Date Published: 04/12/10

2011: Rivers AC Leader meets Jonathan, states conditions

Goodluck Jonathan

STRONG indications emerged in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Monday, to the effect that the opposition is not likely to be united in their confrontation of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next year's general elections.

Already, the leader of the Action Congress (AC) in Rivers state, Tonye Princewill, who is also a political associate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, met with Acting President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja at the weekend, to discuss the possibility of his return to PDP.

AC chieftains who are closed to Princewill, scion of the Kalabari monarch, said he used his meeting with Jonathan, to discuss ''broad general pre-conditions'' for his return to the PDP which he left late in 2006 to the AC.

According to our AC sources in Port Harcopurt, Princewill is of the view that Jonathan has the opportunity to redeem the office of the President which had been allegedly undermined by the recent events in the polity if he can objectively address the challenges of certain paramount issues facing the nation.

AC state Publicity Secretary, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, confirmed on telephone that there are ''certain development going on at very high political level in Abuja''. The AC leader wants the seven point agenda of the ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua to be reduced to three made up of – the Niger Delta, power sector and electoral reform.

The Kalabari prince is arguing that if Jonathan can address these issues adequately and seek solutions to the malaise in such areas, he is poised to etch his name in the marble of successful leadership in the nation.

''The success of these goals will be largely hinged on the peaceful resolution of the Niger Delta conflict. If there is peace in the Niger Delta, the gas needed to power the Power Sector will be readily available in the same vain peace would be sustainable when the Electoral reform allows for the election of legitimately elected leaders from the region'', Princewill told the Acting President.

On the Ledum Mitee-led Niger Delta Technical Committee which he was a member, the AC chief decried the Abuja’s failure to issue a white paper on the committee’s recommendations, pointing out that a timely implementation of the recommendations will go a long way in the resolution of the issues prevalent in the Niger Delta region. He also called on Jonathan to bring this issue to the front burner even as he steers the nation’s affairs.

On Abubakar’s planned return to PDP, Eze, who spoke for Princewill, claimed that while not justifying the move he was only attempting to put the records straight by offering a little background on the decision to move. According to him, the decision was borne out of necessity. Having done his best to rally round and galvanize the opposition through NDM and other efforts to make positive democratic changes in the country, Atiku had become disenchanted by the actions of the key actors within the opposition.

On his political future with assumptions in many quarters that he is set to follow his political mentor back to the PDP, where incidentally Princewill has his political roots, he reiterated that is still in consultation as to the way forward for him in what has been a hitherto short but eventful time in politics. He stated that so far he has four options available to him as to the way forward - Continue in AC; join another political party; join PDP or bow out of politics. He however assured his well wishers and supporters that whatever decision he takes would be known in due course.