A former Director General of the now rested Centre for Democratic Studies (CDS), Prof. Omo Omoruyi has said that it was not too early for President Goodluck Jonathan to start campaigning for re-election. He noted that it was evident that the President has done well so far, hence it was not illegal for him to have started campaign .
His words: “Why will he not contest? Look, constitutionally, is he not qualified to contest? If yes, then, his performance will be judged by the people and not him. When people said, ah, there are posters here and there, it is even too late. Why is it too early? Haven’t you seen what is going on in the United States of America today? The man (Barack Obama) will be sworn in on January 20, 2013 and the Republicans are already looking for an alternative to him; within the Democratic Party they are looking for somebody who would replace him.
“So, it is not too early because election starts once election is conducted. Period! You do not wait. I have said it that in first year, you are busy trying to plant something; second year it must germinate, third year is a nomination year and this is nomination year. So, what is so early in it?
“The man (Jonathan) should own up and say, look, I am seeking a second term or whatever term it is. So any group that is rooting for him is in order. He has never owned up to that. Based on what I have said, I do not know what he has done because in some of these things, you must stand to be counted. He must say, I have achieved this thing, I have stabilised this country, I have given Nigeria a leadership, and you must make a choice.
“We are gradually going to the nomination year now and if he cannot put an end to those seeking to replace him within the PDP in the third year, he should forget it. If he cannot make those seeking to replace him from outside the PDP in the third year, he should forget it.”
Speaking on the attempt by the Northern Governors and federal lawmakers to quash the PIB following allegation that its provisions were against the zone, Omoruyi said: “Who owns oil now has become an issue. It is for all of us. It is for everybody. That is only the beginning of the crisis we have in this country, otherwise, I can assure you of one thing… If oil was found in the North many years ago, the North would have seceded long ago.
“That is why this craze for exploration. There is still that fear that the country would break up. You see, one document I put together for General Ibrahim Babangida contained two final points. One, he wanted former President Yar’Adua to pursue the dredging of the River Niger up to Baro and Baro is Babangida’s locality. It is his home.
“The second is that he also wanted the building of a highway from Kano to Tripoli in Libya. He said he wanted quick exploration of oil. Why were that going on and why were these three issues so important? It is because they did not believe that Nigeria will last. If Nigeria breaks up, they will not have to go through the ports of Lagos or Port-Harcourt,’’ he added
it would be recalled that President Jonathan had since denied his involvement in the campaign posters, which took over the streets of Abuja last week.
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