Icheoku says it is about time President Goodluck Jonathan stopped treating those errant governors as his political friends and rather treat them as political foes and as he would treat official opposition like Muhammadu Buhari or Bola Tinubu and now even Abubakar Atiku, period. These guys, by their actions and utterances, are no longer anything friendly; they have morphed into political vermin of the president and are now doggedly going for the jugular of the political life of the president. The president, in order to survive their machinations, must fight back or have himself to blame when these guys would have succeeded in making a mincemeat of him come 2015 if they are not checkmated right now.
Icheoku says it is about time now for President Jonathan to say "wait a minute", this is no longer a tolerable political jostling and the normal political horse-trading in a democracy; but a fight to finish for his political life and he must fight like his life is dependent on it. Imagine the unpalatable conditions these guys are giving the president before peace could be made in the PDP as if they are the lords of Manor with all the aces in the party? Imagine these rascally governors throwing gauntlet against a sitting president and challenging and goading him for a fight; and you wonder why any president should be so disrespected and so demeaned in this manner? Icheoku says President Jonathan lost his mojo the day he decried that he is neither an army general nor a despot to tell Nigerians what to do and Nigerians, as represented by these governors, like the sharks they are, smelled blood and are now pummeling the president left, right and center. Imagine the base treatment this president has tolerated from these recalcitrant governors and continues to allow them to mete to him? Anyway, Icheoku believes it is not too late for the president to rediscover his presidential clout and use same in order to save his face and office. The president can still do something to turn this ugly tide or at least make these guys know who is on top of the food chain. Would they have dared what they are currently dishing out when Baba Iyabo was in Aso Rock or even the then ailing and now dead weakling Umaru Yar'Adua?
Icheoku says it is about time now for President Jonathan to say "wait a minute", this is no longer a tolerable political jostling and the normal political horse-trading in a democracy; but a fight to finish for his political life and he must fight like his life is dependent on it. Imagine the unpalatable conditions these guys are giving the president before peace could be made in the PDP as if they are the lords of Manor with all the aces in the party? Imagine these rascally governors throwing gauntlet against a sitting president and challenging and goading him for a fight; and you wonder why any president should be so disrespected and so demeaned in this manner? Icheoku says President Jonathan lost his mojo the day he decried that he is neither an army general nor a despot to tell Nigerians what to do and Nigerians, as represented by these governors, like the sharks they are, smelled blood and are now pummeling the president left, right and center. Imagine the base treatment this president has tolerated from these recalcitrant governors and continues to allow them to mete to him? Anyway, Icheoku believes it is not too late for the president to rediscover his presidential clout and use same in order to save his face and office. The president can still do something to turn this ugly tide or at least make these guys know who is on top of the food chain. Would they have dared what they are currently dishing out when Baba Iyabo was in Aso Rock or even the then ailing and now dead weakling Umaru Yar'Adua?
Look at the litany of the disrespect and insults they have levied on President Jonathan and you wonder if these guys have not since crossed the proverbial "red-line" in their face-off with the commander in chief and chief executive president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The gang of rascally governors first made their unapproved mutinous rounds visiting and cavorting with despicable former military coup plotters/head of states, plotting against a sitting president? Icheoku wondered why the president did not arrest them or at least raise an alarm for their planning to destabilize the country as well as his government. Then they followed it with their refusal to honor the presidents invitation to Aso Rock; then the irate Kwankwaso took it a step further by refusing to greet the president while visiting Aso Rock on a presidential function? These governors also staged a walkout on a sitting president while he was still deliberating states' matters? Most recently, the same Kano State Governor Kwakwanso while again in Aso Rock for a peace initiative, refused once again to stand by the president for a photo-up with the president and now as if they have not caused enough havoc, the same gang of governors' staged a coup and purportedly forcibly took over the PDP with their acolytes. Add these to their so many other infra-digs alongside their minders and goaders alike, and you wonder when should enough be really enough for the president before he curtails these their excesses? Icheoku asks, what manner of man has this much elasticity of capacity for tolerance of the stupidity, disrespect and challenge of his constituted authority by ordinary governors and party members of his party? Would these rabble-rousers dared during previous governments of Obasanjo and Yar'Adua talkless of military despots of Babangida, Buhari or Abacha?
Icheoku says Jonathan where is the bite of your presidency? When would you bare your presidential fangs for these guys to know who is in charge of the land? It is now time to use it or forever be gored into political and historical irrelevance as the president who was ran out of town (Aso Rock) by ordinary governors and ordinary party hacks. Could these seven rascally governors or anyone for that matter attempt such effrontery during the reign of Baba Iyabo or even the debilitated Umaru Yar'Adua? Imagine the arrogance audacity of their demands that the party chairman be sacked; that the president should forget about 2015 reelection; that the NGF crisis should be resolved in favor of Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi; and that the governors should be left to run wild with their states' fiscal allocations and that they should not be check and balanced by EFCC; as well as other sundry lists of stupid demands before there could be any meaningful reconciliation within the party? Icheoku says these guys are acting as if they have all the aces and that the president won the election because of them and is in office at their pleasure? Imagine giving absolute conditions and terms for reconciliation based on purely what they want, regardless of the party or the other side?
Icheoku says the President won his election without carrying any of those recalcitrant governors' states except for Rivers, so why the sudden claim to political relevance by these power-grabbing governors that has made the president to allow himself to be so hog-tied to these governors dictates? What is it that really make these governors believe that without them that there can be no re-elected President Jonathan in 2015 or that the skies over Nigeria holds up by their grace? Imagine Jigawa State Governor Lamido was miffed at the president because his son was caught money laundering and now the errant governor holds it against the president? Icheoku queries:- does Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido want President Jonathan to be like Muhammadu Buhari who allowed his ADC Jokolo to bring into Nigeria 53 suitcases filled with hard currency from Saudi Arabia without necessary Customs' clearance during the 1983 currency exchange? Also Kwara State Governor Ahmed is mad at the president because he believes that as a governor he is free to run amok with state resources and that his brother cannot and should not be questioned by the EFCC for illegal Sixty million Naira State contract which he never executed?
Further, Kano State Kwakwanso is mad at the president because CBN Islamic Governor Sanusi will not be reappointed and was queried for doling out 500 million Naira Nigerians money to Kano State without presidency's approval. The governor is also furious because NPC Odimegwu had the audacity to query a 2006 made-up census figures that gave Kano State population superiority over Lagos? Rivers States' Rotimi Amaechi is politically too ambitious and is prepared to trade a zonal presidency for his selfish vice presidential interest and you ask yourself what has that guy been smoking lately to desire such a trade? If you were President Jonathan, what would you do for such a betrayal of regional effort and cause? Adamawa State Governor Nyako is pissed off at party Chairman Tukur and is now channeling his internal state misgivings with Bamaga Tukur at the president for standing by his party chairman?
As for Sokoto State, Niger State and one other, Icheoku believes that religion and oil revenue sharing formula has something to do with their unfavorable disposition at the current occupant of Aso Rock. But who cares what these mullahs think or feel about President Jonathan trying to lift his Niger Delta region from abject neglect despite their God given oil wealth, afterall Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida over-developed Minna and Niger State with Gwadebe/David Mark as military administrators during his military hijack of governance in Nigeria to the detriment of other states in Nigeria? It is also important to note that possibly these governors do not like the fact that the Boko Haram Islamic upheaval situation is firmly being contained as they had wished it would have been the easiest passport to accomplish their devilish intention to take back power.
Icheoku therefore implores President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP hierarchy to forget their attempt at resolving the trumped up grievances and rather treat these seven governors as insurgents out to get him. They possibly are working for the opposition APC and no matter the concession they receive, they will come up with something else as their grievance. Time is now to tough it out - if they want to go, let them go. Nigeria can accommodate multiple parties and let the best win the election. Let them form their own party, then APC and then PDP as well as other mushroom parties; it is okay but this attempt at wooing these errants must stop and NOW.
These spoilers are moles for the opposition; they do not have the interest of the party or Nigeria at heart and are doing whatever they could to bring down the house. Atiku ran away before; only to come back and is now pulling this latest joker of hijacking the party? So ask yourselves, who ever burns down a house he built except a psycho who wants to visit pain on its co-dwellers? Look at Oyinlola, a sacked former party scribe now parading himself as the new deal? Icheoku says this is simply laughable and further makes a mockery of a president who is as toothless as an old bulldog. A president who lost his fangs when he said that he is neither an army general nor a despot and cannot be expected to tell Nigerians what to do; so having made himself a mouse, is it any surprise that cats are now gnawing at his remains. Icheoku is emphatic that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan brought his current political hardship unto himself and only him can extricate himself from the hellish fire consuming his presidency.
Where in this world could it be told that a sitting president with all the accoutrement of office is been turned into a pinata and that his presidency is now adrift simply because his timidity has made it impossible for him to wield the big stick. All he has to do is turn loose his dogs of war and let them maul those who stand in the way - just break some knee-caps and the rest will fall in line, period. Obasanjo did it and even kidnapped a sitting governor; impeached another and removed some other via emergency declaration. It is called putting the fear of God in people so that even if they don't like you; at least they would be afraid of you which in Jonathan's case, none applies. It is indeed unfortunate that the presidency of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been decimated to such a laughing joke that ordinary state governor like Kano State Kwakwanso and his fellow-travelling revelers are now running circles around the president, dribbling and mocking him with their actions and utterances. Icheoku says to President Jonathan, ENOUGH should be your marching orders and NOW.
Icheoku says Jonathan where is the bite of your presidency? When would you bare your presidential fangs for these guys to know who is in charge of the land? It is now time to use it or forever be gored into political and historical irrelevance as the president who was ran out of town (Aso Rock) by ordinary governors and ordinary party hacks. Could these seven rascally governors or anyone for that matter attempt such effrontery during the reign of Baba Iyabo or even the debilitated Umaru Yar'Adua? Imagine the arrogance audacity of their demands that the party chairman be sacked; that the president should forget about 2015 reelection; that the NGF crisis should be resolved in favor of Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi; and that the governors should be left to run wild with their states' fiscal allocations and that they should not be check and balanced by EFCC; as well as other sundry lists of stupid demands before there could be any meaningful reconciliation within the party? Icheoku says these guys are acting as if they have all the aces and that the president won the election because of them and is in office at their pleasure? Imagine giving absolute conditions and terms for reconciliation based on purely what they want, regardless of the party or the other side?
Icheoku says the President won his election without carrying any of those recalcitrant governors' states except for Rivers, so why the sudden claim to political relevance by these power-grabbing governors that has made the president to allow himself to be so hog-tied to these governors dictates? What is it that really make these governors believe that without them that there can be no re-elected President Jonathan in 2015 or that the skies over Nigeria holds up by their grace? Imagine Jigawa State Governor Lamido was miffed at the president because his son was caught money laundering and now the errant governor holds it against the president? Icheoku queries:- does Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido want President Jonathan to be like Muhammadu Buhari who allowed his ADC Jokolo to bring into Nigeria 53 suitcases filled with hard currency from Saudi Arabia without necessary Customs' clearance during the 1983 currency exchange? Also Kwara State Governor Ahmed is mad at the president because he believes that as a governor he is free to run amok with state resources and that his brother cannot and should not be questioned by the EFCC for illegal Sixty million Naira State contract which he never executed?
Further, Kano State Kwakwanso is mad at the president because CBN Islamic Governor Sanusi will not be reappointed and was queried for doling out 500 million Naira Nigerians money to Kano State without presidency's approval. The governor is also furious because NPC Odimegwu had the audacity to query a 2006 made-up census figures that gave Kano State population superiority over Lagos? Rivers States' Rotimi Amaechi is politically too ambitious and is prepared to trade a zonal presidency for his selfish vice presidential interest and you ask yourself what has that guy been smoking lately to desire such a trade? If you were President Jonathan, what would you do for such a betrayal of regional effort and cause? Adamawa State Governor Nyako is pissed off at party Chairman Tukur and is now channeling his internal state misgivings with Bamaga Tukur at the president for standing by his party chairman?
As for Sokoto State, Niger State and one other, Icheoku believes that religion and oil revenue sharing formula has something to do with their unfavorable disposition at the current occupant of Aso Rock. But who cares what these mullahs think or feel about President Jonathan trying to lift his Niger Delta region from abject neglect despite their God given oil wealth, afterall Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida over-developed Minna and Niger State with Gwadebe/David Mark as military administrators during his military hijack of governance in Nigeria to the detriment of other states in Nigeria? It is also important to note that possibly these governors do not like the fact that the Boko Haram Islamic upheaval situation is firmly being contained as they had wished it would have been the easiest passport to accomplish their devilish intention to take back power.
Icheoku therefore implores President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP hierarchy to forget their attempt at resolving the trumped up grievances and rather treat these seven governors as insurgents out to get him. They possibly are working for the opposition APC and no matter the concession they receive, they will come up with something else as their grievance. Time is now to tough it out - if they want to go, let them go. Nigeria can accommodate multiple parties and let the best win the election. Let them form their own party, then APC and then PDP as well as other mushroom parties; it is okay but this attempt at wooing these errants must stop and NOW.
These spoilers are moles for the opposition; they do not have the interest of the party or Nigeria at heart and are doing whatever they could to bring down the house. Atiku ran away before; only to come back and is now pulling this latest joker of hijacking the party? So ask yourselves, who ever burns down a house he built except a psycho who wants to visit pain on its co-dwellers? Look at Oyinlola, a sacked former party scribe now parading himself as the new deal? Icheoku says this is simply laughable and further makes a mockery of a president who is as toothless as an old bulldog. A president who lost his fangs when he said that he is neither an army general nor a despot and cannot be expected to tell Nigerians what to do; so having made himself a mouse, is it any surprise that cats are now gnawing at his remains. Icheoku is emphatic that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan brought his current political hardship unto himself and only him can extricate himself from the hellish fire consuming his presidency.
Where in this world could it be told that a sitting president with all the accoutrement of office is been turned into a pinata and that his presidency is now adrift simply because his timidity has made it impossible for him to wield the big stick. All he has to do is turn loose his dogs of war and let them maul those who stand in the way - just break some knee-caps and the rest will fall in line, period. Obasanjo did it and even kidnapped a sitting governor; impeached another and removed some other via emergency declaration. It is called putting the fear of God in people so that even if they don't like you; at least they would be afraid of you which in Jonathan's case, none applies. It is indeed unfortunate that the presidency of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has been decimated to such a laughing joke that ordinary state governor like Kano State Kwakwanso and his fellow-travelling revelers are now running circles around the president, dribbling and mocking him with their actions and utterances. Icheoku says to President Jonathan, ENOUGH should be your marching orders and NOW.
Jonathan Storms Out Of Reconciliation Meeting; Accuses Obasanjo Of Being Behind PDP Crisis
ReplyDeleteAbdulrahman Abdulmalik
Media Network for Transformation, circulated a statement in Abuja accusing Mr. Obasanjo of destabilizing the PDP and asking him to call his associates to other.
“Apart from being their sponsor, the rebel governors draw their inspiration from him,” Goodluck Ebelo, Coordinator of the group, said in the statement. “Apart from numerous clandestine meetings, President Obasanjo started his public romance with the rebel flank when he became unavoidably absent at this year’s Democracy Day celebration in Abuja, but vigorously participated in the day’s activities in Dutse, Jigawa State.
That was followed by the rebel governors’ visit to his Abeokuta home.”
Mr. Ebelo was not done. He continued, “Then came last Saturday, and Chief Obasanjo’s mischief literarily flew over the Eagle Square venue of the Special Convention. Unavoidably absent, again, he was to turn up the next day in Church, at the Presidential Villa. Made a few platitudinous remarks on the need for a peaceful resolution of the crisis and thereafter called a meeting. His meeting failed and will continue to fail.
“Chief Obasanjo cannot continue to be hands of Esau and the voice of Jacob at the same time. No arbiter, who is the guiding light of the rebels can make peace. Peace, in this matter, will continue to elude President Obasanjo because his activities are the very antithesis of the conditions precedent to peace.
“Unfortunately, his eight years in office provides no road map to resolving a political dispute. All that can be gleaned from the debris of his time in power, are abuse of institutions of State in shutting down dissent, hounding political opponents into prison and forcing a party chairman to resign at gun point. Little wonder that such baleful legacy dogs his attempt at making peace.
“President Obasanjo has to come out publicly to renounce his ties with seven governors who are trying to impose their will on the remaining twenty nine states and the Federal Capital Territory or acknowledge them and be treated like them. The governors are welcome to contest the PDP primaries, individually or present a candidate. That’s democracy. But for persons, who themselves, stood for elections for their second terms to demand that Mr. President cannot avail himself such amenity is not only rude but feudal.”
Our sources said before the president’s brief walkout at the peace meeting, the aggrieved governors had accused Mr. Jonathan of using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to hound governors and other party chiefs considered opposed to him.
Specifically, the governors, according to our sources, accused the president of having masterminded the recent investigation of Senator Bukola Saraki and conviction of a son of Governor Sule Lamido for under declaring the amount of foreign exchange he was taking abroad.
The governors also reportedly asked the president to keep his promise to run for only one term and jettison his 2015 presidential ambition.
In response, Mr. Jonathan reportedly denied being behind the investigation of anyone by the EFCC, saying most of the investigations commenced long before he came to power.
O
n the request that he shuts down his presidential ambition, Mr. Jonathan was quoted as saying he would not surrender his right to vote and be voted for.