Jonathan Advises PDP Governors Not to Field Unpopular Candidates in 2015 general election

 

Ahead of the primaries for those seeking elective offices on Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday night, appealed to the party’s governors to ensure transparent primaries in their respective states.
Daily Sun checks revealed that President Jonathan gave the admonition during a meeting he held with the governors at the Presidential Villa. Recall that a similar meeting with the governors last Wednesday, by the National Chairman of the party, Adamu Mu’azu, at his residence ended in a deadlock.
The Sunday meeting at the villa was at the instance of the national chairman of the party, who reportedly pleaded with President Jonathan to intervene to save the party from the impending debacle over the spate of endorsement of governorship aspirants by the outgoing governors.
Investigation revealed that while the outgoing governors on the party’s platform were itching to anoint their successors, they were also simultaneously, seeking for a place in the Senate to sustain their political relevance.
Those on their first term and are seeking for fresh mandate in 2015 are already using pliable party chairmen in their respective states to make the race uncomfortable for other governorship aspirants.
Daily Sun checks revealed that among second term governors with senatorial ambition include, Enugu State Governor,
Sullivan Chime, who wants to replace Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu. His Ebonyi and Delta State counterparts, Martin Elechi and Emmanuel Uduaghan respectively, are likely to displace Senator Chris Nwankwo and Senator James Manager. Others lining up for senatorial tickets are Akwa-Ibom Governor, Godswill Akpabio and Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, who are likely to displace Aloysius Etok and former national chairman of the party, Senator Barnabas Gemade respectively.
Niger State governor and Chairman, Northern States Governors’ Forum, Babangida Aliyu is seeking for a senatorial ticket, an ambition that will set him against the sitting senator, Nuhu Zagbayi.
Daily Sun source revealed that
President Jonathan enjoined the governors to ensure transparent primaries in their respective states for all elective offices in order to save the party from dissipating time and energy to settle rancours that might arise after primaries.
The source further revealed that the governors and the Presidency expressed concern over the presidential ambition of former presidential candidate of the defunct CPC, General Muhammadu Buhari, as they jointly acknowledged that his growing popularity was cause for concern.
Meanwhile, the party has congratulated organisers of last weekend’s rally held in Abuja, the
Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) over the conduct of the grand finale rally.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Olisa Metuh, in a statement applauded TAN,  “for successful conclusion of
its sensitisation rallies across the country in support of our sole