Giant
campaign posters, announcing President Goodluck Jonathan’s readiness to contest
the 2015 presidential election, greeted Nigerians in Abuja, the nation’s
capital, as they woke up to savour the dawn of the New Year.
The
all-glossy posters, which were strategically posted in the high brow areas of
the Federal Capital Territory, did not however indicate the source or the
sponsor of the advertisement.
The
launch of the campaign materials contradicts the President’s claim that he has
not yet decided on the 2015 poll but concentrating effort on transforming
Nigeria in line with his manifesto to give the people a ‘fresh air’.
It
was not clear why the sponsors of the message decided to put it out on the
first day of the new year but a source familiar with the message pointed out
that it was to send a strong message to the opposition that Jonathan was
serious about contesting in 2015 and to test the reactions of the Nigerians.
The
campaign posters have been spread across the major areas of ECOWAS, Peoples
Democratic Party Secretariat in Wuse 5, and the Central Business District,
where major government offices are situated.
One
of the posters, which had President Goodluck Jonathan’s portrait read, 2015: No
vacancy in Aso Rock. Let’s do more. One good term deserves another. Support Dr.
Goodluck Azikiwe Jonathan for 2015 Presidency.
Presidency
disowns posters
When
contacted the Political Adviser to the President, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak disowned
the posters saying that they did not emanate from the presidency and that “the
president has not authorised anybody to print any campaign poster for him as
regards 2015 elections”.
He
declared that the president has been “pre-occupied with working to fix Nigeria
and did not want to be distracted by undue politicking about 2015”.
The
presidential aide further said that the pasting of the posters could be the
work of mischief makers who want to deceive Nigerians.
However,
in an exclusive interview with Vanguard last month, Okupe had said that when
the time was ripe his boss would respond to the issue of 2015, insisting that
Mr. President was preoccupied with fixing Nigeria’s problems at the moment.
Okupe
pointed out that it was wrong for some Nigerians to try to distract the
President from fulfilling his electioneering promises to the nation by bringing
up the issue of 2015 presidency.
The
aide, however, said the wonderful performance of Jonathan at the end of the
tenure would make most Nigerians to compel him to run in 2015.
“Nigerians
‘ll want him to run”
Okupe
had said: “I am very certain in my mind that Nigerians are going to applaud him
and even if he does not want to run for election, Nigerians are going to force
him to run again because of the level of performance.
“Only
God and the people of Nigeria will decide what will happen in 2015. But I think
what is uppermost in the President’s mind is to solve the basic needs of
Nigerians by improving power, infrastructure, roads and check insecurity in the
land.
“When
he achieves all these, Nigerians will decide what to do with him. In fact, when
we get to the bridge we will learn how to cross it. That is what I can say
about 2015 for now.”
The
poster, it was gathered, was printed by political hawks close to the Presidency
in light of recent claims by the opposition to forge an alliance to chase out
Jonathan in 2015, coupled with the warning by the Niger Delta former militant
leader, Asari Dokubo, to Jonathan not to run in the next election because of
poor outing so far.
Source:
Vanguard
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