Jonathan Campaign votes N178b for landslide victory

THE President’s campaign chiefs plan to deliver a landslide victory in the April polls – a venture to which over N178billion is said to have been voted.

It was also learnt at the weekend that the N2.9billion allegedly voted to capture the Southwest is meant to mount a propaganda battle against former Lagos Governor Bola Tinubu, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Salami, and the presidential candidate of the ACN, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

Sources told The Nation that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Goodluck-Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation is aiming at a landslide victory nationwide.

One of the sources said with the exception of Ekiti State, the President’s campaign group has planned a N5billion budget for each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He said a N3billion budget is proposed for the campaign in Ekiti.

Said the source, who pleaded not to be named because of what he called the sensitive nature of the matter: “The PDP has floated a covert plot of ‘Operation Landslide Victory’ in all the 36 states, which is similar to its do-or-die campaign of 2007.

“That is why they have started romancing the All Progressive Grand Alliance and Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff of the All Nigeria Peoples Party. They are also ready to crush any opponents on their way.

“Their plan is to conscript all the states into this plot when they know that they are not popular in some geo-political zones.

“But the Northwest and the Southwest are central to their landslide agenda. I can tell you that the PDP has become so desperate that it is determined to spend heavily on the coming polls to sway votes in its favour.”

Another source added: “The controversial N2.9billion which was allegedly voted to capture the Southwest, is meant for propaganda against former Governor Bola Tinubu, the Action Congress of Nigeria and its presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, among others.

“In fact, we have reports that once President Jonathan is ‘re-elected’ by hook or crook, he plans to relocate to Lagos for the governorship poll as part of the grand plot to ‘capture’ Lagos State.

“They want to disgrace Justice Salami out of the Court of Appeal because he is not supporting the status quo. And a Minister is said to be the arrow-head of this plot.”

But President Goodluck Jonathan has denied the news making the rounds that a war chest of N2.9billion has been set aside to capture Southwest.

The report, which the President said was received with regret and sadness, according to him, is far from the truth.

President Jonathan’s spokesman Ima Niboro, in a statement in Abuja yesterday, urged opposition parties to consider the unity and progress of the country.

He also admonished on the need to avoid doing irreparable damage to hallowed national institutions through falsehood and political skullduggery.

“The entire report has no factual basis and its contents are product of the mischief-driven imagination of its authors.

The statement reads: “President Jonathan who has been busy touring all the states of the federation, including the Southwest, in an all-out effort to win the hearts and minds of Nigerians in the traditional and politically-correct manner, has absolutely no need to resort to any underhand tactics to win the presidential elections.

“The President and his supporters across the country are working extremely hard to achieve success in the elections in an indisputable and transparent manner.

“The tumultuous crowds that have attended the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign rallies across the country and the increasing endorsements of the ticket by other political parties, royal fathers and interest groups clearly point to the success of the President’s untiring campaign to convince Nigerians to give him a fresh mandate for four years.

“As he continues to show by word and action, President Jonathan remains fully committed to free, fair and credible elections in April. His being a candidate in the elections has not affected this commitment in any way.

“The President is also a firm believer in the doctrine of separation of powers and the rule of law. He is fully committed to upholding the independence of the judiciary at all times and will never be part of any conspiracy to misuse security agencies for partisan political purposes or impugn the integrity of the judiciary for private ends.

“In the continuing countdown to the general elections, President Jonathan urges all political parties and interest groups to put the unity and well-being of the nation above sectional, group or individual interests and avoid doing irreparable damage to hallowed national institutions through falsehood and political skullduggery.

“He urges all political parties and aspirants to elective offices to steer clear of false, malicious, spiteful, malevolent and wicked campaigns against opponents, and join him in playing the game of politics as it ought to be played, with respect and decorum, and without bitterness or ill-will to others.”