By JIDE AJANI

ABUJA—BARRING any last minute re_alignment of forces at the voting areas in Eagle Square, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was, at press time, set to clinch the presidential ticket of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Early indications to this first emerged shortly after he was ushered to come and make his presentation to the thousands of delegates massed at the Eagle Square.

Once President Jonathan stepped down from the state box in the company of his deputy, Architect Namadi Sambo, the delegates hailed his appearance on the grounds of Eagle Square.

That has always been the pattern. The keenest presidential contest close to yesterday’s event in the annals of PDP history was the February 1999, Jos convention of the party where Matthew Okikiolakan Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo contested against six other aspirants to clinch the ticket.

The PDP’s pattern is almost always determined by what the leadership of the party, working in collaboration with the President want.

And whereas the leadership of the party went to great length to demonstrate its transparency in handling the organization of the convention, the mood of the delegates at the Eagle Square was firmly in tandem with expectations that President Jonathan was set to clinch the ticket.

Also, while he delivered his speech, he was intermittently interrupted by ovations from the delegates.

Every point of his administration’s achievement which he pointed out was greeted by an ovation from a cross section of the delegates.

Overwhelming support

In addition to factors which were set to make President Jonathan the candidate of the PDP for the April, 2011 presidential elections was the seeming overwhelming support of state governors.

It would be recalled that just last month, state governors on the platform of the party gave reasons why they were ready to work for and support the candidacy of President Jonathan.

The governors, 22 in number, embarked on a historical voyage across the globe to justify why a sitting President and Commander-in-Chief who is not barred by the constitution of the country should not, therefore, be encumbered by any other piece of legalism from seeking the presidency of his country as long as he remained constitutionally qualified.

Almost all the state governors who made the pledge had since been working openly for the candidacy of President Jonathan and they had made it manifest from pronouncements and mobilisation carried out in that regard.

Immediately after his speech and upon resumption at the state box, it was an enthusiastic crowd of supporters from across the country, made up of political leaders who ushered him on and demonstrated support for him.

This was in sharp contrast to the return of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, his main opponent, when he returned.
And whereas Atiku’s speech was moving and telling, President Jonathan made a rebound after he made his own presentation to the delegates.

Vanguard could hear some of the delegates as they made their way to the voting area murmuring reassurances to one another:  “Na President Jonathan-o!  Na President Jonathan-o!!”.