[size=14pt]No Northern PDP Member Can Defeat Jonathan – Tofa[/size]
• South East Govs Opt Out Of Presidential Race • Zoning Can Be Negotiated, Says Amaechi
By Sunny Igboanugo (Lagos), Augustine Madu-West (Kano) and Emmanuel Nzomiwu (Enugu)

All Nigerian People Party (ANPP) and Elders Committee Chairman, Bashir Tofa,  says no Northerner in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has the capability to challenge President Goodluck Jonathan for the party’s ticket let alone defeat him.   

Most of the Presidential aspirants from the North are familiar faces who have failed to click when they had the opportunity of making impact, Tofa stated at the weekend.

“Let us take for instance former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Technically, he is not a member of the PDP because of the rule that makes it mandatory that you have to spend at least two years to qualify for election.

“So, technically, he is out. Aliyu Gusau, as far as I am concerned, has no hope in the world and cannot beat anybody at the convention, let alone Jonathan.

“In the case of Ibrahim Babangida, he may have other options with other political parties if the PDP denies him the ticket.

"Besides these ones who else do we have from the North? Nobody,” Tofa argued.

Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, chipped in that “politics is about horse-trading. Everything can be negotiated.”

He reiterated that he and other PDP Governors would play a role in who becomes the party’s Presidential candidate.

His words: “That was actually what I said the last time, only that the headline that was given to it was different.

"Who owns most of the delegates? Those doubting the power of the Governors should wait and see.”

However, South East Governors decided at a meeting in Enugu on Sunday not to run for Aso Rock next year.

All the five Governors – Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Theodore Orji (Abia), Martins Elechi (Ebonyi), Peter Obi (Anambra), and Ikedi Ohakim (Imo) – attended the meeting.

Obi, who spoke for them, said they resolved, in the interest of the zone, to work together, irrespective of party affiliation, and to back a Presidential candidate with the best idea to address the marginalisation of the South East.

With claims and counter claims about the zoning formula in the PDP, putting its Northern members at odds with Southerners – amid speculation of Jonathan's run – Tofa advised his kinsmen with Northern sentiments to take their case to the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) if they are convinced that it is a Northern problem.

“This is purely a PDP affair that has no business with the North as a region. This is not a Northern thing; it is a Northern PDP people’s affair.”   

He canvassed a distinction between the general interest of the North and the personal interest of Northern individuals, because “these Northerners in the PDP nursing Presidential ambition are the ones trying to use the North for their personal ambition.”

Tofa recalled how he was invited to attend the G15 meting where the issue was to  be discussed, but said he turned the invitation down on the grounds that zoning is a PDP matter.

“I told them I could not be there; because first of all, I am not a PDP member. Again, I do not see it as a Northern problem, but a PDP problem.

“Well, if you say it is a Northern problem, take it to the ACF. If you say a Northerner has to be a Presidential candidate, the ANPP most probably will have a Northern candidate.

“If you want a Northern candidate, go to the ANPP, tell the other Northerners to vote for the ANPP candidate.”

Tofa said zoning is “very important” as it is a way of being fair to every part of the country so that each can feel  a sense of belonging, as against winner takes all.

In his view, zoning is even in the Constitution where it is called ‘federal character.’

“So, everyone will have the hope that one day he or she can be President of this country, irrespective of tribe and religion, if zoning operates.”

He suggested that the PDP should hold a meeting to resolve the controversy over  its zoning.

Tofa, however, maintained that whichever way it goes, the PDP is in trouble.

“If Jonathan is allowed to contest there will be problem in the party because those from the North will revolt and work against the party.

"In the same vein, if a Northerner emerges as Presidential candidate, their Southern colleagues will not accept it.

“So, already they have created the problem themselves and what we are praying now is for it to persist so that the PDP will explode for Nigeria to have a change.”

Tofa denied knowledge of the reported move by the Action Congress (AC) to adopt Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano State as its Presidential candidate.

The ANPP has not entered into such a deal with the AC, he said.

“What the ANPP is doing is talking with other parties about coming together to reach an understanding towards the 2011 elections.

“We have met tge AC severally. Initially, discussions centred on the possibility of merging the two parties, but that has been overtaken by time.

"We have other parties which are keen on the alliance, and I hope one day the AC will be convinced to be part of this alliance.”

Tofa said the ANPP is working hard planning for its convention on July 17 and interested candidates buying forms for different posts.

http://www.independentngonline.com/DailyIndependent/Article.aspx?id=16490

Bashir Tofa was the opponent of the late M.K.O Abiola in the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election.

Bashir Tofa was the opponent of the late M.K.O Abiola in the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election

Yea. I can recall his political gimmick/ rhyme which I used to like then, "Times are tough, but Tofa is Toughest"

That's a basic fact

jamace:

Yea. I can recall his political gimmick/ rhyme which I used to like then, "Times are tough, but Tofa is Toughest"

@ Topic

TRUE WORD!!

After so many years of hibernation;nigeria politicians can be so funny.

he is simply trying to WOO IBB to ANPP- no long ting

na true talk