By Jide Ajani, Editor, Northern Operations
ABUJA  —  Governors of the South South geo-political zone last Saturday sent a note of caution to Governor Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State just as they also expressed solidarity with him on his present face-off with former President Olusegun Obasanjo regarding the list of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidates for the April general elections.

Gbenga Daniel

The state governors, who were present at the South South zonal presidential campaign launch of President Goodluck Jonathan, expressly told Governor Daniel not to leave the party which he helped to build and is building in the South West zone.

Vanguard was told that after the rally when the South South governors retired to the residence of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, “a conference call was put through to the Ogun State governor.

“The governors wanted to let Daniel know two things,” the source said.

“Firstly,” the source continued, “they wanted him to understand that any move he makes now to leave the PDP would be considered a very hasty move.

“Secondly, they wanted him to know that they were all behind him.”

The source said “the governors did not mince their words as they took turns to speak to him and everyone present could hear his (Governor Daniel’s) response.

“They all spoke in one word and the message was simple and direct: Do not leave the pdp at all.”
Daniel’s response, which could not be reproduced verbatim, was reportedly along the lines of his disposition “to be patient and continue to watch events as they unfolded.”

The source told Vanguard that Governor Daniel reminded the governors of his contributions to the PDP in Ogun State, the South West geo-political zone as well as the campaign of President  Jonathan,” adding: “He would never do anything to jeopardize the chances of President Jonathan at the polls.”

On the issue of defection from the party, Daniel reportedly told his South South counterparts that “he was not in the habit of dumping a struggle” because, according to him, “this was a struggle about good and evil, right and wrong, justice and injustice.”

It would be recalled that Governor Daniel had flown into the Federal capital territory, FCT, Abuja late Thursday on the understanding that there would be a meeting the next days where the thorny issue of who would get what candidates certified for the PDP.
However, sources close to Governor Daniel maintained that the meeting never held.

The reason for this, was the rejection of the compromise list presented to President Obasanjpo by the team sent to him by President Jonathan.

Thereafter, the rumour about the possible defection of Governor Daniel from the PDP gained fervency again.
The sharing formular, according to another source, was skewed in favour of President Obasanjo but the latter still rejected the list.

Of the three senatorial seats in the state, Vanguard discovered that Obasanjo’s faction was allotted two seats while Governor Daniel’s faction was given one – interestingly, the only one seat is that of Ogun East where Daniel emerged as senatorial candidate.

In terms of the list for the House of Representatives, the proposal gave Obasanjo another two thirds majority of producing six of the nine prospective members – that would leave Governor Daniel’s faction with just three members.

For the governorship, the Governor Daniel faction was handed the ticket while former President Obasanjo was requested to forward three names of possible running mates to Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, the Daniel factional governorship candidate to pick from.

The reason for this, according to the proposal, was because the governor would have to work with his deputy and, therefore, would need to be the one to make a choice.

The state house of assembly, which had been a theatre of the absurd since 2008, was shared with Governor Daniel’s faction allotted 75% of the total seats in the house while Obasanjo’s faction was given 25%.

This, a source said, was with a view to ensuring that the G_15/G11 scenario which had crippled effective legislation in the state would be avoided.

Upon perusing the list, Vanguard was informed that Obasanjo allegedly tore it – as he was said to have done with the kingmakers list for the Owu kingship about seven years ago when he did not agree with the choice of Olowu of Owu; Obasanjo eventually installed his choice as king.

Vanguard further gathered that the three persons President Jonathan sent to Obasanjo’s Abeokuta residence practically went on their knees begging the former President.

Obasanjo was said to have insisted that apart from the Ogun East senatorial seat which Daniel already had, he was not willing to relinquish any other name on his list.

After about two hours, the team departed Abeokuta for Lagos en_route the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to report back to President Jonathan.