Jonathan’s Choice Of Political Adviser Causes Row In Adamawa

The Adamawa State chapter of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is experiencing a crack following President Goodluck Jonathan's choice of new Political Adviser.

The party's stakeholders, who converged on Wednesday, had a tense controversy over the recommendation of Felix Tangwame as the new Political Adviser to the President.

The candidate is being promoted by some stalwarts, including one of the current aides to the president to replace Ahmed Gulak, who was currently sacked, but unfortunately the president has already decided to pick another political adviser from the state.

It was gathered that some of the party's stalwarts negated the choice of Tangwamen, because it would be a violation of Federal Character Principle.

The stakeholders, who frowned at the choice insisted that a muslim should take over as Gulak's successor since the former political adviser was a muslim.  

The aggrieved leaders, who pointed out that former governor Boni Haruna, is a Christian and was recently appointed minister by the president, cautioned Jonathan against short-changing Muslim community in the state.

A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed that Tangwamen's choice has split the state's PDP leaders, as some of them threatened protest vote in 2015 if the President should accept Tangwamen.

"The recommendation of Tangwamen does not take into cognisance the religious configuration of the state. Our position is that if a Muslim is removed from a post, he or she should be replaced by a Muslim" the source said. "Adamawa is religiously volatile, religious matter determines political leverage of any political party or candidate. The president should avoid being dragged into this religious politics in this state".

According to another source: "we suspect an aide in the presidency as the brain behind the push for Tangwamen to create problem for the president in Adamawa. It is apparent that some forces are out to ensure the defeat of PDP  in 2015, by deliberately breeding hatred over appointment like this. We should not allow the exit of Gulak to degenerate into crisis in PDP in Adamawa State".

Meanwhile, one of the members of the state PDP working committee, who also cautioned the president said: "Mr President should be careful with this appointment. Our party is already trying to recover from the removal of Gulak, we should not sow the seed of discord again".