Gbawe:

If Sambo is the VP then this is the clearest sign that Jonathan wan't to run for the Presidency. I don't like appointment based on anything other than merit but on this occasion I totally back Jonathan if this is his own initiative . If Jonathan can run for the Presidency and win that will be a new dawn for Nigeria. We will then have officially consigned to the bin the odious practice of zoning important positions to one region alone . The trickle down effect may see Nigeria begin to move away from other harmfully disciminative practices like "federal character".

Nonetheless, I will warn Jonathan to be careful in his daliance with OBJ. I can see that OBJ is up to his usual deception when he stated that "the Presiency is not zoned to any region". This statement , going by OBJ's precedence, is solely aimed at encouraging Jonathan to think that he has a chance while OBJ may actually be working to undermine him.

We can all remember how OBJ decieved Odili, Duke et al . Odili , in particular , covered the entire Nigeria campaigning, spending vast sums of money and seeking support only for OBJ to bully every non-Northerner out of the way for Yar Adua so that the PDP zoning arrangement could be respected I am sure that OBJ , back then , would have told Duke , Odili and co that the Presidency was not zoned . Mr. President be careful you are not made to look a fool by the devious rogues you are fraternising with.


P

Gbawe:

If Sambo is the VP then this is the clearest sign that Jonathan wan't to run for the Presidency. I don't like appointment based on anything other than merit but on this occasion I totally back Jonathan if this is his own initiative . If Jonathan can run for the Presidency and win that will be a new dawn for Nigeria. We will then have officially consigned to the bin the odious practice of zoning important positions to one region alone . The trickle down effect may see Nigeria begin to move away from other harmfully disciminative practices like "federal character".

Nonetheless, I will warn Jonathan to be careful in his daliance with OBJ. I can see that OBJ is up to his usual deception when he stated that "the Presiency is not zoned to any region". This statement , going by OBJ's precedence, is solely aimed at encouraging Jonathan to think that he has a chance while OBJ may actually be working to undermine him.

We can all remember how OBJ decieved Odili, Duke et al . Odili , in particular , covered the entire Nigeria campaigning, spending vast sums of money and seeking support only for OBJ to bully every non-Northerner out of the way for Yar Adua so that the PDP zoning arrangement could be respected. I am sure that OBJ , back then , would have told Duke , Odili and co that the Presidency was not zoned . Mr. President be careful you are not made to look a fool by the devious rogues you are fraternising with.


P

Very good analytical skills you possess there, i didn't even look in that direction.

@paddy_lo

You cant be so sure that if GJ contests he will sweep the South-east. The running mate of the opposition candidate will most likely be from the SE and that will really affect the results. Another angle is that an opposition candidate like ORJI KALU can contest and win some SE states which will affect GJ base negatively.

paddy_lo:

Jonathan Goodlucks wife is from IMO state. . .

I am assuring you that easterners will vote for him en masse. . .some are already calling him an igbo man

As for ORJI Kalu contesting,he should come forth and waste his money
also the more candidates the better, it will only split the opposition vote,

Orji kalu can win one state in the east, tinubu can win lagos,and buhari can win 6 or 7 states in the north thats ok

Before 'dugbedugbe' Goodluck came in as VP, we had Atiku who proved that nothing in the constitution bars a VP from doing more than just sit back as an some houseboy!

paddy_lo:

u guys give OBJ too much credit, The power he had was the power of incumbency. . .

This resides now with GJ

Witness how a dying and unseen Yaradua was able to hold the nation to ransom

The Nigerian Presidency is a very powerful institution for a number of reasons

but mostly it is because

1) Most Nigerian politicians are corrupt so they tend to support the incumbent to save their neck from EFCC(witness ogbulafors current predicament)
2)Most Politicians and traditional rulers want a share of the national cake in form of oil blocks allocations, therefore they will want to be close to anyone in the centre

I am making a prediction that Jonathan will run for president in 2011 and will win,
Right now he has the south south,south east and middle belt states, in the bag

With OBJs help he can get the south west except lagos

With sambos help he can get Kaduna,Kwara and Niger state

and that is all he needs, 20 states or thereabouts, let the opposition divide the rest

paddy_lo:

yes but Atikus case is different because he was there for close to 7yrs before he started to grow wings

also sambo if confirmed is only going to be in office for 6months or so before PDP convention holds

if he plays his cards right he will be the front runner for President come 2015

since GJ cannot be sworn in as president more than twice

Also as far as Sambo is concerned it is better to be a VP of Nigeria for the next 4yrs than a Gov in Kaduna state for the next 4yrs

so there is no point in rocking the boat for now

On the other hand you guys make me laugh with your "19 northern states" thingy, what the F is that ?  
Please some one should call out those so called "19 northern states" that will put IBB or what ever in power so this discussion can get more interesting.

Jonathan and Sambo are not the dream ticket we require!, lets look up to alternative parties and see what they have to offer. I would have preferred Ribadu or atleast Jonathan should have shown independence and not be bullied into picking someone from OBJ or gov. forum choice.

Or it could possibly be that Atiku was Ok with the president's decisions until he sensed things were changing. The point is Nothing in the constitution stops a VP from having a mind of his own and Atiku showed that to folks like you and even the current president. That the current president chose to 'play' boy-boy while he was VP, as some are all too willing to believe, does not mean VPs are somehow limited to playing the same. Again, the constitution DOES NOT state a VP cannot have a mind of his/her own.

There is nothing wrong with being Governor of Kaduna state . . . not sure why elevating a mediocre to VP status is better to the people of Kaduna or the country as a whole. So, I don't get the point you are trying to make here on this. What we have now are two people, both with limited experience actually delivering on any project or promise to the people so far, in the highest seats in a nation of over 150 million. I don't see how this is different from what we had only a couple of months ago. I would rather wait for them to prove themselves before canvassing for a second term that could possibly be a repeat of the last 3 years.

paddy_lo:
   so whats the point,if he chose any other Governor u will complain, if he chose one of the senators u will also complain

paddy_lo:
  Politics is a game of horse trading,in Nigeria there are many interests to consider

This particular seat has been allocated to the North West zone since they are absent in the top tier of Nigerias presidency
so sambos choice is ok as far as am concerned

5. Here are the Northern states Jonathan can win outright with no stress

1. Kwara
2. Kogi
3. Benue
4. Taraba
5. Plateau
6. Kaduna
7. Adamawa
8. Nassarawa
9. Niger

States he can do a strong showing in include
1. Bauchi
2. Sokoto
3. Katsina
4. Kano(If PDP nominates abachas son as i heard the crook is popular)

Pls dont make me laugh. Kwara, kogi adamawa, Kaduna, nasarawa and niger will not pick GJ. Kaduna may b an exception if he picks namadi sambo as VP.
As for bauchi, sokoto katsina and kano, he might as well forget it

paddy_lo:

Its obvious u dont know how politics works in Nigeria. .
[size=13pt]It is the Governors that drive how ppl will vote[/size]   . . .

all the state above have PDP Governors who will push for Jonathan. . for selfish interests
For example Murtala Nyako will support Jonathan because he is fighting Atiku and so on

The sultan of sokoto once he is settled will campaign for GJ
Katsina Governor is fighting Yaraduas ppl in katsina

once he supports GJ he will use the presidency to help him in Katsina

If PDP wins Kano they will do ok in the presidential election(dont forget all GJ needs is 25% of the vote)

so watch and learn how politics is played. .  . .its only 9months or so anyway

This is not about west or south. We know for a fact that the VP is not muzzled by the constitution, so Atiku, Jonathan could have been vocal about their stance from day one. We also know for a fact that the constitution does not support zoning of the presidency. Jonathan chose, of his own, to be act the BOYBOY, something I highly doubt because I believe he was in line with Yar adua's ideas from the start, and the fact that he has done little to separate himself from the old kind of goes on to show this was likely the case. That being said, choosing two UNQUALIFIED people and canvassing for their re-election long before they even prove themselves capable of handling the office is akin to calling for a continuation of the old

dude, you need to go take a course in Nigerian politics please . . .  with the statement in bold, it is somewhat clear you have little idea how things are run up there yourself. I don't pay much attention to the inner squabbles but I know the statement in bold is not even close!

Its obvious u dont know how politics works in Nigeria. .
It is the Governors that drive how ppl will vote. . .

all the state above have PDP Governors who will push for Jonathan. . for selfish interests
For example Murtala Nyako will support Jonathan because he is fighting Atiku and so on

The sultan of sokoto once he is settled will campaign for GJ
Katsina Governor is fighting Yaraduas ppl in katsina

once he supports GJ he will use the presidency to help him in Katsina

If PDP wins Kano they will do ok in the presidential election(dont forget all GJ needs is 25% of the vote)

so watch and learn how politics is played. .  . .its only 9months or so anyway

It is the Governors that drive how ppl will vote. . .

Paddy Lo

Jonathan Goodlucks wife is an Okrika Woman. River State.

By the way the idea that anybody will win the votes in the SouthEast merely because they or their wife is from the SouthEast is a little patronising to Ndigbo and I hope they don't buy that crap.

Now I know this is wishfull thinkin, U really don’t know about d north and even d country as a whole

paddy_lo:

[color=#000099][b]but that is clearly how things are. . .the Governors control the political machinery in their respective states
u cannot go to Kwara state and make people vote for someone that doesnt have sarakis blessing
u cannot go to Rivers state and uproot Amaechi if he throws his weight behing GJ
u cant uproot Fashola in lagos,as long as he stays in power till next yr and not impeached
and u cant uproot Peter obi in anambra

paddy_lo:

or Jang in Plateau
Nigerian Governors are power brokers, that is why OBJ had to bow to them during 2003
and then threaten them with EFCC to fall in line in 2007. . .

with the Governors on your side u are already 80% home