SR has obtained a copy of a confidential document prepared by the Goodluck Jonathan/ Sambo presidential campaign organization as a roadmap for rigging next year's presidential election.
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"The document has exposed the underbelly of the ruling party's plan to thwart Nigerians' aspirations to have free and fair elections," said a democratic activist who was shown excerpts from the plan.
Mr. Mike Omeri, the director of Research, Planning and Strategy in the Goodluck Jonathan/Sambo Organization, prepared the document, a veritable rigging manual. Of equal interest is that Mr. Omeri was seconded from the Office of the Senate President, David Mark, to help with Jonathan's campaign. It illustrates the dangerous collusion between the executive and the legislative arms of the government.
The document details an elaborate formula for the Jonathan campaign to undermine members of the opposition, compromise pro-democracy NGOs, religious leaders, electoral officials, the police as well as other security agencies.
Mr. Jonathan is embroiled in a surprisingly tough presidential primary against former Vice President Abubakar Atiku. Despite Mr. Atiku's sleazy image and reputation for corruption, he has remained competitive against Jonathan who is widely perceived as an inept leader who is as steeped in corruption as his primary opponent.
The document also sets out a plan to target and further tarnish Mr. Atiku's "image." The document tags Atiku as "Mr. Fox" and lays out a plan to exploit his image as a money launderer to the advantage of the Jonathan campaign.
The document also lists PDP operatives in each zone of the federation, explaining how they would be deployed to beat Atiku in the primaries. Part of the document focuses on how to shut down Atiku's Intels business in Nigeria as a means of weakening his business interests and access to campaign cash.
In a worrisome development, the document also lists the names of top journalists described as "friendly" to the Jonathan campaign. It defines how the campaign hopes to use them to create a favorable buzz for Jonathan in the media. Among those named as friendly journalists are Ray Ekpu of Newswatch and Reuben Abati, chairman of the Guardian editorial board. The document also lists other journalists who must be kept on board with appropriate patronage from the Jonathan administration.
The document also identifies the Nigerian police as a source of mercenaries for doing the bidding of the president to rig party primaries. It details a plan to transfer police officers of uncertain loyalty from the posts and to send more sympathetic officers to states where support for Jonathan is questionable.
Rigging Manual: Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Strategy Document Reveals How The "President" Plans To Buy Delegates, Compromise INEC and Rig The Election (http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/rigging-manual-goodluck-jonathan-campaign-strategy-document-reveals-how-president-plans-bu)