Atiku: Jonathan campaign coordinators warn delegates

In an attempt to scuttle the presidential ambition of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Jonathan/Sambo campaign coordinators in Cross River State have directed that all delegates from the state to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention should not participate in any meeting organized by the former Vice-President or any other presidential aspirant.

The State Coordinator of Jonathan/Sambo presidential campaign organization, Chief Jarigbe Agom, issued the directive in Calabar, as the former Vice-President visited the state capital to canvass delegates' votes for his presidential ambition.

Mr Agom, who promised to deliver 100 per cent votes for President Jonathan at the convention, said the decision was taken to ensure that there will be no splitting of the delegates votes from the state. In the statement circulated to PDP delegates, chieftains of the party and other members of the public, Ogom said the leadership of the party in the state was prepared to sanction any delegate that disobeyed the directive.

The directive, which was made available to our correspondent through a text message, further stated that any delegate invited by any presidential aspirant or his supporters for a meeting should seek clearance from the leadership of the PDP in the state.

In the text message, Agom stated: 'Compliments of the season. The leader of the party in the state has directed all delegates to the National Convention to reach him and clear with him before seeing any presidential aspirant. Any delegate who does otherwise does so against the PDP family.'

When contacted, the Commissioner for Information, Mr Patrick Ugbe, dissociated the state governor from the alleged directive, saying Senator Liyel Imoke was a man who believes in politics of national unity and could not have issued such a directive.