20101216
Independent (Lagos)

Abuja — Opposition from the North deepened on Thursday against Goodluck Jonathan's run for President.

It is orchestrated by betrayal by some Governors as well as by federal lawmakers out to get their own back at the Villa over a botched deal.

Support for him is said to be thinning ahead of the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) next month.

Northern political heavyweights have also lined up a clutch of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to explore "all legal means" of stopping him from picking the Presidential ticket of the party, which is now split top down between those who back him and others who insist on the zoning arrangement that cedes power back to the North in 2011.

Besides, sources in Abuja denied the reported deal struck between Jonathan, Senate President David Mark and House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, for them to retain their posts in 2011.

"I doubt if there was any deal in the first place. Jonathan cannot guarantee anybody's return. The game has changed," the source affirmed.

Dissent against him in the National Assembly (NASS) is also swelling over what they perceive as his pandering and concession to PDP Governors.

A source recounted how Jonathan allowed Governors to influence the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) to drop the electronic registration of party members mooted months ago by PDP National Chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo.

"At the party's NEC meeting, Governors, one after another, opposed the idea. In fact, the Rivers State Governor, (Rotimi Amaechi), argued at the meeting that his state is vastly made up of riverine areas and so, the e-registration may not be in the best interest of the party.

"Other Governors toed the same line of argument and we were surprised to see (Jonathan), who had earlier registered in Aso Rock for the exercise, direct the party's Secretary to note the complaints from Governors. That was the last we heard of the exercise."

That concession to Governors, it was learnt, irked NASS members who saw it "as a sign of weakness on the President's part, something which is now being exploited by the Governors."

The PDP is already split down the middle over the increasing influence of Governors, with the Villa on one side and NASS members on the other.

It was learnt that PDP stakeholders are still opposed to Jonathan's refusal to obey the zoning principle and have decided to "close ranks with the North" and thwart his ambition. Northern political elders have met with their aggrieved counterparts from the South on the modus operandi of stopping him.

It also emerged on Thursday how the House played a fast one on Aso Rock on the amendment of the Electoral Act.

A source said the party struck a deal with the NASS leadership to include federal lawmakers in the NEC of the PDP.

Based on the prior arrangement, the Bill was introduced in both Chambers but the legislators were angry with Jonathan for "using and dumping us after the Doctrine of Necessity" and only "played along with him that they would amend the Electoral Act in such a way as to overwhelm Governors in the NEC but that their numbers would not be more than that of the executive."

This backfired, however, as the House leadership capitulated under pressure from members by promising them they would also be incorporated into the NEC.

The Senate did not agree to the deal.

Thus, a grand plan was hatched by the House leadership to "show to Aso Rock that it was still following the original idea by rushing the Second Reading of the Electoral Act amendment on December 8."

Thereafter, the House communicated to the Senate leadership "that it has passed the amendment."

But the Senate later got to know that the House only played smart in the amendment because it did not complete the process with the crucial Third Reading on the same day.

A Bill goes through three stages and it is only when it has passed the Third Reading that it gets passed.

Senators got angry with the scheme in the House and decided to delete Section 87 (11) from the Electoral Act.

"That singular action is meant to tell Jonathan that lawmakers would rather tough it out in their states than be used in Abuja to foster only the interests of some groups of people.

"When it comes to the crunch Governors will show their true colours if Aso Rock and the party's NEC refuse to bow to their wishes to re-order the primaries."