By Tunde Abatan, Deputy Sunday Editor

Save Nigeria Group (SNG) is queuing behind an agenda to rally the opposition and the progressives behind Muhammadu Buhari who, many think, has the integrity and the clout to lead an electoral revolt against the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) next year.
SNG’s support for Buhari carries serious political implications for the PDP, given the messianic role the platform played in forcing the National Assembly to confirm the then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan the Acting President after a protracted medical sojourn of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, despite stiff opposition from PDP hawks and the Aso Rock mafia. 
The move by the SNG comes less than a month after the convener, the Latter Rain Assembly firebrand Pastor, Tunde Bakare, openly endorsed Buhari for the presidential ballot in what pundits say, may redefine the contest for Aso Rock, particularly with the deepening internal schisms within the PDP over the propriety of President Jonathan’s ambition.
Bakare had spoken of building a consensus or a political movement, strong enough to dislodge the ruling PDP next year, and the need for Nigerians to queue behind the best of the North and the best of the South next year to protect the nation’s treasury.
The SNG was said to have reasoned at some of the various meetings already held by the group that in order to ensure wide support and acceptance of Buhari,
SNG was said to have told various consultative meetings it held with other stakeholders that there is need to harmonise all the political tendencies across the progressive fold to support a joint candidature of Buhari, taking into consideration his credentials as a disciplined and incorruptible leader who can address the rots in the polity, qualities they believe others in the race lack.
Sources said the SNG now has the nod of some elements in the opposition ACN, particularly some former governors in the South West who are said to be sympathetic to the Buhari candidature.
The development seems to have caused a minor disagreement in the ACN leadership as three of the former governors and party leadership are said to favour Buhari, while the younger elements are routing for the former anti-graft czar, Nuhu RIbadu, who they claim has no excessive political baggage unlike Buhari who critics accuse of religious fundamentalism.
Those in support of Buhari believe his new attitude as a democrat and having reached out to and got the support of Christian religious leaders countrywide now stand him in good plank for the job, beside his messianic appeal as about the cleanest of the Northern aspirants for the top job.
However, the SNG and other Buhari loyalists are still working to get the backing of former Lagos Governor, Bola Tinubu, whose group is said to have some reservations for the retired general.
“I can tell you that Tinubu and his group are not particularly against Buhari but they only wanted some concessions which I think would be worked out by all to have a united front before the convention of the party,” said a source who sought anonymity.
The SNG leadership is also said to have secured the backing of the leaders in Afenifere, Yoruba’s socio-political organisation, with whom SNG has held series of meetings on how to mobilise supporters in a bid to secure a bloc vote for Buhari during the general election.
Afenifere leaders have in the past three years been involved in moves to have a working relationship with Buhari and his supporters, culminating in routine meetings between the general and former presidential candidate of the defunct All Peoples Party (APP), Olu Falae.
SNG leadership had a crucial meeting in Abuja last Thursday during which the modalities to get the support of other influential political groups were discussed, sources said.

It'll be dificult for Buhari to see things the way Ribadu will.
My vote is on Ribadu anytime.Buhari needs to drop his ambition to crave way for younger progressives

Source pls?

I don't know why Afenifere suddenly changed their colors on Jonathan. What will Buhari achieve for Nigeria that he couldn't do while in power in the 80's?. Besides, some high ranking Afenifereans already given their words to Jonathan only to turn around now and give their allegiance to Buhari. Shame!


http://allafrica.com/stories/201011010761.html


http://elombah.com/news/node/4128?page=1

So its clearly a fight between buhari and ribadu

Buhari will be a better option among all the progressive.He will surely make Nigeria great than any candidates.PDP,Jonathan,Ibb and the other hawks have failed this nation.BUHARI for president comes 2011 will surely end corruption in this country.

I am not surprised for one bit that Afenifere, Yoruba’s socio-political organization, would negotiate sudden U-turn on GEJ.

olafolarin:

It'll be dificult for Buhari to see things the way Ribadu will.
My vote is on Ribadu anytime.Buhari needs to drop his ambition to crave way for younger progressives

Same here. I will always back Buhari as a a viable plan B but I think he should fall in line and help Ribadu's ambition. There is no doubt that Ribadu , in the minds of most non-Northern Nigerians, is percieved as more detribalised than Buhari. This may be important when we look at the electoral big picture because if Nigerians , at this stage in our history, are to vote for a Northerner with ideological zeal , considering how the North has produced many ruinous heads of state/Presidents, then that Northerner must be a man everyone will undoubtedly see as a lover of all Nigerians and all regions who is modern and urbane . Buhari may be a hard sell outside the North. Ribadu is not. In the North , with the right backing, Ribadu can do well . Toppling the PDP will not be easy .I hope some folks will jettison personal hunger for power to see what must be seen .

Dede1:

I am not surprised for one bit that Afenifere, Yoruba’s socio-political organization, would negotiate sudden U-turn on GEJ.

Afenifere never supported GEJ. It was Yoruba Council of Elders that did that. You need to slow down on your Yoruba hatred. okay?

Akanbi_edu:

Afenifere never supported GEJ. It was Yoruba Council of Elders that did that. You need to slow down on your Yoruba hatred. okay?

Indeed. In fact , what do all politicians/socio-political interest groups in Nigeria have in common if not an enduring ability to always put their own interest ahead of anything else. It is the season of "U-turns" and political backstabbing. To insinuate that the Yorubas are more guilty of it than anyone else is simply unrealistic.

Dede1:

I am not surprised for one bit that Afenifere, Yoruba’s socio-political organization, would negotiate sudden U-turn on GEJ.

you are clown as we know they are all in different parties.

@If PDP is to stay in Governement I think everyone agrees Jonathan is the BEST CANDIDATE IN PDP regardless of zoning.

IT IS CLEAR PDP IS TERRIBLE but jonathan is the most realstic candidate they have to offer.

The people to beat are jonathan and ribadu lastly buhari. all of whom are in different parties. and one afenifere leader supported jonathan and he CLEARLY STATED HE DOES NOT REPRESENT AFENIFERE'S VIEWS on Jonathan.

[size=14pt]Also this article is sooooooo unrealstic cause Tinubu and ACN  already have set forth a requirements for their ACN flag beaer to have a MAIN ONE was YOUTH. AND TINIBU,AKANDE, WILL NOT SACRFICE THIER GROWING ACN PARTY ( 3 states) for CPC lol which was created two months ago.[/size]
Buahri is the one who needs ACN not the other way around ANPP and ACN have had talks in the pass about merging ACN WILL NEVER DO IT IT DOESNT BENEFIT THEM UNLESS THIER PARTY IS THE LEADING PARTY AND THEY PARTY ON THE BALLOT.

sbeezy8:


[size=15pt]Afenifere Leader,[/size] South West PDP Back Jonathan

President Jonathan is entitled to contest. I do not believe in this zoning arrangement it would not produce the best for the country. President Jonathan is entitled to his ambition. He is a citizen of this country and nobody should deprive him of his right to contest.

"Nigerians should support him so that he completes the terms of the late President. If we say zoning, this would shut out the best candidate and would not produce the best for the country. Other presidential candidates also have the right to contest against him. But nobody should say he should not contest. It is his right, and all these controversies are distractions."

[size=15pt]Asked if the socio-political group he leads supported his stand, Chief Fasoranti said he was speaking for himself but that the opinion of the group was not different from his.[/size]
.

as he said he was speaking from his self

and this article is false and laughable.

ACN didnt merge with ANPP (when Buhari was in ANPP) so what makes anyone think ACN with 3 states and gaining ground in delta state ( omo- agege), osun,
rivers (Sekibo, Abel-Tariah) will want to merge with buhari now? lol

funny tho

if jonathan loses in 2011 the party that will probably win is ACN.

Though buhari & ribadu are the only credible candidates 4rm d north but can they beat GEJ who is widely accepted by nigerians at the polls? If PDP field an ibb/gasau/atiku/saraki etc. then ACN can win d 2011 elections!

Timehin:

Though buhari & ribadu are the only credible candidates 4rm d north but can they beat GEJ[b] who is widely accepted by nigerians at the polls?[/b] If PDP field an ibb/gasau/atiku/saraki etc. then ACN can win d 2011 elections!

What are you talking about ? Please refrain from believing the newspapers and their noise of fake endorsement and popularity. Jonathan can never gain majority votes in the North in free and fair elections. The growing influence of the ACN in the SW and Jonathan's many "own goals" against the region (eg making Gbenga Daniel his regional campaign manager rather than sanctioning him for his illegal impeachment gangsterism) means that it is highly unlikely Jonathan can do well in the SW region.

If democracy is a game of numbers , and with Jonathan losing out in two of the biggest regions, how exactly can anyone surmise that Jonathan is "widely accepted by Nigerians" ? Jonathan and his team know the real truth. This is why , at every stage, they are busy trying to create an unfair playing ground that tilts things in Jonathan's favour. If you are " widely accepted by Nigerians" you don't need to try and sneak in anti-democratic acts that gives you unfair advantages which ensures that your 'victory' is coerced and bought rather than secured through a real and sincere test of your leadership popularity .

You ask , what is best for the Yoruba races and not what is good for any person. It is not what is good for me, that is good for the yorubarace, it is not what is good for pastor adeboye, that is good for the yoruba, it is not what is good for mike adenuga or femi otedola that is good for the yorubarace, it is not what is good for tinubu or anyone that is good for the yorubarace. We can have a country and reunite the Yoruba people.

When we are in control of our destiny , we would make progress. But as long as our  destiny is in the hand of abuja, we would not make progress. It is only an olore buruku that put is children kadara  in the hands of another person.
Honestly only an Olore buruku.

now can you see where dahomey is Majority of the land is yoruba.  This is why you have the house of rep and senates, you use the north to get free. They want president.  The north goes to the senate and house of rep and ask for the edo,delta and Yoruba to leave nigeria. The north cast its vote, we cast our vote. and it is over.

Look at the satellite pictures, there is going to be war to solve it, it is too complicate for any person to solve. We get out self out and save our people head, when fire burn you and burn someone else. you remove yours first. when our people are save, we start seen our we can help others.  we dont want to be around when they are killing themself.

look at what they are using your own money to do. Do yoruba people have to be slave. ?

With one more party added for CAN and a recent bribery attempt claims by SNG,I think the prediction of almost all the Prophets look realisable.

Dede1:

I am not surprised for one bit that Afenifere, Yoruba’s socio-political organization, would negotiate sudden U-turn on GEJ.

When we hit the street to demand the right thing be done, Nigerians sought justice. But sadly President JEGA abandoned his duty to the Nation to seek his personal abition. Since he left us, its time to get a good dose of his medicine. Not all of us are blind like his die-hard follow-follows. See his his FB page - just worshipers 

And if we have to repeat this again, we will fear no baggar!