VP Slot: Jonathan, PDP Undecided

Although some Nigeria’s political juggernauts have began jostling for the Vice President slot, President Goodluck Jonathan is still undecided, The Tide on Sunday can now reveal.

The race for the Vice President slot has been on behind the scene while Dr. Jonathan held sway as Acting President, it was intensified as soon as it was learnt that President Yar’Adua was no more, with Governors Forum and other interest groups showing interest in it.

Curiously, all the contenders for the plump political job are from the North and ardent members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) although the 1999 Constitution stipulates that the Vice President could be picked by the President from any part of the Country.

Sources at both the Presidential villa and Wadata House — the PDP National Secretariat at Wuse Zone 5, Abuja told The Tide On Sunday that virtually all the avowed ‘god fathers’ of the party, especially from the Northern Zone and some Governors of PDP controlled State have expressed interest in having their loyalists considered for the Number – Two office in the land.

These political godfathers, The Tide On Sunday learnt include some members of the PDP’S Board of Trustees (BOT), like its Chairman, former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and former Chairman, Chief Toney Anenih and  contenders for the party’s 2011 presidential ticket like former military President, Geneneral Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar as well as Patrons and arrow-heads of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) like Nigeria’s former permanent representative at the United Nations, Maitama Sule – on whose desk, many believe the political equation in the North stops.

Inspite of the general interests expressed in the Vice President’s Job and on-going jostling for it, especially in the North, The Tide On Sunday was able to establish in Abuja that the front contenders for the plumb Job as at yesterday are secretary to the Government of the federation (SGF), Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, National Security Adviser to the President, Aliyu Gusau and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai who returned to the country last week after about two years in exile.

Our Aso Rock Presidential Source said the list is by no means exhaustive as behind the scene moves were being intensified to enlist names like Senate President, Senetor David Mark, former Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu & Governor of Bauchi State, Mr. Isa Yuguda among other contenders, adding that the trio of Ahmed, Gusau and el-Rufai however seem to have an edge over others, as at yesterday.   

Adducing reasons for this, our source said: “Yayale Ahmed has been loyal to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, that explains why he was retained by Jonathan although he was appointed by Yar’Adua and you know any president want a loyal deputy so Yayale is being considered based on his credential of loyalty .

 Gusau is seen as an old war-horse that could be used by the government to keep the status-quo intact. He is favoured by the Presidential Advisory council charied by General Theophilus Danjuma (Rtd), on whose advice of course, he was appointed National Security Adviser.

The Military is loyal to him. This has been proved overtime, right from the days of IBB and Obasanjo in government so the thinking is that with him as Veepee, mutiny in the army would be adequately kept under check throughout Jonathan’s tenure”.

Our source continued, “For el-Rufai you know he is Obasanjo’s boy”. Infact, Obasanjo is instrumental to his home-coming, without arrest at the airport, inspite of the fact that he was declared ‘wanted’ by the EFCC and you know Jonathan was Obasanjo’s Choice for the Veepee slot in 2007 when he ran with Yar’Adua. If you know President Jonathan very well, he does not believe in biting the finger that feeds him or being disloyal to his superior officers so the calculation is that if Obasanjo comes up with superior arguments for El-Rufai, he might be considered for the Veepee slot.

Our correspondent reports that the bulk stops on President Jonathan’s desk as he is the only one empowered by the constitution to nominate his deputy and forward the name to theNational Seemblyfor screening and confirmation but this may not be without consultation with parts of the country.

Justus Awaji, Abuja