President Goodluck Jonathan
ABUJA— A REPORT published by an international news agency, Reuters, quoting a Presidency source as having declared that President GoodluckJonathan was considering not contesting the presidential elections duenext January may have unsettled the Presidency, yesterday, as thegovernment immediately reacted saying President Jonathan was yet tomake a commitment.
The news agency in the report quoted the Presidency source as having said that President Jonathan will, however, make his intentions knownby the end of the month.
The Presidency, however, reacted to the publication, saying the President has not declared that he would run in the presidentialelections or not.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had said that President Jonathan has the right to run, because he was previously Vice President on ajoint ticket with President Umaru Yar’Adua, who died mid-way throughhis first term earlier this year.
But the party also said it would uphold the principle of “zoning” and that other candidates were free to contest at its primaries,expected to be held in September.
The Presidency source was quoted as saying: “He is not likely going to run, simply because his party has retained the zoning of thepresidency to the north for the next four years. Though his party saidhe can run despite the zoning, the party said this because they didn’twant to offend him.”
The source said Jonathan would make his intentions public before the end of August. The Presidency officials who declined comment, added:“He is a man that always ensures equity and fair play, so he may allowthe North to have their remaining four-year term if that will ensurepeace and unity.”
A decision by Jonathan not to run would come as a surprise to many in the country, because never before had an incumbent leader,constitutionally allowed to seek re-election, withdrawn from apresidential race.
Scepticism
Recent announcements by Jonathan’s administration, from pledges to end chronic power shortages to the imminent passage of long-awaitedreforms to the energy sector, have looked more like campaign pledges,heightening expectations he will stand.
Abubakar Momoh, professor of politics at Lagos State University, said:”Everybody knows that groups and interests are campaigning forhim, and they are well-funded …
Nobody is deceived. I don’t believe in this idea of mobilising but then saying, ‘I’m not too sure yet.’” He added that Jonathan’s failureto declare is “impinging on his integrity.”
But sources close to the president have been saying for weeks that he was concerned about the implications of ending zoning and about hisown credibility as a candidate in polls he says he wants to make freeand fair.
Presidency reacts
The Presidency, yesterday, reacted to the publication stating: “Our attention has been drawn to a report published by Reuters today,quoting “Presidency”sources as stating that President Goodluck EbeleJonathan may have decided not to run in the 2011 presidential electionsafter all.
“Information at our disposal indicates that this is a story sponsored by interested parties. Unfortunately, the highly rated globalnews agency was misled into publishing it.
The truth is that the president has not said he will not run. Neither has he said he will.
“At different times he has given clear reasons why he considers it premature, in the interest of governance, to make any commitment bothways. At the appropriate time, the president will inform his countrymen and women of his future plans. Until then, every comment on thesubject remains mere speculation.”
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