2011 presidency: Give us Buhari, ACN begs CPC
…Sends Pastor Bakare-led emissary to Buhari
From FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE, Abuja
Monday, November 01, 2010


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Despite having two presidential aspirants in its fold, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is making a desperate bid for the former Head of State, General Mohammadu Buhari, to fly its presidential ticket. The move by the leadership of the party is regarded as a “sure banker” for the Nigeria’s presidency in 2011 should the principled General accede to it.

Daily Sun learnt from reliable sources that the bid for General Buhari was top on the agenda of the ACN in the build up to the 2011 elections. Already, former anti-graft czar, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu had declared his interest in the Presidency on the platform of the party while former governor of Sokoto State and founder Democratic Party (DPP), Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, is also known to be eyeing the presidential ticket of the party in a working alliance to be sealed formally soon, following the failure of a merger plan between the two parties.

The overtures to General Buhari, who has declared his ambition to run for the presidency for the third time, twice on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and now on the ticket of Congress for Progressive Change, a relatively new party that is making tremendous inroad into the North, are being conveyed through fiery Lagos-based Latter Rain Assembly Pastor-turned politician, Tunde Bakare.

“Give us the general and we have a winner of the 2011 presidential elections,” the ACN leadership had allegedly told Pastor Bakare. The pastor was said to have delivered the message to General Buhari, but Daily Sun could not ascertain the reply of the presidential aspirant, which the Cleric took back to ACN. Bakare, a coordinator of Save Nigeria Group, a pressure organisation for political and economic push, was said to have joined General Buhari’s CPC, for the purpose of actualising his political ambition.

In the event General Buhari accedes, close sources revealed that the game plan would be for the former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to be the running mate of the no-nonsense presidential aspirant.
National Secretary of the ACN, Usman Bugaje, confirmed to Daily Sun that there were talks between the party’s leadership and General Buhari’s camp just as it was doing with a host of other political camps, with a view to forging formidable alliance toward 2011.

Bugaje, who would not want to be drawn into deeper explanation on the bid for General Buhari, stated that there was nothing wrong in it because at the end of the day, a candidate would have to emerge to fly the flag of the party at the 2011 presidential election. When reminded of what would become the fate of Ribadu, he said: “There is a lot of misuse of language in Nigeria. Ribadu has only expressed intention to run for presidency, so had Bafarawa. Everybody is welcome. That is the beauty of democracy, the more the merrier.”

Spokesperson of General Buhari and National Publicity Secretary of the CPC, Dennis Aghanya, when contacted, said the former Head of State would soon make comment on the matter and that he was busy propagating the party across the length and breadth of the country.

Make them go sign am now?

as Buhari don turn Wayne Rooney.

This will markthe begining of the ACN failure. Though Buhari is good.

Now let me give analysis of the political situation in Nigeria now.This is why the Ohaneze's hurriedly open endorsement for GEJ might backfire.SW is now almost fully controlled by ACN.Buhari has a good past record and is a pure Fulani Man and has tendency of sweeping the North.He will definitely sweep the SW with the Save Nigeria group and ACN.He will win in EDO also.If Jonathan wins the PDP ticket,I am sorry to state that his chances of winning an ACN Buhari is almost impossible.The only way GEJ will see easy victory in 2011 is by defecting to ACN before they adopt Buhari.