by James Sambo

There is a certain degree of ill will spreading within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as some governors of the party are reportedly unhappy with the leadership over its decision to give senators automatic re-election tickets.

Apparently, the PDP senators had threatened to join the opposition senators in impeaching President Goodluck Jonathan, unless they were given automatic tickets, a provision which they were reportedly assured of after a meeting between the party’s national chairman, Adamu Mu’azu and Senate President, David Mark, last Thursday.

The governors are now unhappy with Mu’azu and Mark, whom they blame for the collapse of the deal President Goodluck Jonathan had with them prior to being adopted as the sole presidential candidate of the party.

Before the impeachment issue, there was a deal between President Jonathan and the governors on whom were to be allowed to present their preferred candidates as successors, and those serving their final terms – who had signified intention to run for senate.

But as things have seemingly changed, the governors have now concluded to take the issue directly to the President. They have been scheduled to meet with him on Tuesday night to express their displeasure and “extract some commitment from him” before his ratification during the December 10 national convention of the PDP.

The governors now seek to get assurances that Jonathan would support their governorship candidates, and provided he wins in 2015, he will not go after them with anti-corruption agencies after leaving office in 2015.

A governor from one the northern states, while speaking to a team of journalists in Abuja on Saturday, stated that: “The PDP we used to know is not the one we are seeing now, the party is rotten and this is very shameful and unfortunate; some of us feel like crying for the party we once cherised as the biggest party in Africa.”

“It is most ridiculous for the President to reach an agreement with us and renege. But I can assure you that we have decided to unravel the issue because we suspect foul play in all that is going on within the party; imagine forcing sitting governors to withdraw from the race simply because someone somewhere is threatened by the presence of former governors who are desirous of being senators.”

“Right now, one of us, a South-East governor is already on his way to the opposition party. This is the height of unseriousness on the part of any political party that intends to win next year; this matter has to be tabled may be on Tuesday before the President.”

Kolapo Olapoju