2011: State Governors Back Jonathan

PHOTO: NIGERIA GOVERNORS' FORUM CHAIRMAN AND GOVERNOR OF KWARA STATE, DR BUKOLA SARAKI.

ABUJA April 19, (THEWILL) - There are strong indications that the thirty six state governors have started considering moves to back Acting President Goodluck Jonathan for Presidency in the 2011 election though Jonathan is yet to declare his interest for the position. Already the governors have started arriving Abuja for a crucial meeting on the issue.

The governors through the backing of former president Olusegun Obasanjo produced both ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua, a former governor of Katsina State and Jonathan, a former governor of Bayelsa State, as candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Though the governors under the aegis of Governors Forum chaired by Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State had initially kicked against making Jonathan the Acting President, their effort to dictate events during the crisis that trailed the ill health of the President failed as the National Assembly threw its weight behind Jonathan and confirmed him Acting President.

Sources close to the Forum hinted that the governors will be holding an all night meeting at Kwara State Lodge in Abuja to adopt a common position on the issue.

The state Executives it was gathered may have decided to line behind Jonathan for the 2011 election though the acting president has said he is not interested in 2011 for now.

It was gathered that the said decision to back Jonathan may be part of the strategies by the governors to check the ambitions of former vice president Atiku Abubakar and former military head of state Ibrahim Babangida, who have returned to the PDP to contest the presidential election.

While the governors have divided opinions on Babangida and Atiku they are said to have decided to rally round Jonathan following positive signals from foreign countries especially the United States of America to endorse Jonathan to run for the presidency next year.