Say You Won't Contest in 2015 - Arewa Elder Tells Jonathan

Alhaji Ahmed Joda’s advice to President Goodluck Jonathan to defuse political tension in the country by renouncing any intention he might have to stand for re-election in 2015 invokes mixed reaction.

In a media report yesterday, Joda, who served as permanent secretary in the 1970s and was chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, during the tenure of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, advised the President to publicly announce that he won’t seek a re-election so as to dampen political tension created by the suspense over his candidacy.

“(The) President should defuse the present political tension that now pervades the country. This should begin with his renouncing any intention he may have of contesting the 2015 elections and devoting his entire time, energy and the resources of the country in order to give Nigeria a credible and acceptable Constitution; a free, transparent and fair election,” he said in a statement in Abuja.

Joda is pursuing Northern agenda — Sagay
Responding to Joda’s advice yesterday, Constitutional lawyer, Prof Itse Sagay, SAN, said, he was disappointed in Joda. His words: “I am extremely disappointed in Joda, not because I want Jonathan to contest but because I suspect he is muting the so-called Northern agenda that the next president must come from the North. That is where I am disappointed.

We have seen in this country that it is irrelevant where a person comes from. We should not be looking at the geopolitical zone or ethnic nationality of a president. We should be looking at the capacity of that person, his dedication to public life.
“So, when I see statement from people like Achuzia who says Igbo presidency is non-negotiable in 2015, who told him that a president will come from even the Igbos? So, for me, what Ahmed Joda is expressing is an indication of political immaturity despite the fact that he was a super permanent secretary in the 1960s”.

If I were Jonathan I won’t contest — David-West
One-time Petroleum Minster, Prof Tam David-West said Jonathan was free to run but he should lay emphasis on good governance. “If Jonathan wants to contest, he is free to contest. Let Jonathan concentrate on doing a good job because he is not doing a good job yet.
In 2011, I did not like the way he (Jonathan) became president. His contesting the 2015 elections is not good for him and for the country. If he is doing a good job, let him contest, but I don’t think he is doing a good job. If I were him I will not contest,” he said.

Jonathan should discard the idea — SNG
However, spokesman for the Save Nigeria Group, Mr Yinka Odumakin, shared Joda’s views. He said, “if he (Jonathan) is still thinking of running for office in 2015, then we are in a deeper trouble than we think given what is on ground today. It will be better for him to forget the idea.

He clearly has no idea of what to do, he is just there. He does not understand that the office of the president is beyond the perks, privileges and opportunities the office provides”.