Jonathan Denies 2015 Re-Election Posters

SECURITY agents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja are now on alert to nab persons who commenced pasting of campaign posters bearing the image of President Goodluck Jonathan ahead the 2015 elections.

The second term posters of the president surfaced at strategic places in Abuja, on streetlight poles, walls, dustbins and traffic sheds and have continued to generate controversies. No sponsor is identified on the posters and President Jonathan was yet to declare interest to contest.

Some of the giant, glossy posters read, “2015: No vacancy in Aso Rock,” “Let’s do more,” “One good term deserves another,” “Support Dr Goodluck Azikiwe Jonathan for 2015 Presidency.”
Already, the presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have disowned the campaigns.

A security source confided in Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday that security agencies are now laying ambush to nab those who perpetrate the “illegality.”

The source which pleaded  anonymity said the police would soon send out public information to perpetrators to desist from the act.

Although it could not confirm if the presidency officially directed the security agencies to halt pasting of the posters, the source said the agencies, especially the police, have taken it upon itself to ensure that the posters are seen no more, for now.

It went further to note that the police did not need to wait for directives before acting, in the light of what it described as “unfavourable body language” of the presidency towards the posters.

The source said, “It is not about whether Aso Rock gave police an order or not, but from all the denouncing from the Villa and even the president’s party, it is imperative that police move in.”

It went further to state that, “You recall that the president openly spoke against starting 2015 political campaigns this early and we felt that producing his campaign posters now can amount to mischief.

“The focus will not be to investigate the source of the posters but to ensure that their pasting is discontinued. We do not want a breakdown of law and order in the capital and any part of the country for that matter and we are determined to arrest and deal with anyone caught in this breach.

“Those who do this should give peace a chance or have themselves to blame. And I can assure you that the Federal Capital Territory Administration is fully in support of this effort.”

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday dismissed the suggestion of the commencement of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign for 2015 presidential election following the emergence of campaign posters in parts of Abuja.

The party’s spokesman, Chief Olisa Metuh, who insisted that the PDP was unaware of the existence of the president’s campaign posters, told the Nigerian Tribune by phone from Abuja that if indeed the posters had been pasted on the streets, it may be the handiwork of mischief makers.

“We are totally unaware of it. I have not even seen it. But we are not unmindful of the fact that several times in the past, a lot of people had taken it upon themselves. The whistle has not be blown for politics. This could be the handiwork of mischief makers,” he said.

Also, the presidency, on Wednesday, dissociated itself from the purported President Jonathan’s 2015 campaign posters sighted in parts of Abuja over the past few days.

Presidential spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, in an interview in Abuja, said President Jonathan had no hand in the emergence of the posters, maintaining that those who were behind it were acting on their own and not as agents of the president.

He asserted that the president was focused on delivering on his mandate for Nigerians and would not be distracted by the politics of 2015.

According to him, “those pasting the posters are trying to express their own view. The president had stated that he will talk about the presidency from 2014. Those doing these do not have the consent of the president.”

He added that “what is most important now is for the president to deliver on his electioneering promise to Nigerians and not to embark on the pasting of posters.”

Dr Abati insisted that the posters did not come from the president, saying that “Nigerians should take the president for his word and ignore any other information to the contrary.”

He contended that the president had not launched any campaign and “believes that those doing that are playing games. He has said that by 2014, his position on the 2015 presidential race would be made public. Nigerians should wait till then.”

According to him, “we do not know those behind the posters. So, the president cannot do anything. Our appeal is that those behind this should allow the president concentrate on the job at hand. The president’s main pre-occupation now is to continue to provide service and quality leadership.”