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Presidency: North Concedes Mandate to Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan last week in Kaduna got the much desired approval of the North to contest the next year presidential election as leaders of the region who attended a one day political summit unanimously agreed that the President should go into the race given that the custodian of their mandate, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, died before the expiration of the first term of four years in office.
In what many pro-Jonathan crusaders in the country would term as a welcome development, the North leaders in a communiqué read after the summit by former Minister of Communication, Prof. Jerry Gana said to the extent that the current administration is a continuation of the one inaugurated in 2007 Goodluck Jonathan who was elected on a joint ticket for the Presidency as running mate to Umaru Yar’Adua on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is free to contest.
After deliberations at the one day political Summit which held in Kaduna at the conference center of the Kaduna Trade Fair Complex, with the theme “Roadmap to 2011: Imperatives of Justice, Unity and National Integration”, the region said it was imperative for it to bare her mind on the vexed issues of zoning and power rotation especially under the present circumstance, and more importantly as controversies trail personalities and regions who should not venture into the presidency bid..
In the communiqué issued at the summit and read by the chairman summit organizing committee Prof. Jerry Gana, the summit resolved that the issue of power sharing and zoning which produced the presidency of Umar Yaradua and Goodluck Jonathan is an inseparable ticket for which the demise of one cannot invalidate the privileges of the remaining beneficiaries of that zoning.
Stressing their position on the issue of economy particularly as its affects the underdevelopment of the northern region, the summit called on every tiers of government, that efforts should be made by those who hold the reins of power to use good governance to bring development to every sector of the economy of northern Nigeria in terms of infrastructure, education, industry, employment and in terms of uplifting the lives of the northern people. In pursuant to this, the summit agreed to hold a northern economic summit which will focus attention on the economic and social condition of communities in the northern part of Nigeria.
Prior to the communiqué issued after all deliberations were concluded, the Summit had allowed the presentation of zonal resolutions respectively from the three constituting zones of the north—North Central, North East and North West.
Former Chairman of ruling People‘s Democratic Party, Chief Barnabas Gemade presented resolutions on behalf of the north central zone stating that “our zone, on the issue of zoning or power sharing, believes that the zoning which produced the presidency Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan in 2007 was an inseparable ticket and therefore the demise of one does not invalidate the privileges of the remaining beneficiaries of that zoning”
The zone-North Central, posits further “besides, the call from some quarters that anyone be stopped from contesting an election is unconstitutional, unfair and without basis whatsoever. The North Central believes that an incumbent beneficiary of a subsisting zoning arrangement of the ruling PDP which was effective in 2007 and subsisting till 2015; anyone that benefitted from that zoning arrangement should not be stopped from contesting for election in 2011”
On resolutions of the North East as presented by Alhaji Kaulaha Aliyu, the zone condemned those calling for Jonathan’s discontinuation of the eight year presidency mandate to the north by 2011 saying “Jonathan is a child of necessity who was elevated to presidency by an act of God”.
He said the North East zone want Nigerians to look beyond ethnic, religious and tribal trivialities when looking at matters of power sharing and focus on issues of unity and peace in the quest for the sustenance of the country as a federation.
Aliyu reiterated that the ideal which the north east seeks is for Nigerians to collectively use dialogue and negotiations and agree on the way forward rather than be captives of primordial policies.
The North West firmly resolve that “power belongs to God and He the Almighty gives it to whom He likes, when He likes and nobody can challenge him” Represented by Sen. Ibrahim Ida, the zone collectively counseled that the country should not dissipate unnecessary energy talking about trivialities when the real issues of the peoples deplorable conditions are being relegated.
Jerry Gana during the opening of the Summit emphasized the purpose for which the gathering of the northern top political stakeholders was convened; explaining that it aims at promoting and deepening the core values of democracy which includes but not limited to freedom of expression through peaceful dialogue, consultations and civilized debate, freedom of association, especially as in convening summits, conferences and seminars, freedom of choice, expressed through free, fair and credible elections, the primacy of rule of law, so as to ensure justice, fairness and equity and lastly to entrench the culture of honour, transparency, honesty and accountability of government to the people.
In his welcome address, Governor of Kaduna state, Patrick Yakowa, urged participants to project discussions beyond selfish and parochial interests but allow the Nigerian constitution guide their conducts and actions.
Meanwhile while former PDP National Chaiman, Chief Solomon Lar reaffirmed that zoning was a not a permanent policy but a temporary agreement to redress the injustice of the annulment of June 12, 1993 elections.
Prominent northern politicians who attended the summit include Sen. Abubakar Sodangi, who represented the Senate President, David Mark, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Usman Bayero Nafada, Minister of state for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Idi Hong, Michael Aondoaka, former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, former Kogi State Governor, Abubakar Audu, Minister of state for Information and Communications, Labaran Maku
Also at the event were former Chiefs of Army Staff, Gen. Salisu Ibrahim and Ishaya Bamaiyi, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ibrahim Slisu Buhari, former Minister of Enviroment, Bala Mande, Former Minister of Commerce, Ahmad Garba Bichi, Ambassador Mahmud Yahaya and former Kano state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Abdulahi Ganduje.
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