•Rolls out campaign vehicles
Sule Lamido, the Governor of Jigawa State, is quick off the block in the race to the Villa, in an elaborate plot hatched in Ota to scuttle President Goodluck Jonathan’s transition to a second term, which many believe he wants, although he is keeping it close to his chest.
Sule Lamido
By law, the campaign for the election in February 2015 should begin three months prior, meaning November this year.
But Lamido, taking the advice of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has unofficially launched his bid for Aso Rock with branded campaign vehicles spotted in Jigawa State proclaiming his readiness to run.
There are also posters in Kaduna State bearing his name and picture proclaiming his ambition.
Jonathan too, though publicly mum on his intentions, has tactically begun his own campaign through proxies, with campaign offices equipped out of public view.
Splitting the vote
Both Lamido and Jonathan belong to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), throwing up the scenario of a battle of the juggernauts for the party’s presidential ticket.
If Lamido wins the nomination, he may go all the way. If not, he would be a spoiler, splitting the Northern vote between Jonathan and other candidates in the PDP.
He will also divide the vote between Jonathan and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who many see as Muhammadu Buhari.
If Lamido (from the North West), loses the nomination to Jonathan (from the South South), and if the rift lingers, his supporters may not vote for Jonathan in the presidential ballot.
Lamido’s supporters may vote for Jonathan’s opponent or decline to vote at all. Both scenarios will boost the chances of the candidate of the APC.
Lamido’s Chief Press Secretary, Umar Kyari, had earlier explained that he was “yet to make any formal declaration” and that the “posters were printed by people who probably want the governor to contest for the 2015 presidential election.”
However, Kyari did not respond to calls and text messages TheNiche sent to him on Friday, July 18 to comment on the branded vehicles.
Fear in Jonathan’s inner caucus
The fear in Jonathan’s inner caucus is that the gambit by Lamido poses a threat to the president’s bid for the PDP ticket.
Lamido is from the North where sentiment is rife about the region producing the next president.
The caucus is also apprehensive that Lamido may be in league with other PDP governors in the North to pull the rug off Jonathan’s feet at the PDP primaries in November.
Another concern for Jonathan’s men is the backing Lamido has of Obasanjo, a rare feat since the inception of this democratic dispensation in 1999.
The power bloc of former heads of state – with the exception of Buhari – always supports a particular presidential candidate and whoever it settles for, eventually wins.
Obasanjo pitches for Lamido
Obasanjo has publicly tipped Lamido for president on two occasions.
Making a veiled reference to Jonathan on May 29, 2013 Obasanjo said: “You know you can help somebody to get a job but you cannot help him to do it.”
Doing a pitch for his choice, he added: “If somebody cannot do the job, we have Sule Lamido who is competent to do the job.
“Some people are saying one person can’t make changes; this is rubbish. If you have a competent person who knows where he is going, he can make changes along with his team that would impact the lives of people as we have seen it in Jigawa State.”
Obasnjo also spoke up for his protege on May 12 this year, saying, “Going by Lamido’s background, performance and credibility, his competence and exposure, he can stand shoulder to shoulder with anybody in the country.
“If it is the wish of the people, it is okay. He did not tell me he is vying for the post, but being the wish of the people, let’s wait and see.”
Jonathan’s counter move
Nonetheless, the caucus in the presidency is on a counter move to forestall gang up against Jonathan.
On July 15, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, the caucus henchman, announced that the PDP House of Representatives Forum has endorsed Jonathan for 2015.
Members of the PDP Governors’ Forum were present when the lawmakers declared their support for Jonathan.
