THERE was anxiety Tuesday over the President’s political future.

A news agency report claimed that Dr Goodluck Jonathan would not run in next year’s election, adding that he would announce his plan not to join the race.

The report set the alarm ringing. Politicians got busy, working the phones to know the veracity of the report, which was on the internet.

The Presidency reacted to the report, saying Dr Jonathan has not made a commitment on whether to contest or not.

The Presidency was reacting to the news giant Reuters’ story that Dr Jonathan may not contest.

A statement by the President’s spokesman, Ima Niboro, said the story was planted.

The statement said: "Our attention has been drawn to a report published by Reuters today (Tuesday), quoting ‘Presidency’ sources as stating that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan may have decided not to run in the 2011 presidential elections after all.

"Information at our disposal indicates that this is a story sponsored by interested parties. Unfortunately, the highly rated global news agency was misled into publishing it."The truth is that the president has not said he will not run. Neither has he said he will. At different times he has given clear reasons why he considers it premature, in the interest of governance, to make any commitment both ways.

"At the appropriate time, the president will inform his country men and women of his future plans. Until then, every comment on the subject remains mere speculation."

The Reuters story entitled: "Nigeria: President may not contest 2011 polls" said the Jonathan was considering not running, but will make his plans known by the end of the month.

The story reads: "Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is considering not standing in elections due next January but will make his intentions known by the end of the month, a presidency source said.

"An election bid by Jonathan, who is from the southern Niger Delta, could split the ruling party due to an agreement that power rotates between the Muslim north and Christian south every two terms, meaning the next president should be a northerner.

"The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said Jonathan has the right to run, because he was previously vice president on a joint ticket with northern President Umaru Yar’Adua, who died mid-way through his first term earlier this year.

"But the party also said that it would uphold the principle of ‘zoning’ and that other candidates were free to contest at its primaries, expected to be held in September.

"He is not likely going to run, simply because his party has retained the zoning of the presidency to the north for the next four years," the presidency source said, asking not to be named.

"Though his party said he can run despite the zoning, the party said this because they didn’t want to offend him."

The source said Jonathan would make his intentions public before the end of August. Presidency officials declined comment.

"(He) is a man that always ensures equity and fair play, so he may allow the North, to have their remaining four-year term if that will ensure peace and unity," the source said.

"A decision by Jonathan not to run would come as a surprise to many in Africa’s most populous nation. Never before has an incumbent leader, constitutionally allowed to seek re-election, withdrawn from a presidential race.

"It could also lead to protests from his restive Niger Delta homeland, the centre of the mainstay oil and gas industry. Jonathan is Nigeria’s first president from the Ijaw ethnic group, the largest in the vast wetlands region."



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