President Goodluck Jonathan has chosen the path of honour by
first conceding the victory at the polls as well as defying pressure by some of
his loyalists to challenge the outcome of the presidential elections. Jonathan
is said to have heeded to the advice of some foreign Heads of State and the
international community.
While the President prefers to have a soft landing in the
wake of several calls for the probe of his administration, which is allegedly
characterized by corruption, some of his family and caucus members were visibly
disappointed over the way and manner he conceded defeat. Top on the list are
his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan,'Mama Peace', the PDP Governorship candidate
in Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike and the National Deputy Chairman of the PDP,
Prince Uche Secondus.
While Mama peace was rumored to have taken ill when it was
obvious that her husband had lost out in the election. She was subsequently
flown out of the country in the night for recuperation. The President,
according to our contact in Aso Rock, had warned his wife from meddling into
the affairs of any state, particularly, Rivers. He was quoted to have washed
his hands off any act by his wife if she gets into any electoral offence that
could result to prosecution and jail terms.
Also in a related vein, when the Rivers delegation of PDP
paid him a private visit last Thursday to solicit his help to instruct the
Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Kenneth Minima and the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman
Abba to help the party during the forthcoming governorship elections. Jonathan
was said to have remained calm as Uche Secondus addressed him on behalf of the
group, until the name of Gov. Amaechi was mentioned. Secondus had expressed
fears with the new turn of events in the political landscape of our nation that
the state governor may be in control of the security agencies during the
elections. He went further to explain how Amaechi betrayed the President by
leaving the PDP to galvanize other governors to work against the President.
At this point, Jonathan was said to have flared up and
warned Secondus not to mention the name of the governor in his speech. He said,
"don't mention the name of Amaechi here. He has not done anything wrong to
the Ijaws and myself. You people wanted him out of the Party at all cost and
each time I asked you what he did, no one gave me any reasonable answer. I
don't blame him and I do not have anything against him. Yes, he has his faults
but he didn't betray me. You all wanted him out, for reasons best known to you
and he left. So don't come here to use him as a reason for your request. I urge
you to go and work hard and I thank you for the votes".
He also warned them to desist from using ethnic sentiments
to incite any community against the other. We must not divide the country.
Let's leave in peace. At this point, the President walked away. At this point, Wike broke down in tears as
they left the Villa.
On the part of the Resident Electoral Commission in Rivers
State, Mrs. Gezila Khan, who hails from Otuoke and was the president's
colleague at the defunct OMPADEC, our source at the Villa revealed that
Jonathan had warned her to desist from any acts that could commit her to prison
if she is found culpable even at the tribunal stage. The President was said to
have reminded her that he would not be there to help her, as the incoming
President is none other than General Buhari.
But reports reaching us have it on good authority, that Mrs.
Jonathan took an unscheduled visit to her hometown to reassure them her support
for Wike. Though her visit did not come with the usual pomp pageantry, and with
few aides, she headed straight for her hometown, Okrika where she was received
with few traditional rulers.
Many say she had only come to justify the monies allegedly
collected from the PDP governorship candidate.
Meanwhile, there are reports that Mrs. Gezila Khan will be
transfered out of the state based on the weighty allegations leveled against
her by the APC and the thirteen other political parties.
The IGP has warned men of the Police Force to avoid being
used by politicians to rig the elections. General Buhar has also declared that
anyone found culpable with electoral crimes would be dealt with while any
police man engaged in such acts would not only be prosecuted but be discharged
without benefits.
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