa went to Jonathan with 76 votes to Atiku’s 31.
A few hours before the voting during the presentation of candidacy, Atiku returned to the issue of “zoning” of the PDP offices, arguing that inn 2002, the PDP “met and reaffirmed that policy. My main
opponent (Jonathan) was at that meeting and voted in favour of that resolution. He signed as number 35 on the list. Today, he pretends that that meeting never took place and that the resolution never happened…. In fact, on October 27, 2010, he publicly declared that zoning does not exist in our party. Talk about throwing away the ladder that got you up there! That is not the kind of person you would entrust the fate of this country…. If rules can be thrown away by just anyone who feels that he is powerful enough to do so, then it is an invitation to lawlessness and anarchy. Nobody wants that…. But my main opponent believes in doing things simply because it is convenient. He does not seem to care if the country is thrown into chaos and anarchy as long as he remains in power. This is dangerous.”
Jonathan’s supporters counter that that Atiku is stuck in the politics of the PDP but Nigerians want a capable hand to tackle the many problems facing the country. Some of the leaders of the northern section of Nigeria within the PDP insist they should finish the remaining 4 years, ostensibly, possible were the late President Umar Yar’Adua alive. The ACN and other left of center parties are holding their conventions; some have done so already.
——
Obama’s Africa agenda, our business and democracy. USAfricaonline.com and CLASS magazine and The Black Business Journal https://usafricaonline.com/2009/07/07/chido-obamaafrica09/
See the October 17, 2001 special report/alert: Nigeria’s bin-Laden cheerleaders could ignite religious war, destabilize Africa. By USAfrica’s Publisher Chido Nwangwu.https://usafricaonline.com/chido.binladennigeria.html
www.usafricaonline.com/chido.ngrtalibans09.html
Special News Insight by Chido Nwangwu, USAfrica multimedia networks, Nigeria360 e-group and CLASSmagazine, Houston.https://usafricaonline.com/2010/09/08/jonathan-firing-servicechiefs-onovo2010-by-chido/
My wife and I send heartfelt congratulations to you. Your win is our win. God will see you through come April 2011; change is underway; yes we can, and now we will.–Prof. Cosmas and Nneka Okoro; USA
that good news thank God we dont need no Gay leader as our president
Nigerians are truely ready for change
my bros we watched it life. Bless you.