Northern Coalition Plans Protests Against Vice President Namadi Sambo

A coalition of northern youth groups on Thursday said it is planning widespread protests across the north-west to pressurise President Goodluck Jonathan against retaining his current vice, Namadi Sambo as running mate in the 2015 race.

The coalition of about six groups under the aegis of Northern Emancipation Network, said though it is working for the re election of President Jonathan next year, that would however not be achievable in the north if Sambo were to share the ticket.

A statement signed by the coalition’s coordinator, Comrade Tijjani Samaila Alhassan, described Vice-President Sambo as “political liability incapable of adding any electoral value to the President in the north.”

“We are concerned that another joint ticket with Sambo would inadvertently cost President Jonathan a lot in the north.

“This is because Sambo’s unpopularity with the northern voter that manifested since the 2011 polls has today deteriorated into outright unacceptability and rejection by the people,” the statement read in part.

According to the coalition, any attempt to market another joint ticket with Sambo would amount to an exercise in futility especially in the north-west which is likely to be the main battle ground in 2015.

The coalition recounted that Sambo had never won his immediate constituency from the ward to the local government which is why out of the 23 LGAs in the state, Kaduna North, where Sambo resides, is the only council presently controlled by the opposition.

“To avoid embarking on a futile exercise, we have perfected plans to flag-off widespread protests in all the capitals and major cities of the north-west to mobilize pressure against re-nominating Sambo as our representative for the vice-presidential slot.”

“We reiterate that we are committed to the success of the PDP and the re-election of President Jonathan but certainly not with Sambo,’ the coalition said.

The one of  vice president’s aides  contacted by Newsdiaryonline recently  maintained that there was no problem between Sambo and Jonathan and that the recent endorsement  by the PDP was for the  president and his vice president.