Posted by By Dotun Oladipo and Semiu Okanlawon on
The Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Sani, has accused the 26 governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party....
The Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Sani, has accused the 26 governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party of being double agents during the debate on the failed third term bid.
Sani said that while the governors openly supported the agenda aimed at extending the tenure of President Olusegun Obasanjo, they also secretly worked against it.
He said that some of the governors were promoting their presidential ambition during the period.
Sani, who spoke with newsmen on Monday night in Lagos, said the arrowheads of the double speak during the third term saga were the Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili; and his Nasarawa State counterpart, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu.
Sani, who spoke with newsmen against the backdrop of allegations that he was working against Obasanjo, said the same people who gave Obasanjo the information, actually worked against the President in the past and were still doing so.
He said, "I am not against the President.
"You know everybody was accusing me that I was for third term because I kept quiet initially.
"But then I saw my colleagues signing documents - 26 governors signing documents that they support third term.
"Yet they go behind the President, holding contrary meetings.
"Odili, Adamu, everyone who wants to be president, working behind the scene for the President to fail, plotting for third term to fail.
"I also learnt that security operatives were apprehensive of telling the President."
Sani said as a result of this, he wrote a letter titled, "What Security May Not Tell Mr. President," to Obasanjo.
In the letter, Sani, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, said he adviced Obasanjo to be careful, as the situation was different from the picture some people were painting.
He said it was his letter that some of those that worked against the third term agenda latched on to accuse him of fighting the President.
Sani added, "Unfortunately, that letter was taken by sycophants to the President and they said Yerima was against Obasanjo.
"Yet, in the last seven years, there has been no instance where I was rude or said anything negative about the President because my religion is very clear: I must be loyal and obedient to God and then my leaders.
"So, I told Mr. President that I have been loyal and would continue to be loyal because I want the same treatment from my followers anytime I am raised up by God to something higher."
He said the move to tarnish his image was targeted at curtailing his presidential ambition, adding, "I don‘t know why they are persecuting me.
"When I started (presidential bid), they said that Christians would not like me.
"Now they see Christians campaigning for me.
"The coordinator of my campaign is a Christian.
"They said America, Europe and Britain would not like me and then they saw me holding meetings with the State Department in the United States of America, the Foreign and Commonwealth office in London and European Union parliament officials.
"I always believe that whether Obasanjo is there or not, we should fight for the system.
"Otherwise, it could be you tomorrow and if you fail to talk today, that‘s how they will take you out."
Sani said that the detention of some top officials of his government by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was also aimed at cowing him.
Sani, who said he was confident that a probe of his government‘s account would return a not guilty verdict, added, "Let me tell you one good news: the EFCC checked all our accounts, including my own, which is illegal to ask for.
"At the time they sent their letter to the bank, they found out that I had about N1.6million in my account.
"My deputy had only about N1million and the Secretary to the State Government, who is being detained, had about N2.64million.
"The bank statements are there.
"I managed to get what was sent to the EFCC."
He, however, said he was yet to discuss the issue with the President.
But in their reactions on Tuesday, Adamu and Odili said they were not prepared for an exchange with Sani on the botched third term agenda.
Adamu, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant, Media, Mrs. Ngozi Nkeanor, said the third term issue had been resolved by the National Assembly.
Adamu queried the rationale behind Sani‘s decision to exhume the matter again.
However, the governor‘s aide said her boss had no apology for supporting the third term bid because it was the position of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party."
Added Nkeanor, who spoke on Tuesday night via telephone, "The PDP took a stand on the matter.
"And like any loyal party member, he went by the decision.
"It is a mark of his courage that he can stand by any decision he took and he is not afraid of standing by his decision.
"So, talks about the governor working against third term while the debate lasted does not arise at all."
Odili‘s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Emma Okah, said his boss had no comments on the issue.
Okah said, "No comments on that issue.
"He (Sani) is entitled to his opinion.
"We don‘t want to join issues with him at all.
"We have gone beyond that stage."