By Ben Agande

ABUJA—It emerged in Abuja yesterday that President Goodluck Jonathan may have banned his aides from campaigning for him but rather face the task of governance.

A presidential source who was at a meeting allegedly convened by the President with some of his top aides told Vanguard that the President informed those at the meeting that he was still consulting on the issue of whether on not he should contest the 2011 presidential election and would not want any pronouncement from his aides that would inflamed tension in the country.

According to the source, the President informed them that since the country’s democracy is still young and susceptible to being easily truncated, “people in position of authority should be wary of what they say”.

The source told Vanguard, “what the President told us was that the most important assignment before him is to keep Nigeria united and reduce all divisive tendencies to the barest minimum.

“He said Nigeria is a country of diverse interests and peoples and that several interests are playing up. But it is his duty to maintain a united nation, a united front and avoid orchestrating issues that only widen the gulf between the sections of the country.”

The President’s  Senior Special Assistant on Research and Startegy, Mr. Oronto Douglas, confirmed to the media in a separate  forum that the President had placed embargo on his aides joining the campaign trail.

Douglas said: “The President has said he wants to consult with Nigerians on the 2011 issue. He is still consulting.

“In fact, I am aware that he has intensified his consultations and he has ordered all his aides who have been linked with the clamour for him to contest to steer clear of politics and allow the President to finish his consultations.”