Jonathan Campaigner Quits Over President's Comment On October 1st Bomb Blast
Goodluck Jonathan And Namadi Sambo
By SaharaReporters, New York
A day after the incident, which left 25 people dead and several others injured, Jonathan had said the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, was not responsible for the blast, although the militant group repeatedly claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Nasir Abubakar, who was until his resignation was the Kebbi State Coordinator of the "Goodluck Support Group", one of the numerous groups making up the Goodluck/Namadi Campaign Organization, said he could not in good conscience continue to support a man who could “compromise the unity of Nigeria on the altar of political expediency.”
In a letter to Ahmed Gulak, Director of Contact and Mobilization of the Jonathan/Sambo campaign, Abubakar said he was also disturbed by the president’s claim that he was not aware of any zoning arrangement in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The letter was copied to the Kebbi State Governor, Saidu Dakingari.
Mr. Abuabakar did not state why it took him so long to realize that Jonathan didn't believe in the party zoning policy.
But in a swift reaction and in a calculated tone to diminish Abubakar's relevance, the Director of Media and Publicity of the Goodluck/Sambo Campaign, Sully Abu, accused Abubakar of being a member of former military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida's circle of campaigners.
“All we can do right now is to wish him safe journey back to his Minna base,” Abu said in a statement.
Abubakar’s letter of resignation reads, “I wish to formally resign my position as Kebbi State Coordinator of Goodluck Support Group GSG which has been integrated into the Goodluck/Namadi Campaign Organization with immediate effect.
“My resignation is as a result of the stand of Mr. President on the issue of zoning and lately his position absolving MEND of responsibility despite their repeated claim of the unfortunate incidence of October 1, 2010 in which the lives of innocent Nigerians were lost and several others severely injured.
“The overwhelming goodwill enjoyed by Mr. President since his assumption of office and the need to strengthen the continued corporate existence of Nigeria on egalitarian basis informed my principled decision to support the Goodluck Campaign for the 2011 election.
“I cannot therefore continue to justify my support for his campaign in view of his position on these two issues in particular and the general trend of events which seem to compromise the unity of Nigeria on the altar of political expediency.
“I thank you for the opportunity to serve as Kebbi State coordinator for GSG and at the same time pray for a successful 2011 election and for a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.”
Abu of the Jonathan campaign said in his reaction, “We have just been informed about the purported resignation of Mr. Nasir Abubakar from our campaign. We should make it abundantly clear that Abubakar was never either a member or a coordinator of this organization.
“Our checks, however, show that Mr. Abubakar was a member of the Goodluck Support Group, one of the thousands of groups routing for President Goodluck Jonathan's aspiration to return as President of the country in 2011. For the avoidance of doubt, while the GSG is a support group, it is distinct and completely independent of the campaign."
“Mr. Abubakar's letter of resignation addressed to the director-general of our campaign is therefore a misconception aimed at the mischief for which it is now being used by a failing opposition campaign organization."
“In any case, Mr. Abubakar has always been a close associate of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. And on his lame excuse for the purported resignation, we like every patriot, await the outcome of investigations into the Abuja bomb blast, and won't be distracted by mischief-makers.”
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