How we scuttled Odili’s ambition to become President - Graham Douglas

Graham Douglas

Former minister of Culture, Alabo Tonye Graham Douglas, yesterday said he led the intrigues that scuttled the presidential ambition of former Rivers State governor, Dr. Peter Odili.

 Speaking in Yenagoa during a reception organised by the former  Secretary to Bayelsa State Government (SSG) and founder of the Azaiki Public Library, Professor Steve Azaiki, the former minister said he led a delegation to London to prevail on Jonathan who was then unwilling, to accept the idea of vice presidency

after a meeting involving him and some northern elders, including the late Olusola Saraki.
He said as at that time,  Odili already had procured over 3,500 delegates to the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), adding that nobody had the political muscle to defeat Odili.
“I played a very, very pivotal role in the emergence of Jonathan (as Vice President). I set up a system between ourselves and the Northern Union,” he recalled.
Graham-Douglas added: “I was a friend of (Olusola) Saraki. We decided that we must have President and Vice President. I travelled all the way to London to see our leader (Jonathan) after I brokered the whole thing and I said, ‘please come and lead us, we can’t allow (Peter) Odili to be the President of this country.’
Graham-Douglas also stated that he single-handedly brought PDP to Bayelsa and Rivers States, adding he financed the activities of the party at the time in the two states.
He said he facilitated the emergence of Odili as Governor of Rivers and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha as Governor of Bayelsa,“I brought PDP to Bayelsa and Rivers states. I financed the PDP in Bayelsa and Rivers states and I put the best Governors in Bayelsa and Rivers states. I did,” he stated.
Graham- Douglas said President Goodluck Jonathan is a victim of high and powerful web of consistent conspiracy and manipulations by some politicians dissatisfied by his emergence as President and rising calls for his re-election in 2015.
Graham-Douglas said the web of conspiracy is to reduce the rising profile of the President, destroy his achievements and stop his re-election in 2015.
He said he had earlier cautioned President Jonathan against plot of conspiracy against his administration and issues of insurgency in the Northern part of the country.