[size=14pt]Gathering Storm Against Atiku[/size]
Written by Taiwo Adisa, Hassan Ibrahim, Donald Ojogo and Jacob Segun Olatunji
Saturday, 27 November 2010

Some influential northern political figures have started putting heads together to orchestrate the emergence of another consensus candidate, following their rejection of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Abubakar emerged the choice of the Alhaji Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) on Monday after the committee had gone round the states of the North.

This is coming as the choice of Atiku as consensus candidate has continued to up the polity as various groups in the region came out to either condemn the exercise or align with the choice.

For instance, the Jonathan/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation in Kaduna State and northern youths under the aegis of the Arewa Integrity Youth Group at the weekend, condemned Abubakar’s choice as the region’s consensus aspirant in the 2011 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary, saying the Ciroma-led NPLF lacked the credibility to impose the former vice president on the Northerners.

The Director of Publicity of the Kaduna chapter of the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation, Hon. John Perry Kude, said Ciroma’s choice was not the view of other Northerners and, therefore, declared the exercise as a nullity.

It was gathered that a number of northern governors were unhappy that they were left out of the decision that produced the so called consensus candidate of the NPLF.

A source said the Arewa Youth groups, the governors and senators were unhappy with the manner they were treated by the Ciroma-led committee in the process of its assignment.

It was learnt the different class of politicians have argued that the Ciroma committee was peopled by those who had no mandate of any particular group to lay claim to representing the people.

“The governors and senators are best suited to represent the North. If there is going to be a consensus candidate of the North, these are the people that should make the decision. But the making up of Ciroma committee members indicated that those who put it up were interested in power grab. They cannot just come up and declare themselves opinion leaders of the North,” a source said.

Former National Secretary of the defunct National Party of Nigeria(NPN), Senator Uba Ahmed, said in an interview that the NPLF could not lay claim to representing the North because its members were only handpicked.

But senators and other groups of Northerners had kickstarted a series of meetings that would lead to the emergence of a true candidate that can be said to be a consensus candidate.

A source said that while one group is said to be working in favour of President Goodluck Jonathan as a national consensus candidate, others are working towards the possibility of another candidate from the North to join President Jonathan, and Atiku in the race for the PDP ticket.

Already, the governors of Adamawa, Murtala Nyako; Jigawa, Sule Lamido and Sokoto, Aliyu Wamakko, had started off a meeting said to be preparing the ground for a post consensus PDP.

Besides, a fresh tension was said to have enveloped close allies of the former military President Ibrahim Babangida, following discoveries that some of the advertisements which cast doubts on the suitability of Babangida as presidential hopeful which were published in the wake of the announcement of the consensus candidate were traced to a particular contestant in the consensus bid.

Meanwhile, Monday’s adoption of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has opened new flank of intrigues and horse trading as leaders of the Nation’s oil-rich belt, Niger Delta, and those from minority ethnic nationalities in the north are expected to meet over the weekend.

Although invitation letters to the meeting were yet to be sent out, a source close to the parley confided in the Nigerian Tribune that all former governors, ministers who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are billed for the meeting which would hold in Abuja.

A large chunk of the brains behind the Professor Jerry Gana-led Northern Politicians Summit, it was learnt, are expected to attend.

In another development, formers President Ibrahim Babangida on Friday declared his total support for the former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar picked by the North as the consensus presidential candidate.

Babamgida, who disclosed this in Abuja at a thank you round table meeting with all his presidential campaign staff across the country said that he would support the Northern candidate as earlier declared.

“I am a humble man, I’m not a fool, I told you I would abide by decision of the consensus committee, so the message is I am supporting the consensus candidate, ” he said

http://www.tribune.com.ng/sat/index.php/front-page-articles/2625-gathering-storm-against-atiku.html

Good.
Let us see who "it be".
Under which party/parties?

Why don't they choose Ribadu?
Or he is not "Northern" enough?

Blazay:

Good.
Let us see who "it be".
Under which party/parties?

Why don't they choose Ribadu?
Or he is not "Northern" enough?

You keep on singing all sorts of funny tunes sha. First it was IBB, then the bus crushed him; now just before the bus crushes him, it is Atiku; soon it will be Buhari (until the proverbial bus strikes again). Dude, what do you stand for that you can run around so much? Like say you be babe, nobody for know di daddy. . .

You keep on singing all sorts of funny tunes sha. First it was IBB, then the bus crushed him; now just before the bus crushes him, it is Atiku; soon it will be Buhari (until the proverbial bus strikes again). Dude, what do you stand for that you can run around so much? Like say you be babe, nobody for know di daddy. . .


I remember someone asking the President that same question (Bolded part), and guess what? he couldnt answer what he stood for? Now his house boy is running around asking others that same question, what is Nigeria coming to

monkeyleg:

I remember someone asking the President that same question (Bolded part), and guess what? he couldnt answer what he stood for? Now his house boy is running around asking others that same question, what is Nigeria coming to

--I digress--
I remember you loudly boasting of having attended Delta states PDP primaries. So, being a clever guy, I quietly asked you on another thread if you were a PDP member and you practically swore by your ancestors that you have never ever been a member of PDP. Damn!
Oga, if you no de PDP, how you take go PDP primaries?

. . .Its either you are a liar or a political thug!
Who hired you?

For the above reasons, a gentleman like me wouldn't give a toss what you say, cos you'll only be acting true to type.

It beggers belief that someone who claims to have any intelligence would conclude that since one attended a party primaries, one is then logically a party member. Maybe they were press people there? or simple people with no allegiance to any party, but just an onlooker.

But, hell no. This deranged, warri crazeman don start again. I am glad people have found out the sort of low-life, lick GEJ's nyash for all sorts of reason person you are. Who has totally lost all credibility on this forum, funny enough no one takes you seriously anymore, just like the village idiot.

^
Abeg, go and polish your AK in the bush, who do you think you are telling that rubbish. Are party primaries kids parties?
Gbe nu e so un! _{Yoruba peeps, please forgive me if I no write am well}

It is not secret on this forum that I am the fiercest critic of the Wicked, evil, group pf thieves party (PDP), So how can I be a member. I have also shown great support for Pat Utomi and Nuhu Ribadu, and that is were my allegiance lies. where is yours?

So you can continue in your childish, insult people when they say the truth manner. Like I said, you have lost all credibility on this forum.

Let me re-cap

1: You have accused me of Hating ND people
2: You have accused me of Hating Ijaw folks
3: You have accused me of being a PDP member
4: You have accused me of being a thug

what next?

I predict once again that if GEJ wins the PDP primaries,Nigeria will be polarized with SW,parts of SS and the entire North backing another party while SE and parts of SS will be left to lick their wound.The only saving grace is if Jonathan loses the PDP primaries.In such case Jonathan will have SS,SW,SE and some Northern area backing him on another party's platform.

Abagworo:

I predict once again that if GEJ wins the PDP primaries,Nigeria will be polarized with SW,parts of SS and the entire North backing another party while SE and parts of SS will be left to lick their wound.The only saving grace is if Jonathan loses the PDP primaries.In such case Jonathan will have SS,SW,SE and some Northern area backing him on another party's platform.

abeg, tell them oooo!

Abagworo:

I predict once again that if GEJ wins the PDP primaries,Nigeria will be polarized with SW,parts of SS and the entire North backing another party while SE and parts of SS will be left to lick their wound.The only saving grace is if Jonathan loses the PDP primaries.In such case Jonathan will have SS,SW,SE and some Northern area backing him on another party's platform.

and just to add,

if GJ loses the election, does that make ohanaeze and ndigbo the enemy of the newly elected president?

jason12345:

and just to add,

if GJ loses the election, does that make ohanaeze and ndigbo the enemy of the newly elected president?

I think you will find that whoever has the capacity to get elected President of Nigeria will have friends of his own in the SouthEast.

jason12345:

and just to add,

if GJ loses the election, does that make ohanaeze and ndigbo the enemy of the newly elected president?

I think politics of the east has mostly been ANYWHERE BELLE FACE . . . ROFLMAO . . . so whoever gets elected is probably going to receive an open welcome from the ohaneze and ndigbo groups -- not predicting the same will apply to Ibo nation as a whole.

Kobojunkie:

I think politics of the east has mostly been ANYWHERE BELLE FACE . . . ROFLMAO . . . so whoever gets elected is probably going to receive an open welcome from the ohaneze and ndigbo groups -- not predicting the same will apply to Ibo nation as a whole.

Here we go again.

Undercover tribalist on the rampage.

Abagworo:

I predict once again that if GEJ wins the PDP primaries,Nigeria will be polarized with SW,parts of SS and the entire North backing another party while SE and parts of SS will be left to lick their wound.The only saving grace is if Jonathan loses the PDP primaries.In such case Jonathan will have SS,SW,SE and some Northern area backing him on another party's platform.

Dude, this your speculation/calculation is really muddled up big time.

je ne comprends pas

Abagworo:

I predict once again that if GEJ wins the PDP primaries,Nigeria will be polarized with SW,parts of SS and the entire North backing another party while SE and parts of SS will be left to lick their wound.The only saving grace is if Jonathan loses the PDP primaries.In such case Jonathan will have SS,SW,SE and some Northern area backing him on another party's platform.

You can say that again.

Yoruba politics at work(divisionist theories) For all they can think of is how to protect OBJ and keep Nigeria in chains while the major concentration of Nigeria's wealth from Oil remains in the West as a terroristic tool to enslave the other parts of Nigeria(as long as they continue to pacify the North by allowing all the religious intolerance up there to reign freely)
The SW will always sway towards anti-Nigerian politics.
They only think of themselves while pretending to sing one Nigeria all over the place.
The South East is the most confused part of Nigeria, always looking for who will bell the cat in Nigerian politics. Never taking a definite stand.
The North only has loyalty to what protects it's interest.

Give me the Milddle Belter anyday.

Forget the South-South, for they have no independent political scupples other than from OBJ who made them all.

The only saving grace is if Jonathan loses the PDP primaries.

Wrong.
If Jonathan loses the PDP primaries, watch everyone dump him, including OBJ.
That would be a trap.
He cannot win under another party.
Welcome to Nigeria's shady political landscape.

Beaf:

You keep on singing all sorts of funny tunes sha. First it was IBB, then the bus crushed him; now just before the bus crushes him, it is Atiku; soon it will be Buhari (until the proverbial bus strikes again). Dude, what do you stand for that you can run around so much? Like say you be babe, nobody for know di daddy. . .

One of two things.
You are not very bright, or your age is beginning to fail you.
In case you missed it. I will choose the worst from ANY part of the Middle Belt and up before I pitch my tent with any demon from the Southern part of Nigeria.

My reference to Ribadu was only tongue in the cheek.

As far as I am concerned, Ribadu has no place in Nigeria, save to reform the police force he helped corrupt.

IBB was my first choice of course.
Do you expect me to keep supporting him after losing out to Atiku?
Chief Raymond Dokpesi did the same not so?
Even the IBB himself did not put up a fight against Atiku, and for good reason too.
Call it a plea bargain.

Something called "tactical positioning and manouvering" in politics.

Any Northern candidate presented by Ciroma and co. is fine with me.
So, where is the inconsistency in my always searching for a better presidential candidate from the Northern parts of Nigeria?

Kobojunkie:

I think politics of the east has mostly been ANYWHERE BELLE FACE . . . ROFLMAO . . . so whoever gets elected is probably going to receive an open welcome from the ohaneze and ndigbo groups -- not predicting the same will apply to Ibo nation as a whole.

What an Irony! The Igbos are the worst victims of tribalism in this naija. During the war and post war naija. The SE today is starved of infrastructure, marginalised if u like. And funny enough, they rank very low in the Nigeria Tribalistic index - if there's anything like that. The igbos are the least conscious tribe in Nigeria's tribal game. We always talk of block vote from the North and SW. Is this senseless block vote not tainted in tribalism?

jabbok:

What an Irony! The Igbos are the worst victims of tribalism in this naija. During the war and post war naija. The SE today is starved of infrastructure, marginalised if u like. And funny enough, they rank very low in the Nigeria Tribalistic index - if there's anything like that. The igbos are the least conscious tribe in Nigeria's tribal game. We always talk of block vote from the North and SW. Is this senseless block vote not tainted in tribalism?

There is no irony in my post there. No mention of Tribalism and no mention of victimization/marginalization. Not certain why you have this urge to shift it in that direction given the original post is about nothing of the sort.