Nigeria Content Online

The Chairman of the
Northern Governors Forum, Muazu Babangida Aliyu at the weekend advised
former military ruler and presidential candidate of the Congress for
Progressive Change (CPC), Muhammadu Buhari and his Action Congress of
Nigeria (ACN) counterpart, Nuhu Ribadu, to jettison their political
ambition of becoming the next president of Nigeria. Speaking in
Abeokuta at the 2011 Ogun State Awards of Excellence, Mr Aliyu, who is
also the governor of Niger State, declared that it is in the best
interest of Nigerians for President Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s
Democratic Party (PDP) to be elected at the April polls, saying his
victory will preserve the country’s unity and send the right message to
its citizens.

Respect for Gbenga Daniel

Mr Aliyu, who was
chairman of the occasion, also said his Ogun State counterpart, Gbenga
Daniel (OGD) still has the confidence of majority of the people
notwithstanding the opposition from some quarters. “I gravitated
towards OGD because we share certain things in common – how to manage
elders. And because he has started it earlier than me, I gravitated
towards him to learn. When we have former heads of state, former
generals (in a state), you need to learn a special way. Where I appear
to be succeeding, my teacher appears to be faltering but, like I said,
it’s a learning process too for teachers,” he said. “Believe me OGD, if
you had not won the confidence of your people, with what is going on,
you would not have been driving on the streets of Abeokuta. I’m happy
when you are driving; people still want to see your face. I’m happy
that people are very happy with you and please consider what has been
happening as part of the growth because I believe God and history has
not finished with you yet.”

Jonathan’s desirable victory

“Nigerians must
jettison ethnicity, religious bigotry and other divisive tendencies
capable of subverting peaceful co-existence and national unity as the
race for the presidency hots up,” Mr Aliyu said, expressing conviction
that it was by God’s design that Jonathan became the president after
the demise of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. “Obasanjo became head of state (in
1976) as a result of the death of Murtala Muhammed. Goodluck Jonathan
became the president as a result of the death of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
That was done by God. It wasn’t designed by anybody and if God gives
somebody such powers, what we can do is to complement and then wait for
the appropriate time,” he said. “But where some people think it is
theirs and they use every opportunity and every sentiment to make it
look like it’s their legitimate right, we must fight it. We must resist
it so that every child, no matter the circumstances of his birth, can
aspire to become the president of Nigeria.” Saying a situation such as
the present circumstances demands respect for equity, fair play and
justice, he said Nigerians must do everything possible to make Mr
Jonathan the next president of Nigeria. “Our nation is passing through
one of the most challenging phases of our socio-political developments.
We must therefore sit up and move away from lip service and loose talk
about national unity,” he said. “We must individually and collectively
act in the appropriate direction by promoting activities that will
engender mutual respect, trust and understanding for continued peaceful
co-existence’. Prominent citizens of Ogun State inducted into the Hall
of Fame include the Awujale of Ijebuland, Sikiru Adetona; Ayo Adebanjo;
Olaniwun Ajayi; Subomi Balogun; Mike Adenuga; Kessington Adebutu; Alex
Onabanjo; Adekoyejo Majekodunmi; Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi; Ayo Otegbola;
late Abraham Adesanya; late Oba Oyebade Lipede; Simeon Adebo;
Adetokunbo Ademola and late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.