So “The List” Was True: 2015–Jonathan’s $2bn Budget to ‘Persuade’ 400 Prominent ‘Northerners’

NewsRescue

9 years ago

NewsRescue

As far back as 2013 the story above made news rounds: that Goodluck Jonathan had budgeted a whopping $2 billion to bribe a compilation of “400” northern elites. Former Niger state governor, Aliyu Babangida during his flip-flop negotiation days was one of those who leaked the list. Of course this northern bribe list is separate from a proportional additional amount for doing the same across the South. There were other lists for clerics, media and activists.

Nigerians have now realized that “the list” was a reality. Jonathan did budget $2 billion to buy the north, coordinated through his honey, NSA Dasuki who we exclusively reported he had promised to also make Sultan of Sokoto somehow. The least anyone got was $500,000 from the EFCC revelations thus far. Now we know several of their names. This also explains why hardly a single northern elite supported Buhari.

Here is an excerpt from one of the articles in 2013 revealing “the list:”

Osun Defender, November 2013:

Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, yesterday, alleged that over 400 northerners may have betrayed the region after collecting money to back President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term. Aliyu threatened that the list of the traitors will soon be published for all to see.

The governor, who spoke while paying tribute to the late Emir of Minna, Alhaji Ahmadu Bahago, at the 25th anniversary of the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umaru Faruk Bahago, said the North was not afraid ahead of the 2015 presidential election.

 “We hear people who say they have a list of over 400 northerners they are going to settle, and they are sure that if they settle the 400, everything will be okay. We are looking for that list so that we will tell the people that these are the people that want to betray you. This sense of betrayal by the northerners has festered into a groundswell of mistrust”, he said.

“I must advise all of us to be conversant with the happenings in our country. We must be cautious that, through the ballot paper, we can always determine who becomes our leader in Nigeria. By God’s grace, plenty good things will happen in 2015. Whoever God brings we will follow. Do not be afraid, let there be 200 candidates, God will allow only one candidate to emerge.”