2015: JONATHAN TIGHTENS NOOSE ON GOVERNORS

* EFCC, ICPC enlisted to prevent defection to APC

* North West PDP pass vote of no confi dence on President

President Goodluck Jonathan is leaving nothing to chance in his quest for re-election in 2015 as he tightens the noose on the state governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The action is against those perceived to be opposed to his ambition.

It was learnt at the weekend that the antigraft agencies – the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC – have been tacitly co-opted into the Jonathan’s project.

Already, some incriminating documents exposing looting of public funds by some governors have been submitted to the president. “Some information about corrupt activities are still being gathered,” a security source said.

The documents detailed how the governors have corruptly enriched themselves through contract awards and money laundering.

“There are enough grounds to nail some of these governors. We have established cases of corruption against them but you know, we cannot prosecute them because of the immunity they enjoy.

“The President as the Commander-in-Chief is in possession of the reports of investigation on some of the governors. You know there is no way we can investigate the governors without the knowledge of Mr. President. This is in line with our normal duty but you may read political meanings into it,” a top operative of the EFCC disclosed to National Mirror.

The source confirmed to our correspondent that they are only waiting for the go-ahead of President Jonathan to begin arrest and prosecution of some political appointees, aides and associates of some of the governors who were involved in some questionable transactions in their states.

A source in the Presidency told our correspondent that President Jonathan had already shown a South-South governor incriminating documents detailing his involvement in money laundering.

The governor is not in good terms with the President and does not hide that fact.

“Not long ago, the President invited the governor to the Villa for a briefing. In the course of his engagement with President Jonathan, he was given a report indicting him for money laundering. The evidence could not be faulted by the governor. The president only told him to change his ways,” the source said.

It was gathered that throughout the week he was confronted with the overwhelming evidence of money laundering, the governor followed Mr. President to all his engagements in Abuja.

Already, the son of Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, a potential presidential aspirant, is facing prosecution over money laundering offence.

The governor has stated that he is the target of the attack.

Niger State Governor Aliyu Babangida has also cried out that the government of Jonathan is after him.

According to the strategists of the president, the antagonistic governors “would be stripped naked through the prosecution of their aides who are helping them to stash away illegal funds.”

This approach was adopted during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration when the EFCC was the arrowhead of the attack against Joshua Dariye in Plateau State and Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State.

A competent source told National Mirror that the governors are aware of the plot. This is why some of them have not openly declared for the controversial All Progressive Congress, APC.

“The fear is that any attempt to openly declare for APC means an open declaration of war against the President which the governors may not be able to stand,” an aide of a governor told our correspondent.

National Mirror learnt that the failure of the President and national leadership of the PDP to whip some of the PDP governors into line has led to the adoption of the fresh strategy.

It has been learnt that some of the governors have started reaching out to the President in the face of the reality on ground.

A source said a couple of the governors have met President Jonathan to pledge their loyalty to his government and reelection. Some of the governors have even denied joining those opposing the president.

“What the governors really want is an assurance from the President that they would not be harassed and prosecuted after the completion of their tenures in 2015. But the approach they are adopting is what the president does not appreciate,” the source said.

In another development, Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto State has denied a report in a national newspaper yesterday that himself and seven other PDP governors have concluded plans to defect from the party.

Wamakko, in a statement made available to National Mirror yesterday by his Commissioner of Information, Mallam Nasir Danladi Bako, said: “I wish to hereby state categorically that this story is not true and is without basis. I call on the public to discountenance the story and ignore it.

“As has been stated on several occasions by Governor Wamakko, the present administration both at federal and state levels are just approaching midterm of their four-year tenure. Therefore, all elected officials owe the voters, and indeed Nigerians a duty to deliver good governance and dividends of democracy as per the promises they made during their various campaigns and rallies.

“Governor Wamakko hereby calls on all those charged with the duty of governance to concentrate on this onerous task rather than engage in premature chase for 2015 offices.”

Also, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has denied plans to leave the PDP along with seven other governors ahead of the 2015 elections.

Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, Governor Ahmed said there was no iota of truth in the report and dismissed the publication as the handiwork of mischief-makers bent on causing disaffection in the PDP.

“Governor Ahmed has no intention of leaving the PDP now or in the future. I wish to state with all emphasis at my disposal that the report is untrue and could only have been orchestrated by mischief makers. Governor Ahmed remains a loyal and committed member of the PDP and sees the current realignments in the party as normal in any political association. It is his belief PDP is certain to come out stronger,” Akorede said in a statement made available to National Mirror yesterday.

Ahmed said that the current disagreements in the party are temporary.

“At any rate, Governor Ahmed believes that it is more fruitful to focus on delivering good governance and improving public confidence in our democracy rather than speculating on the 2015 elections which are still two years away,” he said.

Meanwhile, facts emerged at the weekend that PDP in the North West as well as governors and stakeholders in the zone have passed a vote of no confidence on President Jonathan’s performance and his public utterances ahead of the 2015 elections.

The zone’s stand was made known during a closed-door reconciliation meeting held at Gen. Hassan Katsina State House, Kawo, where they told the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, that they were not comfortable with President Jonathan’s recent outing in Maiduguri when he addressed former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sherrif, as his friend.

The stakeholders said the ex-governor was the architect of the Boko Haram insurgence in the North.

The meeting, which reconvened after the opening session at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Indoor Sports Complex, Murtala Square ended about 1a.m. on Saturday.

At the meeting, participants maintained that if President Jonathan fails to amend his ways and improve on his performance and stop making vexatious public utterances before 2015, he may lose the zone to the opposition.

National Mirror learnt that the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, and the governors of Katsina and Kebbi states, who attended the opening session were absent at the night meeting. Only Kaduna State governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, two deputy governors and Tukur among other members in the seven North West states controlled by the party were present when the party members made their views known.

A source who attended the meeting, told National Mirror that North West PDP family expressed their disappointment over President Jonathan’s actions on some national issues.

It was also gathered that one of the PDP stakeholders’ grievances was President Jonathan’s controversial state pardon recently granted to his former boss, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

The source said: “One issue extensively discussed was President Jonathan’s public utterances. The North West PDP delegates also expressed disappointment on President Jonathan’s recent visit in Maiduguri where he called the former Borno State governor, Ali Modu Sherrif as his friend because they believed Sherrif was one of the architects of Boko Haram. Why should our president addressed him as his friend? They also accused President Jonathan of underperformance saying Mr. President should change his ways before the 2015 elections because North West zone and people in general are not happy with some of his actions and utterances.”

It was also learnt that Tukur has perfected plans to reach out to Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, and his Niger State counterpart, Dr. Babangida Aliyu to drop their 2015 presidential ambitions, which is believed to be causing ripples among northerners.

Sambo had earlier warned members who are bent on destroying the party to desist from such action.

“We must shun all overtures by those who are bent on destroying the party through anti-party activities and be unified in our quest to strengthen a party that has made its mark and improved the lives and well-being of our citizens,” Sambo had said.

Source: National Mirror