2015: Presidency moves against ‘stubborn’ govs

Ahead of the formal declaration of President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2015 election, there are strong indications that a major security shake-up may take place in states that are considered unfriendly to the Presidency.
A very reliable source told Daily Sun that in the impending shake-up, Commissioners of Police (CPs), Directors, State Security Service (SSS) and Brigade Commanders in the concerned states are to be replaced by officers that are considered loyal to the Presidency or not likely to be used by the said governors to work against Jonathan in the event that he decides to run in 2015.

Some of the states likely to be affected are Delta, Cross River, Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Kwara, Jigawa, Sokoto and Rivers. The governors of the affected states which cut across the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition are believed not to be in tune with the presumed President’s second term ambition. It is in this light, our source said that the Kwara State CP may be replaced with another officer said to be in charge of the case against the former governor of the state, Dr Bukola Saraki.

Although Saraki has not indicated any fresh desire to run for Presidency in 2015, he is seen as a potential threat, with many of his colleagues still serving as governors. Similarly, the Brigade Commander and CP in Rivers State have also been changed. It was gathered that the idea behind the imminent change in the aforementioned states is to cripple the governors ahead of the 2015 presidential battle.

The source said the Presidency think-tank advised that the changes be done early so that it does not raise any suspicions, that could be the case if the changes are done close to the election. The source informed Daily Sun that a top shot in the Presidency recently harried the wife of one of the governors with the impending change. According to the source, the top shot told the governor’s wife, “You people don’t want to support us. We are ready for you”.

Recall that the Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido and his Rivers State counterpart, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, are rumoured to be warming up for 2015 to contest as president and vice presidential candidates respectively. Last week, a branded Honda saloon car with a Lamido/Amaechi 2015 portrait was reportedly sighted at Muhammadu Buhari Way (formerly Wharf Road), Kaduna. Besides, recently the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godsday Orubebe allegedly had a spat with Amaechi, who he accused of not supporting Jonathan’s 2015 project. Daily Sun could not, however, get any concrete confirmation on the impending changes from the security agencies.