Members of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Campaign Committee are at loggerheads and working at cross purposes, with several complaining of being sidelined by the big shots.
A source close to the committee said one of the aggrieved is Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metu.
Fani-Kayode as bogeyman
“Almost everybody in that committee is disenchanted with what is going on. Metu for instance has not been happy over his being sidelined in the scheme of things by Fani-Kayode,” said the source, who pleaded not to be named.
Metu’s grouse is that as PDP spokesman, he ought to chair the campaign publicity subcommittee. Campaign money is allegedly disbursed without his knowledge.
Other members of the committee are also said to be unhappy.
“I can tell you that many of us have been frustrated. As I speak to you, I am in my house. I have no business going to the office because it appears somebody does not want our services there any longer,” one of them complained in a telephone interview.
The crisis has assumed a greater proportion but everything is being done to keep it under wraps.
Ali finds it tough
It was learnt that the campaign’s Director General and former PDP National Chairman, Ahmadu Ali, also finds things tough with some other members of the team. Non disbursement of funds is at the root of the quarrel.
A source disclosed that a female member of the campaign almost fought physically with Ali a few days ago.
The lady, a governorship aspirant in a PDP state, reportedly confronted Ali over the complaint that members of the campaign are being starved of funds, an allegation which made Ali angry.
The woman was said to have come with a huge sum of money as her personal donation to the re-election of Jonathan but took it back because of the unsatisfactory response she got.
Money in the mix
However, another source absolved Ali of blame in the crisis rocking the campaign. He said the problem is not Ali but Jonathan himself.
“I can tell you that the problem has to do with the non release of funds to the campaign team from the president.
“Unlike what used to happen in the past when anybody who got appointed to the campaign team saw it as an opportunity to make a fortune, this time around, there is no such windfall and that is what is causing these silent agitations.”
Jonathan has reportedly chosen “not to release the funds yet and this has not gone down well with a lot of people who are now pointing accusing fingers at the wrong directions. But you cannot blame the President. He knows what he is doing.”
5,000 campaign groups complain
More than 5,000 campaign groups registered under the Goodluck Support Groups (GSG) have also expressed displeasure over their marginalisation by “vested interest of the leadership.”
This was conveyed in a communique they issued in Abuja, which was signed by the Coordinators of Goodluck Support Groups (GSGs), Solomon Akaya, Kingsley Oriaku, Abubarka Aminu, and Chinyere Omeje.
The communique said: “It is of great concern to note that the groups that have worked so hard to mobilise the grassroots for the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan have nothing to show for it all these years owing to vested personal interest of the leadership of GSG, Rufai Alkali and Nick Ezeh.”
The groups urged Jonathan to “wade into the crisis as a matter of urgency to direct the leadership of GSG to involve/mobilise the entire groups to participate fully in the ongoing campaigns of Jonathan and subsequently mobilise the groups to the grassroots for the presidential, governorship, national and state assembly elections.”
The groups said they were foot soldiers of Jonathan’s re-election bid, and that they were speaking for the electorate. They cautioned Jonathan not to allow himself to be deceived by campaigns on television and social media alone.
Groups report Alkali, Ezeh to Jonathan
The communique said since the inception of Alkali leadership, members of the GSG have not been fairly treated as they were abandoned at Jonathan’s declaration at Eagles Square after they had travelled round the country.
“Mr president, we want to bring it to your knowledge that the leadership of GSG under Rufai Alkali and Nick Ezeh is not working for your interest in your re-election bid.
“We are therefore calling on [you] to intervene as a matter of urgency as time is of great essence in this matter.”
A source disclosed that over 8,000 groups registered by the GSG paid N200,000 each to obtain Jonathan’s nomination form.
Efforts to get Alkali’s response to the allegations did not yield fruit as he was said to be too busy with campaign rallies. He did not answer calls to his telephone number.
Mu’azu decries ‘use and dump’
Trouble also appears to be brewing in the PDP itself as the national leaders have openly complained the ‘use and dump syndrome’, which has led to the defection of members to other parties.
PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, recently admitted in public what many insiders consider as the undoing of the PDP chieftains – the penchant to use and dump members and loyalists.
Mu’azu accused the party of “injustice” during the inauguration of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation in Abuja.
His words: “Mr president, I want you to discuss with your governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives and other elected officials. We say that members of the PDP should not be used and dumped again.
“People leave the PDP because of a lack of equity or injustice. Monkey dey work, baboon dey chop. That must stop. This time round, monkey must work and monkey must eat.
“A lot of people who left (our party) did so because of the injustice in our party. The party is full of injustice. The membership of the APC, LP, APGA and others are increasing because of this.
“All these members are from our party. We must find out what is wrong and correct it.”
Mu’azu received a standing ovation.
Sambo’s loyalists complain
Newsdiaryonline has reported that Vice President, Namadi Sambo, has lost many loyalists who felt “used and dumped.”
Some felt so frustrated they have quit politics and are in private business full-time after working for Sambo’s in Kaduna only to be dumped at the state level.
One allegedly claimed that when Sambo came to Abuja as Vice President, only those in his former school mates were found worthy of compensation.
“I was used and dumped. I don’t want to have anything to do with these people. Some of us have gone into private businesses.
“I can tell you that many people who are not in private business have aligned themselves with the opposition all along instead of PDP. It’s terrible,” one of the victims told Newsdiaryonline.
However, Sambo is reportedly making efforts to patch things up with his former loyalists.
He is also said to have made new friends who are campaigning for him.