The recent mass rally in Kaduna organized by a Zaria born politician Jibrin Tafida has set Vice President Namadi Sambo and Governor Goodswill Akpabio on collision course.
According to inside sources, the South-South Governor bankrolled the rally without notifying the Vice President, which the latter considered as an invasion of his political domain.
Tafida and Governor Akpobio have a long-standing relationship dating back to 2007, when former President Obasanjo sent Tafida to Akwa Ibom State to conduct the PDP Governorship primaries that resulted in the emergence of Akpabio as governor of the state.
The rally was ostensibly to shore-up support for president Jonathan towards 2015 election, but the real motive was to extend Akpabio’s political outreach to the North, in furtherance of his own political ambition.
The vice president was said to have been miffed, whan he later realised that the main aim of the governor was to establish his political dominance in Kaduna over the influence of Namadi.
To prevent such re-occurrence the Vice President has since directed the state governor to stop such rallies or campaign forthwith.
The rally which held at the large Murtala Square Kaduna ended in fiasco, when those invited later realized that they were deceived by the organizers.
Prior to the rally Jibrin Tafida had told the invitees that the meeting was called to harp on peace and unity in the North.
However barely 15minutes into the event the campaign posters and tee-shirts of President Jonathan flooded the square which resulted in a free-for-all fight, where missiles flew freely.
The organizers had to be rescued by the Police from the irate youths who complained that they were deceived to attend the rally which was purely meant to sell the 2015 agenda of President Jonathan.
The youths that attended were bussed from the 19 Northern states, with each delegate given N3, 000.
But Umar Sani ,media adviser to the vice president denied the existence of any rift between his boss and Akpabio.In an sms to Newsdiaryonline.com he said, “no,it is not true”.He added that “in fact Akpabio was with Sambo on Monday in his office.”.
But those monitoring the intrigues in the Villa said Akpabio is not only struggling to mend fences with the vice president alone,,even President Goodluck Jonathan is believed to have confronted Akpabio with his doubts about the governor’s real loyalty.The president too feels Akpabio is doing everything to feather his nest politically.And Jonathan is believed to have told Akpabio so.
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