Goodluck Signed One Term Agreement With Us..Gov Aliu..Its A Lie ..Aso Rock

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State yesterday ruffled some feathers in the camp of President Goodluck Jonathan after going public in Kaduna that the President reached an agreement with PDP governors in 2011 to serve for one term only.

But he was quick to add that talks about President Jonathan seeking renewal of his mandate in 2015 should be regarded as mere speculation for now.

The President himself has not declared his interest in contesting although the Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, who is widely acclaimed as his political godfather has said there is nothing wrong in him seeking a second term more so when the constitution allows it.

Aliyu, featuring on Guest of the Week on Liberty Radio (91.7), Kaduna monitored in Abuja, said: “I recall that at the time he was going to declare for the 2011 election, all the PDP Governors were brought together to ensure that we were all in the same frame of mind.

“And I recall that some of us said given the circumstances of the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua and given the PDP zoning arrangement, it was expected that the North was to produce the President for a given number of years.

“I recall that at that discussion, it was agreed that Jonathan would serve only one term of four years and we all signed the agreement. Even when Jonathan went to Kampala, in Uganda, he also said he was going to serve a single term.”

“For now, President Jonathan has not declared a second term ambition and we must not be speculating based on those who are benefiting from the campaign.

“I think we are all gentlemen enough; so when the time comes, we will all come together and see what is the right thing to do.”

On his own much speculated presidential ambition, he said if it is the will of God for him to contest, God himself will create the proper avenue for him to do so.

“But I have not said to anybody that this or that is what I want to do in 2015. We will cross the bridge when we get to it,” he said.

Aliyu reiterated his support for the merger of ACN,CPC,ANPP and APGA to form All Progress Congress (APC), saying it will engender healthy rivalry.

“I pray for the success of the merger because I want a situation where we will have parties that will challenge one another properly so that we don’t take it for granted that because you have been winning elections you can do as you wish,” he said, adding:”There is a purpose for elections. There is a purpose for setting up government. You set up government for the competence and efficiency of running an administration.

“You don’t set up government so that a group of people can enjoy to the detriment of the majority of the people. So for me, the success of the merger will look like what is happening in developed countries where one party does it for a period of time and another party does it for another period of time.

“We should encourage a situation where our party becomes rational and very organised and where our party has democracy within because that is the foundation of a democracy of a nation.

“A situation where a party is allowed to handpick candidates and put them up for elections should not be encouraged”.

The governor described fears that Nigeria will break up in 2015 as a result of normal intellectual research after looking at the variables and concluding that if our situation continues to degenerate, there is the likelihood of a breakup.

He told proponents of Nigeria’s break-up that : “ a break up is not going to be as neat as some people think because I recall that when we had the civil war, there were some people who said if you allow that group to go, we would also go.

“Majority of Nigerians don’t want a break up. Only a few individuals are calling for a break up. And you don’t call for a break up simply because you have something today.

“We have gone to Mali to help them fight off what is becoming a civil war. So if it starts in Nigeria, I don’t think the world will stand by and watch. We will ensure that we stay as one nation to enjoy the benefits of what we have been fighting for.”

Last night, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, told The Nation on Sunday he had only become aware of Governor Aliyu’s remarks within the hour, and needed more time to consult before commenting.