THE Nigeria Governors’ Forum  is currently divided over who succeeds ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2011, the Nigerian Tribune can authoritatively reveal.

According to a highly placed source within the forum, “shortly after we successfully ensured that the National Assembly passed the resolution empowering the vice-president to act as president, the forum has been torn due to clandestine moves by some members of the forum, particularly those who are currently serving out their second term, to succeed the incumbent president, who it is believed, would not run in 2011 due to his failed health.”

The source, who pleaded anonymity, disclosed further that, “what is currently going on within the forum, as far as who gets what in 2011 is, to say the least, unfortunate.  The body is already divided along the lines of second term governors and first term governors.  Those who are serving out their tenure are now engaged in nocturnal meetings and visits to their bases in order to solicit their support when the time comes.”

It was also gathered that some northern governors were the ones mostly involved in the recent schemings within the forum because of the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to retain the presidency in the North.

In a telephone interview with a highly placed member of the forum, he disclosed that, “if this thing is not carefully handled, it could lead to the disintegration of the forum, which had in the recent past helped in the sustenance of our nascent democracy.  You won’t believe if I tell you the high level horse-trading and night consultations that had been going on across state boundaries in the last few weeks.”

It was also gathered that apart from the fact that the open battle for nomination for the plum job was only being fought by second-term governors, members of the forum, who are first termers and who are in the majority, were said to be rooting for their term mates, who they reason, would do their biddings when they got there.

Nigerian Tribune reliably learnt that first-term governors from the North are covertly soliciting for the support of their colleagues.

As a result of this, Nigerian Tribune also gathered that there is a cold war between first term and second term governors, though they appear in public as one united body. 

In the South-South geo-political zone where the office of the vice-president had been zoned by the PDP, some of the incumbent governors were alleged to be already scheming to be favoured for the job.  But, at least, two of the serving governors from the zone had been reported to have turned down entreaties from kingmakers in the zone to vie for the office. Those who are already positioning themselves for the position, it was gathered, had, in the recent past, been engaging in campaigns of calumny against their colleagues, using the press.

It was reliably gathered from a competent source that one of the South-South  governors with an eye on the vice-president seat had, during a meeting with the then vice-president, welcomed a governor from the zone to the meeting with the shout:  “announcing the arrival of the vice-president-in-waiting.”

The said meeting with the then vice-president, who is now acting president, would have been aborted if the acting president had not intervened to calm the governor, who was said to have been angered by the utterance of his fellow governor.

Nigerian Tribune further learnt that since the confrontation at the Villa, the two governors, who are first termers, were not seeing eye to eye until recently when they had to close ranks to support the acting presidency of Dr Goodluck Jonathan.

Comments (9)

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Jonathan will continue 2011
written by Eke valentine, March 15, 2010

So this is how pdp wants to throw jonathan away in 2011 but their plan will not work 4 them if not jonathan in 2011 this country will break into two or three.jonathan is nigerian obama

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2011: Govs divided over Yar’Adua’s successor
written by Bulus Martins, March 15, 2010

These govs are there for their pockets and not the nation.VP should know what to do.

They don't development in their agenda again. Let them beg God for the time - 2011.

Wishing Yaradua the best of health. God can do it for us in Nigeria by Yaradua's return to power.

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Super Delegates?
written by Johnnie Agim, March 15, 2010

The so called Governors forum is at it again. I took some time to search through our so called constitution, and could not find any mention of super delegates, let alone who should make up its membership. This group of usurpers need to be stopped right now. We the people of Nigeria have not ceeded our voting rights to the bastards called governors, who have used every avenue at their disposal to steal from their people.

We the people intend to vote come 2011, and we intend to make our votes count.

Finally, I suggest that the Tribune should either publish these comments, or deliver them on a regular and ongoing basis to the governors and the NASS. The true Nigerian democracy lives, and is viral

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Its been a covert agenda all along.
written by Timi, March 15, 2010

Alas! their motives are soming to the fore.... Governor's forum had always been a covert idea of some governor to oil his political machinery, gain national notice and relevance. Quote me, its all about one turk from the north central states....

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2011:Governors divided over Yar'Adua's successor
written by olu.adenodi, March 15, 2010

How can this forum of intellectoally banckrupt men claim credit that they "successfully ensured that the National Assembly passed the resolution empowering the Vice President to act as president" It is now out that they are divided into two groups viz: those vying for who to succeedthe incumbent president,i.e.Yar'Adua in 2011. The second 'termers' group believe they are entitle to the to the position while the first 'termers' should wait their turn. Both group they are the only people who can succeed the president any time their is a vacancy.
There is no where in the constitution that one has to be a former governor as a qualification to become the president. It is not also a reqiuremant that one must have held an elected office before standing for the position of Mr.President. The on qualifications are: age,you must be 40 years old;be a citizen of Nigeria (either natural born or naturalised citizen is not spesified) you also must be a member of a political partyand must be sponsored by a political party. The last two requirement will be rendered redundant if the Justice Uwais recomendation on the electoral reform becomes law. Independent cadidates should be allowed to stand elective office. The constitution never says a Northerner or a Southerner must stand election.It says a NIGERIAN, no zones NO religon affliation. It should not matter if the Nigerian is agnostic,atheist,pagan,infidel to the muslims or a gentile to the chritians; all that is required is that you are after all a Nigerian.

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What's the motive this time?
written by Lanre, March 15, 2010

Politicians in Nigeria are amateurish in their approach! Ignorant and double minded. They swing depending on the location of milk and honey. No integrity, no accountability and conscience.

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...
written by ok, March 15, 2010

All the Nigeria Governors are not qualified to lead Nigeria. They have no vision. All of them lack common sense to even lead their families let alone Nigeria. All of them are failures.

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Governors divided over Yar'Adua's successor
written by Abdul A, March 16, 2010

Eke valentine, shut up Nigeria will not break up if Goodluck does not become a president, stop threatening people my friend, there are many competent Nigerians out there, let Goodluck work speak for him first then we will decide if he is worthy of our vote, you cant scare anybody with breaking the country if your candidate didnt win sir so calm down, in 2011, the best candidate will win period.

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...
written by Y M Mafullul, March 16, 2010

The obsession with power in this rag-tag nation, run by baboons, beggers believe! There people suffer in object powerty, and deprivation in the midst of plenty. They do little or nothing to improve the lives of their people, they only think of themselves, and how they can remain in power. I find this people very nauseating.

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