Jonathan is going to Run

News Update

‘Jonathan is going to run’

By Danlami Nmodu Newsdiaryonline Wed Aug 18,2010

Those hoping that President Goodluck Jonathan will not contest the 2011 presidential election may be hugely disappointed.Newsdiaryonline sources confirmed this morning that ‘Jonathan is going to run.’Our source said ``the president is only delaying announcement of his decision now because of the muslim Ramadan fast.He wants to respect this spiritual season and he doesn’t want to cause any distraction now by declaring his intention .But I can assure you that Jonathan will declare after the end of Ramadan fasting’’

It is odd that Ramadan has become the alibi now because the President had all the time to declare this but has kept his supporters on tenterhooks ever since .Recently ,for instance, some Nigerian women threatened to go on `sex strike` if Jonathan failed to declare.`No Jonathan no sex,` they crooned;an indication that the president’s supporters were getting increasingly agitated by the delay in making an official declaration.

There have also been claims that the political firmament has`` failed to bubble ‘’ because everyone has been waiting for Jonathan’s move.After delaying their official declaration too, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Former President Ibrahim Babangida had to take the bull by the horns by making their ambitions official last weekendBut Newsdiaryonline’s official source today dismissed Atiku and Babangida as ‘no threats to Jonathan’.How far that is true remains to be seen

The revelation today that Jonathan will run and indeed declare his intention after Ramadan clears the air of uncertainty hanging over President Jonathan’s ambition.The confusion over the president’s real plan got to a fever-pitch yesterday on the heels of a report by Reuters that Jonathan may not run.

Reuters quoted a presidency source who said :"He is not likely going to run, simply because his party has retained the zoning of the presidency to the north for the next four years," .The source added."Though his party said he can run despite the zoning, the party said this because they didn't want to offend him."

The very highly reputable international news agency also reported that Jonathan would make his intentions public before the end of August. "(He) is a man that always ensures equity and fair play, so he may allow the north to have their remaining four-year term if that will ensure peace and unity," Reuters source claimed

But Ima Niboro the presidential spokesman said yesterday that the Reuters story was incorrect: “this is a story sponsored by interested parties. Unfortunately, the highly rated global news agency was misled into publishing it.The truth is that (Jonathan) has not said he will not run. Neither has he said he will. At different times he has given clear reasons why he considers it premature, in the interest of governance, to make any commitment both ways.At the appropriate time, (he) will inform his country men and women of his future plans. Until then, every comment on the subject remains mere speculation.”

The fresh insight now is that the president has made up his mind to run, but he is only waiting for the ‘right time’ to announce it.Even as the story was being put together a few minutes ago,the air of uncertainty reared its head as another presidency source who was asked to further confirm the latest revelation told newsdiaryonline:'I really don't know' . So will the president disappoint his foot soldiers? Or will he go ahead to announce his interest after Ramadan?Only time will tell.