onathan’s ambition ’ll polarise the nation, says Atiku • No, it ‘ll not—Yuguda, Bauchi Governor

Former Vice President and presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has carpeted President Goodluck Jonathan over the latter’s presidential ambition.
In his view, President Jonathan’s insistence on running in 2011 negated the principle of zoning provided for in the PDP Constitution and the pact of the founding fathers of the PDP. He said it was capable of polarising the nation.

According to a statement issued by the Atiku Campaign Organisation (ACO), the PDP presidential aspirant, who spoke in Sokoto in continuation of his nationwide tour, said the country, which was already divided along regional, ethnic and religious lines, should be spared further divisions as represented by President Jonathan’s bid to appropriate a mandate meant for the North.

The Northern Political Leaders Forum, (NPLF), to which Alhaji Atiku belongs, had, last Friday, given the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) two weeks to restrain President Goodluck Jonathan from partaking in the party presidential primary, as it ran contrary to the party constitution.
Addressing thousands of party supporters and delegates from Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States, Atiku said “this nation has survived thus far because our founding fathers have maintained a delicate balance between the regions; between the two great religions and among our various ethnic groups.”

He said those who want to subvert the unique arrangement of rotation of power between the North and South do not wish the nation well.
“I’m convinced that those who want power rotation jettisoned do not have the best interest of the country at heart. The anti-zoning elements want to plunge this country into a needless crisis,” Atiku said.
He said Nigerians should not personalise policies or jettison agreements freely entered into because of an individual’s ambition.
Atiku warned that Jonathan’s candidacy would eventually lead to the realisation of the illegal Third Term agenda of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, which he and other patriots fought against and defeated in 2006.

He asked his supporters to ensure that a northern candidate emerged the winner of the forthcoming PDP primaries to defeat what he called, “this latest attempt to smuggle Third Term into our polity.” But the Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda, who is the North-East Zonal Coordinator of President Goodluck Jonathan, however, disagreed with the former vice president as he told journalists at the PDP national secretariat that the masses of the country would decide President Jonathan’s fate.

He spoke with newsmen after submitting his expression of Interest and nomination forms
“Well, I think it is very simple. The election of the president is not an issue that has to do with the party, it has to do with the masses of the country. We are talking about the masses in our zone, and Insha Allah, they are very positive about the capacity of Goodluck Jonathan to govern Nigeria, to take Nigeria to the promised land, to bring all the goodies, to bring in peace and stability, create jobs for our youths, bring in investments, also harness the natural resources that God has given Nigeria for the interest of our people and the development of our great nation. He cautioned Nigerians not to see the race for the presidency within the prism of North/ South divide.
“I am a Nigerian, I don’t think along regional or sentimental lines. Everybody has his own capacity.”