The reasons for the lingering crisis between President Goodluck Jonathan
and his aides against the National Working Committee of the Peoples
Democratic Party, is gradually beginning to unravel.
Lately, some PDP governors and chieftains have repeatedly called for the resignation of party Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu and other members of the NWC over the party’s poor election performance.
However, the acrimony is said to be beyond that, with sources of Vanguard newspapers, revealing that it is mostly about the control of the party ahead of the 2019 presidential election.
Lately, some PDP governors and chieftains have repeatedly called for the resignation of party Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu and other members of the NWC over the party’s poor election performance.
However, the acrimony is said to be beyond that, with sources of Vanguard newspapers, revealing that it is mostly about the control of the party ahead of the 2019 presidential election.
It is believed that
associates and aides of President Jonathan are hell bent on pushing out
the Adamu Mu‘azu-led NWC in order to ensure the return of President
Jonathan as presidential candidate in 2019.
A high-level official was quoted to have said: “The thinking in the president’s camp is that after four years, Buhari would have done very badly and Nigerians would demand the return of President Jonathan and the president’s people know that there is no way he can get the ticket through the present NWC.”
On the flipside, the NWC is apparently not interested in fielding Jonathan, as they are reportedly looking to select someone from the Northeast for the 2019 presidential candidate.
Another reason for the rift between the PDP NWC and the Presidency is the purported refusal of Mu‘azu to reject the outcome of the presidential election.
After the president had conceded defeat and accepted the outcome of the election, Mu’azu was advised by Presidency officials to formally reject the election result and instigate judicial proceedings against the presidential elections.
Due to the Chairman’s refusal, he was suspected and even accused of being a mole of the All Progressives Congress, hence the initial calls for his resignation.
The president’s aides also believe that the NWC is not entirely disposed to the idea of Jonathan returning in 2019, hence the frantic efforts being made to push out the members of the committee.
A high-level official was quoted to have said: “The thinking in the president’s camp is that after four years, Buhari would have done very badly and Nigerians would demand the return of President Jonathan and the president’s people know that there is no way he can get the ticket through the present NWC.”
On the flipside, the NWC is apparently not interested in fielding Jonathan, as they are reportedly looking to select someone from the Northeast for the 2019 presidential candidate.
Another reason for the rift between the PDP NWC and the Presidency is the purported refusal of Mu‘azu to reject the outcome of the presidential election.
After the president had conceded defeat and accepted the outcome of the election, Mu’azu was advised by Presidency officials to formally reject the election result and instigate judicial proceedings against the presidential elections.
Due to the Chairman’s refusal, he was suspected and even accused of being a mole of the All Progressives Congress, hence the initial calls for his resignation.
The president’s aides also believe that the NWC is not entirely disposed to the idea of Jonathan returning in 2019, hence the frantic efforts being made to push out the members of the committee.