Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign organisation ‘disarrayed’ by sack of 50 foot soldiers

President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign organisation, Goodluck Support Group (GSG), is at present in confusion, an inside source has told TheCable.

According to the source, the management of the organisation, whose primary responsibility is to coordinate campaigns for the president, sacked 50 members of staff without paying them accumulated salaries.

The source also disclosed that there had been palpable disharmony among the management staff of the organisation, plunging it into confusion.

“Since the coming of Alkali, things have been different. It seems the new management is on an ethnic agenda, which is dangerous because it will affect the reelection of the president,” he said.

“Each national coordinator comes with its own agenda. During Gulak’s timem a certain ethnic group had the upper hand in the affairs of GSG. So, it appears to be a constant thing. Instead of them to see this campaign organisation as a family, they are bringing different divisive agenda.

“For seven months, the 50 sacked staff were not paid. Is it now fair to kick them out like that? We all came to work for Jonathan and were recruited as foot soldiers with the promise of benefits such as salaries. Now that the election is approaching, they have kicked us out so that they can bring in their own people.

“It is all about money. There is bad blood in the organisation, but the president does not know this. I regret what will happen if this continues.”

However, Gbenga Giwa, the media and publicity director of GSG on Thursday refuted claims that the organisation was in confusion.

“There is no disarray at GSG. It is a voluntary organisation. You come to GSG on your volition. Nobody is being paid here. The pittance that was being paid here before was from individual contributions,” he explained.

“The people that were asked to leave were mostly personal assistants of former directors. As the directors left, it was normal to ask their personal assistants to leave.

“GSG is not in disarray. If there is disarray, there will be commotion everywhere. As you can see, there is peace. Again, we contribute money to do campaigns for the president; nobody is being paid here.”

Rufai Alkali, special adviser to the president on political matters, is the national coordinator of GSG, having succeeded Ahmed Gulak who was sacked by the president in April.