2015: WHY JONATHAN CAN’T DECLARE NOW

*Bode George, Balarabe Musa differ on Reps’ endorsement
In spite of the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by the House of Representatives caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contestnext year’s presidential election, there are indications that the President is being tactical about his public declaration to join the race.
Initially, there were speculations that Jonathan might declare his intention immediately after the Ramadan period, but sources close to the Villa said the President is still “testing the waters” before making a pronouncement on the subject.
The PDP caucus in the House of Representatives had on Tuesday night reportedly endorsed Jonathan, requesting him to seek a second term in 2015. The lawmakers met with the President in the Villa.
Following the lawmakers’ endorsement, was a meeting of governors of PDP-controlled states with the President.
Saturday Newswatch gathered that, notwithstanding the “wholesale” endorsement of the President by his party’s caucus in the House of Representatives, divergent views by the governors on the matter may have informed Jonathan’s delay in declaring his future political ambition, particularly for 2015.
Sources close to the meeting claimed that the governors were not particularly against the President seeking re-election. However, the gathering was said to have been sharply polarised between those who saw nothing wrong in the President declaring now and those who argued that it would not augur well for him to make public his intention now, but should be deferred. To the later group, because of some unresolved issues such as the inability yet to rescue the abducted Chibok school girls, the timing would be misread, and most expectedly criticized by the opposition as being insensitive.
At the meeting, sources said arguments for and against Jonathan declaring now or later were objectively weighed for him to consider. At the end of the day, the wisdom in tarrying a while was said to have been favourably considered, hence the President is not in a hurry to declare.
But speaking on the endorsement, former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP (South-West), Chief Olabode George, said: “If the caucus decided to endorse the President, I have no objection to that. For me, legally, it is within the constitution for him to run; and he represents a zone by the concept of our party.
“It was by divine intervention that the leadership fell on South South; so let them complete their eight years. That will bring a sense of belonging; it will rekindle their loyalty and the belief that they are also part and parcel of Nigeria.
“After their eight years, it goes somewhere else. This is not new. In Switzerland, you have three major tribes – the Germans, French and the Italians. The headship of that country is rotated; no quarrels. It is not a matter of whether you are a minority or majority: three different tribes and they co-exist in peace. So, we can do that,” he argued.
However, Alhaji Balarabe Musa disagreed with the position of the House caucus which reportedly endorsed the President, saying, “I want to know the position of the northern caucus of the PDP in the House.”
Further, he asked: “If the northern caucus of the PDP in the House of Representatives are part of the endorsement, do you think they are sincere about it?
“It is contradictory, because they said they want a President of northern extraction, and now they are saying they are endorsing Jonathan. Or, are they saying the northern caucus is not part of those that endorsed him,” the former governor of old Kaduna State asked.
Source: Daily Independent