IBB ,Ciroma, can not stop Jonathan in 2015 – Presidency

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The Presidency on Sunday said prominent northern leaders, including Alhaji Adamu Ciroma and a former military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida, could not affect the chances of President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 general elections if he decided to contest. Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, said this in a interview with the correspondent.

Gulak was giving an answer to a media report that northern politicians had create a committee whose membership included Ciroma and Babangida to increase the move by the seven aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governors to become listed on the opposition All Progressive Congress.

He said it had been on record that the President won the 2011 presidential election without the support of the named northern politicians.

The presidential aide said the latest move, if true, could not therefore affect Jonathan's chances in the 2015 election.

“I am not aware of the establishing of such a committee. What I could let you know however is that if you recall, the individuals whose names you simply mentioned did not support President Jonathan in 2011 and that did not stop him from winning. And this latest move too cannot stop him if he decided to contest in 2015,” he said.

Gulak denied the claim by Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger Declare that the Presidency had bribed 400 northerners to aid Jonathan in 2015.

Challenging the governor to say the politicians that were bribed, the presidential aide insisted that Jonathan wasn't used to bribing people for whatever reason.

“What I could simply say is that Mr. President is not used to bribing people. We challenge Aliyu to call individuals that were bribed,” he said.

Aliyu, on Saturday in Minna at the 25th anniversary celebration of the enthronement of the Emir of Minna, alleged that about 400 prominent Northerners have been bribed to betray the region by supporting Jonathan in the 2015 election.

He added that those that collected the amount of money will be exposed 

 “the moment we lay our hands on the list of individuals involved.”

He said, “We are looking for that list so that people will tell the people of the region why these are individuals that want to betray them.

“We hear the rumour of some individuals who say that they have the list of 400 prominent Northerners they are going to settle and that they are sure if they settle 400 everything is going to be okay in 2015.”

The governors said the North wasn't afraid of 2015 election, adding that it will be a game of numbers.

“No real matter what happens by 2015, we (northerners) should not hesitate because politics is just a game of number. Through the ballot box we are able to always determine who becomes our leader. Don't hesitate, let there be 200 candidates, God will allow only anyone to emerge,” he said.