Presidential Aspirant on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and former Chairman of the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu may have started testing the bitter pills of politics. Ribadu is said to have lost the support of former Lagos State Governor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu for the Presidential elections.

Ribadu had investigated Tinubu’s tenure as Governor of Lagos State while he served as the Chairman of the EFCC and in February 2007, Ribadu said in an interview, “Do not worry; we are coming out with a bombshell on Tinubu. All the Accounts he operates internationally have been investigated. Tell him that he will soon hear from us.”

But both men became political friends as soon as Ribadu decided to join the Presidential elections on the platform of ACN where Tinubu is a founding member.

Tinubu hitherto gave full support to the Presidential ambition of Ribadu and even toured around with him to some South West states where he canvassed for support for his Presidential aspiration. He is alleged to have also supported Ribadu financially in the course of his Presidential campaigns.

Sources told Pointblanknews.com that Tinubu has now dumped Ribadu to pitch his political tent with General Mohammadu Buhari with a hope of clinching the Vice-Presidential slot should the merger of the ACN and Congress for Progressive Change sails through.


According to a source, “Ribadu is not going to find it easy now with his presidential ambition because now that the merger talk between ACN and CPC is almost conclusive and it is becoming clear that Tinubu is going to revive his Vice Presidential ambition and team up with Buhari.”

The source added, “as I am talking to you now high level secret meetings have been going on lately between the Tinubu group and that of Buhari for a possible tag-team and if they finally agree to terms, you can be rest assured that Ribadu’s ambition will be over.”

Although sources told Pointblanknews.com that while Ribadu is not aware of Tinubu’s new moves, some ACN chieftains are not happy with the Presidential aspiration of Ribadu. It is alleged that core politicians in ACN who feel the former EFCC boss was foisted on the party would rather prefer a Buhari for the party’s presidential ticket.

The feelings of the core politicians within the ACN who are said to be major financial players in the party, informed the decision to reconsider the merger of talk with the Buhari group who left the party in protest to form CPC.

 
“You know Buhari had a lot of influence and respect within ACN and when he left in protest to form CPC, it was a major blow because his personality brought credibility to the party,” a source told pointblanknews.com

The source added “Ribadu’s membership is equally good but not to the extent of picking the party’s Presidential ticket. It is the opinion of some ACN chieftains that he still lacks the experience for a presidential politics and that is why Buhari is needed back.”

Although, it is not yet clear when the merger talk between the two parties would be concluded but sources hinted that before the middle of December both parties would have wrapped off the merger talk.


http://www.pointblanknews.com/News/os4147.html

bibiking1:

more conjectures and hearsays!
Can someone produce some concrete fact!

Gbawe:

Indeed.

@na_so. You wan't me to respond to "conjectures and hearsay"?

[size=14pt]Buhari May Clinch CPC Ticket Dec. 22 .[/size]

Monday, 08 November 2010 03:02 Shuaib Shuaib, Abuja   . .The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has rescheduled its presidential primaries for December 22, 2010, when it will most likely elect former military head of state Gen Muhammadu Buhari as its presidential candidate.  So far, Buhari is the only aspirant that has shown interest in running for president on the platform of the party.

In a letter dated October 28, 2010, and addressed to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the chairman of the CPC, Sen Rufai Hanga, explained that changes in dates for the party primaries, congresses and convention were as a result of the ongoing registration which is expected to  entrench internal democracy in the party.

Under the new timetable, the primaries to elect governorship candidates and those for the Senate, House of Representatives and state houses of assembly will hold on December 18, 2010.

The most fierce competition for a single CPC ticket is the December 18 race for the governorship ticket of Kano State which the party chairman along with Muhammad Abacha, former military administrator of Kaduna State Ja’afaru Isa, former deputy governor of Kano Magaji Abdullah and House of Representatives member Hon Farouk Lawan are contestants.

Delegates to the state congresses and national convention will be elected on December 1, 2010 at the local government area congresses where members of the local government executive committees will also be elected.

The party will on December 29 hold  a national convention to ratify the elected presidential candidate, and an earlier convention on December 15, 2010, to elect members of the party’s National Executive Committee.

State congresses to elect members of the State Executive committes will hold on December 8,2010, while the registration exercise for new members has been extended by a week and will now end on December 14, 2010.

Meanwhile, the national publicity secretary of the party, Dennis Aghanya has said the party, unlike other political parties, is determined to adhere strictly to INEC guidelines and hold congresses in every state of the federation.

Aghanya said, “Adhering to that principle, we are doing everything possible to adhere to INEC’s instruction that all parties must hold congresses to elect substantive leaders before primaries.

“Our leader, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, launched our new membership registration cards, setting the pace for a new membership drive for the party to ensure that all members and intending members are not in any way denied registration. Without creating a level playing field for the membership of the party, electing new leaders and subsequently primaries will be faulty.”
He added, “Our new membership registration exercise commenced on the 30th of October nationwide, and was also recently extended by another one week. The exercise will now close on the 14th of November 2010. Nigerians should avail themselves of this opportunity to join the CPC and participate in effecting the desired change.”

sbeezy8:

The day i will believe buhari and tinubu coalition IS THE DAY BUHARI DUMPS CPC AND JOINS ACN- which wont happen.

ACN has three states and will not merge its slf under CPC which was created less than 6 months ago.

Tinubu is smarter than that esp with him and akande along with lai stressing the need of a youthful president.

i think jonathan is going to beat ribadu no doubt but in that process PDP will lose alot of states in the north and south

sbeezy8:

The day i will believe buhari and tinubu coalition IS THE DAY BUHARI DUMPS CPC AND JOINS ACN- which wont happen.

ACN has three states and will not merge its slf under CPC which was created less than 6 months ago.

Tinubu is smarter than that esp with him and akande along with lai stressing the need of a youthful president.

i think jonathan is going to beat ribadu no doubt but in that process PDP will lose alot of states in the north and south

EzeUche0:

Any Northern leader who wants to think about the presidency will need an Igbo VP. It is as simple as that.

olafolarin:

In your dreams Or maybe in PDP,

ACN is not even thinking in that direction right now.The closest they have is Donald Duke bringing his LP to join ACN for the presidency Polls.

Tinubu has all the aces now to work with the best opposition candidate.Either Buhari or Ribadu with a southern Progressive will suffice.

sd-6:

Me I want Buhari nd Fashola.

Mai Suya:

I think you're overestimating the influence of Tinubu. As much I detest these ethnic categorizations, I have to agree with Ezeuche on this one. If ACN wants to show itself as a truly national party and not the play thing of Tinubu, the 'southern progressive' you described above [i]should [/i]be of Igbo extraction, for only then will it be able to present a formidable challenge against the PDP.

Gbawe:

That is fine. I also think Buhari has the makings of a good leader. We must however ask ourselves why it is Ribadu , the "inexperienced newcomer" who is giving GEJ , an incumbent President , the greatest challenge according to every poll Nigerians have participated in to date ? I think Nigerians are ready for a change . They wan't a bright future . They wan't modern and internationally acceptable leaders the entire world will respect. If we inspect the relevant parameters we will see that Ribadu is the leader who can , locally and internationally, gain the support required to defeat the PDP Vampires to set Nigeria on the path of progress . Buhari , on Nairaland or elsewhere has not won a single popularity poll. Buhari may be popular in the North but the effort to defeat the PDP will require a candidate who , with the right support, can become all things to all to Nigerians . Ribadu is the man. I respect Buhari but I feel he will fall short if we pay attention to how Nigerians are thinking currently.

sbeezy8:

Wrong in 2007 atiku ran alongside ben obi from anambra on AC platform -WHICH SAYS ACN IS A NATIONAL PARTY. and it didnt WORK. Atiku even came in third, they played that "igbo card" and it failed, tho there was rigging, AC lost mainly because PDP,APGA,PPA are more dominant in SE.

best option tinubu has it to pick a vp from edo or sw WHERE HIS PARTY ALREADY EXISTS AND CAN WIN VOTES. ACN has no footing in the SE, its growing in the SW and edo.
It would be dumb for ACN to pick a vp from a region where they are not relevant and expect people to vote them just because its n igbo man on the ticket.

jonathan/pdp is winning all SE votes against any notherner point blank, but in the SW he cannot win more than half if anything against ACN.

only way nuhu can beat GEJ is if buhari steps down and supports him

sbeezy8:

only way nuhu can beat GEJ is if buhari steps down and supports him

oyewolejos:

I think Ribadu should contest for Adamawa Guber post. ACN winning the Presidential Poll with Ribadu as the candidate is a mirage. I know for sure in a free poll he will win in Adamawa. Buhari/Tinubu ticket won't stand cos of religion. Christians will prefer to vote for GEJ instead of allowing Muslims-Muslim ticket. Nigerians are sensitive towards religion so i believe Tinubu wont make that mistake.

na_so:

Even if a SW vp is picked, you can be sure that GEJ would still wrestle at least 50% of the votes from SW. Then GEJ gets almost wholesale, the votes of SS and SE. NC and NE will be split between GEJ and the northern contender. The only zone he will let go will be NW .

For the presidential election , people will vote based on their perception of the candidate. For governorship it sure will be along party lines, this means that PDP might lose some SW states but GEJ would still get the votes in such states. Never underestimate the massive christian populace that will vote GEJ in lagos even when we know that AC almost has the governorship in the bag.

na_so:

Even if a SW vp is picked, you can be sure that GEJ would still wrestle at least 50% of the votes from SW. Then GEJ gets almost wholesale, the votes of SS and SE. NC and NE will be split between GEJ and the northern contender. The only zone he will let go will be NW .

For the presidential election , people will vote based on their perception of the candidate. For governorship it sure will be along party lines, this means that PDP might lose some SW states but GEJ would still get the votes in such states. Never underestimate the massive christian populace that will vote GEJ in lagos even when we know that AC almost has the governorship in the bag.

xoxo, :

Correct.

GEJ already has a lot of sympathy votes due to him being a SS man. As  Nigerians it is undeniable that some injustice has been done to them as to the development of their communities. Many Nigerians (SE,SW,SS n some parts of the North)  will vote simply for this reason; the believe that SS finally deserves a chance to rule. This already gives jonathan an edge over NR and Buhari.

But I dont buy that. If the north which has ruled more than any zone in this country produces a good candidate then vote I shall and vice versa, if SS produces a less than competent candidate, then i wont vote him and vice versa.  Simply put, all powers that be need to unite so the PDP monster can be eradicated from our Beloved Country. Though even if they unite its still not going to be an easy battle but it would definitely loose PDP some seats in the House and some States. And That I believe would be a giant leap in the cleansing  of this country.

KnowAll:

This election is Jonathan to lose, if he gets the primary ticket, he wins the election, any ambitious Politicians should wait until 2015. That is when all asunder will fight for the soul of the nation.

The big fight is in 2015.

dayokanu:

A moslem-Moslem ticket might be a hard sell in current day Nigeria