Five
governors, who launched a save-democracy shuttle at the weekend, are to meet
two former Heads of State – Gen. Ibrahim Babangida and Gen. Abdulsalami
Abubakar — it was learnt yesterday.
Besides,
they plan to consult a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Yakubu
Danjuma.
Four of
the five governors met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta on
Saturday on the need to save the nation’s democratic process from collapse as a
result of the crisis in Rivers State.
They
also drew Obasanjo’s attention to the humiliation of northern governors in Port
Harcourt, the Rivers State capital where their convoy was attacked at the
airport when they visited embattled Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
They
expressed worry about, what they described as the increasing level of political
intolerance and intimidation.
They
expressed worry that the nation’s political atmosphere might not support a free
and fair election in 2015.
The
Presidency, it was learnt, is jittery about the visit of the governors to
Obasanjo.
The
five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors behind the “Save Democracy”
initiative are Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Murtala Nyako
(Adamawa), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto) and Babangida Aliyu (Niger).
All,
except Wamakko visited Amaechi. Aliyu was not in the team that visited the
ex-President “because he got the information late”.
A
source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said the governors
initiated the shuttles to key national leaders because of the benefit of
insight at their disposal on the 2015 polls.
The
source said: “The governors told Obasanjo to meet with other statesmen to avert
the drift in the country as a result of the crises in the Nigeria Governors
Forum (NGF) and in Rivers State.
“They
noted that the Rivers crisis may have a wider implication for the nation’s
democracy, which is no longer enjoying international confidence. They want
Obasanjo and other leaders to intervene before the situation becomes
uncontrollable.”
The
governors, it was learnt, told of how they were ambushed in Port Harcourt and
what would have happened in the North if they had been assaulted.
“I
think the visit was just to draw Obasanjo’s attention to the ‘drift’ afflicting
the nation’s democracy and the need to intervene in Rivers crisis,” the source,
who pleaded not to be name, said.
Replying
to a question, the source added: “The governors were also unhappy about what
they called anti-North agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.”
“They
want to take the same message to Gen. Babangida, Gen. Abubakar and Gen. Danjuma
before the week runs out.
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