Jonathan finally declares for 2015

  President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday finally declared interest in contesting the 2015 presidential election. He told Peoples Democratic Party leaders at the State House in Abuja today during a meeting that he would procure nomination form of the party before the deadline. The closed door meeting, held at House 7 in the Aso Rock […]

 

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday finally declared interest in contesting the 2015 presidential election.

He told Peoples Democratic Party leaders at the State House in Abuja today during a meeting that he would procure nomination form of the party before the deadline.

The closed door meeting, held at House 7 in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, was chaired by Jonathan himself.

A source, who was privy to the meeting, said Jonathan also raised a presidential declaration committee saddled with the responsibility of coming up with a formal programme for his declaration.

The committee is headed by a former Minister of Defence, Dr. Haliru Bello.

The source, who pleaded anonymity, said the declaration would be held between November 7 and 15.

The source listed members of the presidential declaration committee as including Dr. Bello Halliru Mohammed ‎(Chairman) from Kebbi; Sen. Ken Namani (Deputy Chairman), Enugu; Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim (Secretary), Ebonyi, Prof. Rufa’i Ahmed Alkali (member), Gombe, Julius Imagwe (member), Edo, Dr. Baraka Sani (SSA -NSAP) – Kano, (member).

The governors to represent the various zones as members of the committee are Liyel Imoke, Cross River (South South), Theodore Orji, Abia (South East), Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo (South West), Dr. Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu Niger (North Central), Ibrahim Shema, Katsina (North West) and Ibrahim Dankwambo, Gombe (North East).

The source said the National Assembly Representatives included Sen. Hosea Agbola , (Oyo), Sen. Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna), Hon. Bitrus Kaze (Plateau) and Hon. Salmas Badru (Ogun).

According to the source, the Federal Executive Council Representatives in the committee are Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Dieziani Allison-Madueke ‎(Bayelsa), Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Abduljelili Adesiyan (Osun), Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina (Adamawa), Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Sen. Bala Mohammed (Bauchi).

Party official representatives include Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus‎ (Rivers), Benue State Chapter Chairman, Chief Emmanuel Egbo, (Benue) National Women Leader,  Kema Chikwe (Imo) and North West Zonal Chairman, Amb. Ibrahim Kazaure (Jigawa).

Party members representatives include Sen. Stella Umo (Delta), Sen. Walid Jibirn (BOT Secretary, (Nasarawa), Ibrahim Bunu (Borno), Rev. Jolly Nyame (Taraba), Sen. Aneta Okon (Akwa Ibom), Peter Obi (Anambra), Mrs. Remi Adiuku Bakare (Lagos), and Gen. A. B. Mamman (PDP National Youth Leader) – FCT.

The source added that others appointed at the president’s discretion were Barr. Halima Alfa (Kogi), Nigeria Ambassador to Netherland, Dr. (Mrs.) Nimota Nihinlola Akanbi (Kwara), FCT ALGON Chairman, Hon. Micah Yohanna Jiba ‎(FCT) and Hon. Sam Ikon (Akwa Ibom).

The source gave the summary of members representing the zones thus: South-South (6), South-east (5), South-west (5), FCT (1), North-West (5), North-East (6) and North Central (6).