President Jonathan, sworn in Thursday hours after the death of President Umar Yar'Adua, has met with former Nigerian heads of state, governors, and top officials from the ruling People's Democratic Party to consult on picking a vice president.
His choice could alter the course of elections due by next April because the new vice president may go on to be a contender in the presidential race.
"The president is holding consultations as part of efforts to arrive at who will be the nominee for vice president," a presidential source is quoted to have told the Reuters news agency.
"He will likely send the name to the National Assembly for approval, according to constitutional requirements, by Monday or Tuesday," the source is said to have concluded.
However, there still seem to be palpable tension over who becomes the Vice President.
The Nigerian media had speculated on a short-list of possible vice presidential nominees including Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed, and National Security Adviser Aliyu Gusau.
9ja land learnt that four different groups are interested in determining who becomes the second-in-command, with speculations that the new Vice President might be the one to step up should Jonathan decide against running for the Presidency in 2011.
The groups are the Governors’ Forum, Northern Senators, retired military officers and former President Olusegun Obasanjo. President Jonathan is also said to be keen on having the final say on the matter.
9ja land gathered from a reliable source that while the Governors’ Forum is insisting that one of their own should be appointed, President Jonathan thinks he is now fully in charge and should determine who to work with.
Many expect Jonathan, who is a southerner from the Niger Delta, to pick a northerner as his deputy to maintain the OPEC member's political balance.
According to our source, while Jonathan is working on a list of three including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen Aliyu Gusau and former Minister of Agriculture and Resources, Muktar Shagari; the Governors’ Forum is insisting that he must pick from Governors Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Babangida Aliyu (Niger). Yuguda is said to have more sympathy as an in-law to the departed President.
Interestingly, Yayale, Gusau, Shema, Yuguda are all from the Northeast geopolitical zone that produced the late President while Shagari is from the northwest.
However, our source says that President Jonathan has put his feet down that he decides who to work with. And speculations are rife that he is likely to appoint the Secretary to the Government of the Federation because of his loyalty throughout the six months crisis over the health of late President Yar’Adua and his absence from duty.
Ahmed, a Fulani from Bauchi is said to be more acceptable nationwide and has advantages over others because of his background as a technocrat whose wealth of experience would help to stabilize Jonathan’s administration.
It was gathered that part of the reasons the President is more favourably disposed toward him is because of the perception that he is not a politician and may not yield to the ambition of contesting the next Presidential election.
Obasanjo, regarded as Jonathan’s godfather is equally said to be rooting for either former FCT minister, Nasir El-Rufai or former Agriculture Minister, Mukhtar Shehu Shagari. Senators and retired officers are however said to be rooting for the national security adviser who they believe could assist Jonathan to break any resistance in the north.
Meanwhile, speaking with newsmen at the weekend, the national publicity secretary of the PDP, Professor Ahmed Rufai Alkali called for caution when asked on the criteria he expects the new President to take in appointing a deputy.
"Goodluck Jonathan has been sworn in, just Thursday. So you have to give him time, because he has to make a lot of consultations and I am sure that by the time he does that, Nigerians will know, of course it has a process, it has to also go through the national assembly. So, please I want you to exercise patience. First, join us to pray for the departed soul of Yar`Adua and also join us to pray for president Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that he succeeds in the challenges that lie ahead" he said.
By 9ja land
His choice could alter the course of elections due by next April because the new vice president may go on to be a contender in the presidential race.
"The president is holding consultations as part of efforts to arrive at who will be the nominee for vice president," a presidential source is quoted to have told the Reuters news agency.
"He will likely send the name to the National Assembly for approval, according to constitutional requirements, by Monday or Tuesday," the source is said to have concluded.
However, there still seem to be palpable tension over who becomes the Vice President.
The Nigerian media had speculated on a short-list of possible vice presidential nominees including Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed, and National Security Adviser Aliyu Gusau.
9ja land learnt that four different groups are interested in determining who becomes the second-in-command, with speculations that the new Vice President might be the one to step up should Jonathan decide against running for the Presidency in 2011.
The groups are the Governors’ Forum, Northern Senators, retired military officers and former President Olusegun Obasanjo. President Jonathan is also said to be keen on having the final say on the matter.
9ja land gathered from a reliable source that while the Governors’ Forum is insisting that one of their own should be appointed, President Jonathan thinks he is now fully in charge and should determine who to work with.
Many expect Jonathan, who is a southerner from the Niger Delta, to pick a northerner as his deputy to maintain the OPEC member's political balance.
According to our source, while Jonathan is working on a list of three including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen Aliyu Gusau and former Minister of Agriculture and Resources, Muktar Shagari; the Governors’ Forum is insisting that he must pick from Governors Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Babangida Aliyu (Niger). Yuguda is said to have more sympathy as an in-law to the departed President.
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| President Goodluck Jonathan (pix courtesy of Reuters) |
However, our source says that President Jonathan has put his feet down that he decides who to work with. And speculations are rife that he is likely to appoint the Secretary to the Government of the Federation because of his loyalty throughout the six months crisis over the health of late President Yar’Adua and his absence from duty.
Ahmed, a Fulani from Bauchi is said to be more acceptable nationwide and has advantages over others because of his background as a technocrat whose wealth of experience would help to stabilize Jonathan’s administration.
It was gathered that part of the reasons the President is more favourably disposed toward him is because of the perception that he is not a politician and may not yield to the ambition of contesting the next Presidential election.
Obasanjo, regarded as Jonathan’s godfather is equally said to be rooting for either former FCT minister, Nasir El-Rufai or former Agriculture Minister, Mukhtar Shehu Shagari. Senators and retired officers are however said to be rooting for the national security adviser who they believe could assist Jonathan to break any resistance in the north.
Meanwhile, speaking with newsmen at the weekend, the national publicity secretary of the PDP, Professor Ahmed Rufai Alkali called for caution when asked on the criteria he expects the new President to take in appointing a deputy.
"Goodluck Jonathan has been sworn in, just Thursday. So you have to give him time, because he has to make a lot of consultations and I am sure that by the time he does that, Nigerians will know, of course it has a process, it has to also go through the national assembly. So, please I want you to exercise patience. First, join us to pray for the departed soul of Yar`Adua and also join us to pray for president Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that he succeeds in the challenges that lie ahead" he said.
By 9ja land
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