Fresh facts emerged yesterday that President Goodluck Jonathan’s talks with the Mallam Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Political Leaders Forum collapsed because he refused to accede to two demands by the Forum.
The demands are: a written undertaking that he would spend only a term in office and ensure that power shifts to the North in 2015.
They also asked him to make a broadcast to the nation on these two commitments.
But the President has rebuffed the NPLF leaders over these demands and decided to bear his cross by making fresh inroad into the North through alternative power brokers and northern groups.
The NPLF, in collaboration with Igbo Political Forum, had on Thursday technically withdrawn backing for Jonathan during the forthcoming April 9 poll.
Investigation by The Nation confirmed that the refusal of the President to meet up with these demands actually accounted for the deadlock at last Friday’s meeting with the NPLF leaders.
A top source, who was privy to the talks, spoke in confidence on the grey areas that led to the stalemate.
The source said: “The NPLF leaders raised issues bordering on non-respect of commitments and agreements by the President.
“They therefore asked the President to enter into a written agreement that he would leave in 2015 and that power would shift to the North in 2015. The Peoples Democratic Party would have to be part of the new power deal.
“They even asked him to go the extra mile to make the agreements public through either a press briefing or broadcast before they can give him support.
“They said unlike 2002, they want to hold the President and the PDP liable for these new proposals. They hammered on the question of trust.
“They said they decided to ask for these so that all Nigerians will be witnesses to history.”
But it was gathered that Jonathan considered the demands of the NPLF as undemocratic and unrealistic.
The President queried the rationale behind 10 to 15 people sitting down to determine what will happen to the nation in 2015.
A top aide of the President, who spoke in confidence, said: “It is true that the President said he cannot enter into a bond on 2015.
“He said as Nigeria ’s President, the NPLF should be able to trust him as a reliable leader who will always do his best to preserve the unity and stability of the nation.
“The President must to abide by the tenets of democracy and allow Nigerians to choose their leaders without fear or favour.
The aide quoted the President as saying: “I won’t write any undertaking. Whoever Nigerians want will be the President. Nigerians will decide their next President in 2015.
“This is a democracy, if I say this is what Nigerians should do in 2015 and they decide otherwise, will you still say that I must impose your will on them?”
The source added that the President told the NPLF leaders that the fact that he initiated the talks presupposed that he wanted the best for the nation in 2011 and 2015.
Another factor which might have influenced the President’s position was the fact that he had also made the same promise to the Igbo that it would be their turn in 2015 to produce the president.
“You can see that the matter poses a big dilemma for Mr. President, so he had to do the most sensible,” said a source.
As at press time, however, the source claimed that Jonathan is already “bearing his own cross” by making inroad into the North.
“With the election fast approaching, the President has gone back to his Plan B since the NPLF is technically not backing Jonathan.
“I can assure you that the President has opened discussions with other interest groups and other influential leaders in the North, who are considered as ‘match-makers’ in their own right. It is a kind of divide and rule strategy.
“Do not forget that the President, to a great extent, has large following in North-Central, North-East and in some states in the North-West like Zamfara and Sokoto.
“Some of the northern governors backing the President too are no push over. You cannot rule out the fact that they will make impact.”
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Jonathan rebuffs Ciroma, IBB on 2015