The letter of agreement purportedly signed by President Goodluck
Jonathan with the 23 Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governors promising
not to recontest in 2015 has allegedly disappeared into thin air. This
piece of news has dealt a severe blow to the grand standing by some of
the governors, who were just waiting for the perfect time to use the
document as evidence to back up their often repeated claim that there
was indeed a “one term” pact.
It was learnt that the agreement was kept with a South-south
governor, who is now feigning ignorance of where he kept the document.
The existence of a document suggesting that Mr. Jonathan signed a
pact to do just one term as condition to earn the support of his party’s
governors especially those in the North, in the wake of President Umaru
Yar’Adua’s sudden death, came to the fore early this year when Niger
State governor – Babangida Aliyu – had while speaking on Liberty Radio
in Kaduna, alleged that the president entered into a one-term pact with
PDP governors
He said: “I recall that at the time he was going to declare for the
2011 election, all the PDP governors were brought together to ensure
that we were all in the same frame of mind.
“And I recall that some of us said given the circumstances of the
death of President Umaru Yar’Adua and given the PDP zoning arrangement,
it was expected that the North was to produce the President for a given
number of years.
“I recall that at that discussion, it was agreed that Jonathan would
serve only one term of four years and we all signed the agreement. Even
when Jonathan went to Kampala, in Uganda, he also said he was going to
serve a single term.
“I think we are all gentlemen enough; so when the time comes, we will all come together and see what is the right thing to do.”
But the presidency had vehemently denied the existence of a pact
between Mr. Jonathan and the governors insisting the president is
constitutionally empowered to run for a second term in office if he so
chooses.
At the peace talks on PDP crisis in the Presidential Villa, President
Jonathan reportedly accused Gov. Aliyu of stoking the fire ravaging the
party.
But neither those in support of Mr. Jonathan nor those against him have the one term agreement paper.
It was learnt that when the agreement was signed, most of the governors were not eager to have a copy.
But the paper was allegedly given to a South-south governor for
safe-keep as a reminder to President Jonathan that his zone was in
custody of the pact.
It was gathered that since the matter became public knowledge, the governor has refused to release the paper.
Matter of fact, the governor denies being in custody of the paper.
The said governor is fully behind the second term project with confidence since the pact is in his care.
A top source said: “No doubt, there was an agreement but it was not
circulated to all the then 23 PDP governors. But a copy was kept with a
Southsouth governor for strategic reasons.
“When the issue came up recently among some PDP governors, no one could produce a copy.
“I think the Presidency was aware of where the pact was kept and that is why it has been confidently denying any pact.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “If the pact cannot be
produced and the court does not allow the New PDP to exist, the Kawu
Baraje faction of PDP may either team up with the All Progressives
Congress or Accord Party as the last option.
“But the G-7 governors and New PDP may form a coalition with the APC to ease out Jonathan in 2015.
“People of like minds are already putting heads together on how to effect change in 2015.”
A Northern governor also confirmed last night that the “agreement is with a South-south governor”.
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