2011 Presidential Election: I Will Contest, Jonathan tells Governors
President Goodluck Jonathan
Finally, President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan has made known his intention to contest the presidential elections in 2011, laying to rest his much speculated ambition for the highest political position in Nigeria.
Jonathan at a closed door meeting with Governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja told them that after many consultations with families, friends and with pressures from Nigerians, he has decided to take a shot at the presidential election scheduled to hold in January 22, 2011.
President Jonathan was however silent on whether or not he will be running alongside Vice-President Namadi Sambo as his running mate during the meeting. But a source told Pointblanknews.com that there is no doubt Vice president Sambo would run with the president
Jonathan is expected to square up with General Ibrahim Babangida, who had ruled for eight years as a military dictator, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice-President to former president Olusegun Obasanjo and a host of others yet to make their intentions known.
A Governor who attended the meeting of Governors with the President told pointblanknews.com that “the president finally has told us he is running for the election and we all welcome his decision to do so because he has the constitutional rights to do so regardless of whatever anyone thinks.”
According to the Governor, none of the few Governors at the meeting raised any objection, adding that “we only suggested that when others who currently in Saudi Arabia returns, it would be necessary for his to address us again at least to carry everyone along,” the Governor who would not want to be named told pointblanknews.com in a telephone chat.
President Jonathan's decision, sources hinted, is hinged on renewed assurances from hired political analysts and strategists who, having studied the current political situation, assured the president that his chances at the polls are brighter than other contenders.
According to sources, political strategists believe that while General Babangida is going to be buoyed down by his eight years misrule and an imminent poor showing in the South-West and South-South, Jonathan stands a better chance while Alhaji Atiku Abubakar's political structures seem weakened by the day.
“Give or take, Jonathan is the candidate to beat because IBB would suffer protest votes in the South West and Jonathan would divide the North, he would take South-South, South West and South East and half of the Votes in the North,” a source who was privy to the meeting told pointblanknews.com
The source maintained that “we have done due diligent and we are convinced it is the right thing for the President to do at this time in Nigeria's history,” adding that, “we know it is still not going to be easy but we believe that it is doable.”
Governors at the meeting were: Governors Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State, and Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, Akwe Doma of Nasarawa State, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State, Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, Liyel Imoke of Cross River State and Gabriel Suswam of Benue State.