Jonathan ‘to appoint Tukur as defence minister’

President Goodluck Jonathan might have stayed true to his
word to give the former National Chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), Bamanga Tukur, a "tougher"
position.

Reports have it that the president is set to appoint Alhaji
Tukur as the new minister of defence following a recent
reshuffle in the country's military leadership.

Tukur resigned from his position as chairman last week
after intense pressure was placed on him by various party
stakeholders.

Vanguard reports:

While announcing Tukur's retirement and displaying the
envelope containing the letter last week, President
Jonathan, who is the leader of his party, revealed that he
was going to reward the former chairman with a very
tough appointment.

Security sources told Vanguard, yesterday, that contrary to
the belief that Tukur was asked to resign as PDP chairman
because he ended up causing disaffection within the party,
President Jonathan only told the former chairman to step
aside to enable a wholesome resolution of perceived
grievances of various camps who cited Tukur as the
problem.

The decision to reward the one time governor of old
Gongola State, according to the sources, followed
Jonathan's conviction that Tukur is not only a detribalised
Nigerian, having worked with him at close range, but that
the former chairman is somebody that cannot be bought
over no matter the incentive.

His dogged loyalty and resolve to stand by President
Jonathan even when governors, including those of the G-5
who defected, allegedly approached him with mouth
watering incentives to join the fray of those wanting to
stop the President from contesting the 2015 election, was
cited as one of the reasons.

Furthermore, Vanguard was told that in the coming days
and months leading to the 2015 elections, tough times
regarding issues of security challenges are expected
because security agencies are already in the know about
plans by certain groups and elements to cause chaos and
destabilise the peace of the nation for selfish and political
interests.

According to the source,"the fact that the north eastern
part of the country has been the hotbed of terrorism,
leading to the declaration of a state of emergency in
Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states last April, with some
elders of the area, who are allegedly sponsored, claiming
that the military onslaught on Boko Haram has ulterior
motive" is also said to have played a role in the
President's decision.

"With Bamanga Tukur as Minister of Defence, and
overseeing the quest to have a terror-free society and
revival of peace and security in Borno, Yobe and
Adamawa states, the so-called elders and groups who are
politicizing very serious security threats to the nation and
its citizens will be made to understand that government's
intention in the North-East is noble," the source added.

If he takes over as the minister, Tukur would become the
second PDP chairman to be appointed Defence Minister
after the appointment of former chairman, Dr. Bello Haliru
Mohammed, to that position in the past