ABOUT four Igbo candidates are being considered for the Vice-Presidential slot to the Northern Consensus Candidate, ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for the PDP presidential primaries.

Already Senator Ben Obi  has been appointed as the Director-General of the broad-based campaign following a meeting between the Atiku and  ex-President Ibrahim Babangida; ex-NSA General Aliyu Gusau; and Governor Bukola Saraki.

A highly-placed source, who spoke in confidence, said the meeting was part of their written commitment to harmonize their campaign structure to assist Atiku to win the 2011 presidential ticket of the PDP.

Those penciled down are ex-President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani; a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria , Prof. Charles Soludo; ex-Minister of Information, Chief Emeka Chikelu, and Chief Nze Duru.

Investigation by The Nation revealed that although none of the candidates has shown interest in Vice-Presidency, some influential Igbo leaders are making strong case for them in what appears a North-South-East pact for 2011 presidential poll.

According to findings, as a political joker to break the hold of President Goodluck Jonathan in the South-East, the Harmonized Campaign Organization for Atiku is looking at the prospect of picking a Vice-Presidential candidate from the South-East.

A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) is likely to forge a strong alliance with the South-East for the 2011 in line with the PDP zoning formula.

“This alliance will be consolidated before the presidential primaries of the PDP to enhance the chances of Atiku.

“The position of the north is that presidency must shift to the South-East in 2015. This is the bargaining bait of the North with Igbo leaders.

“The search for Atiku’s deputy has started in order to be able to lay basis for the alliance. But Northern leaders will work with a South-East Committee, being chaired by ex-Vice-President Atiku, to pick the potential VP.

“Those being considered as ex-President of the Senate, Chief Ken Nnamani; a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria , Prof. Charles Soludo; ex-Minister of Information, Chief Emeka Chikelu, and Chief Nze Duru.

A top source said: “Many of these leaders and their sponsors have been making contacts with the Alex Ekwueme Committee set up by political leaders in the zone to pick a vice presidential candidate.

“The Ekwueme committee is an offshoot of the Igbo Political Leaders Forum which had entered into alliance with Northern Political Leaders Forum. The two groups had agreed to support the north to produce a president in 2011 while the South- East will produce the president in 2015.”

Besides the four candidates, another source added some Igbo leaders are also making a case either for the Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu or a serving South-East governor as VP candidate to Atiku.

He said: “Some are however saying that Ekweremadu is already embedded in Jonathan 2011 project and might reject the offer.

“If everything works as conceived, the serving governors in the zone may be asked to nominate one of them for the slot of running mate to Atiku.

After the session, ex-President Ibrahim Babangida spoke for about two minutes with reporters on why the leaders met.

He said: “We have come for consultations with the Consensus Candidate. Immediately after the announcement of the Consensus Candidate, we have not been able to formally meet as a body. That is why we were here.

We approved the appointment of His Excellency, Senator Ben Obi, as the Director-General of the campaign.

Asked if they discussed the issue of running mate to Atiku, Babangida said: “No, not yet.”

Responding to a question if they would accompany Atiku to campaign, he simply said: “Yes, sir.”

Pressed to comment on ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s ridiculing of the Consensus Candidate, he added: “I am a junior officer. By tradition, I am not supposed to comment on what a Senior Officer said.”

Reminded that since he is now a democrat, why will he not react to Obasanjo who has also become a democrat, Babangida said: “He (Obasanjo) is still a General.”

Asked whether he is also laughing like Obasanjo, he said: “I am joking.”

Obasanjo loves Soludo. What is he gonna do now
If Atiku is sincere about an Igbo president in 2015, as it appears he is, then as an Igbo man, I have no problem with such an arrangement. Jonathan should make his position clearer on ndigbo before it is too late. It is unthinkable that Igbos will not lead Nigeria in the foreseeable future (2015/2019).

Thanks for waking up.

It is certainly Atiku/Soludo ticket.


Soludo is a level headed man who will help Atiku Govern effectively. It is not all about 2015

The next 4years also need a Government that works. This is what Soludo will bring to the table.

He is a natural reformist and architect of social re-engineering

McKren:

Thanks for waking up.

It is certainly Atiku/Soludo ticket.


Soludo is a level headed man who will help Atiku Govern effective. It is not all about 2015

The next 4years also need a Government that works. This is what Soludo will bring to the table.

He is a natural reformist and architect of social re-engineering

I agree with you. Plus the little matter of vendetta that Soludo must have against Jonathan for rubbishing his bank consolidation. In Nigeria, each group looks out for their own. If Atiku picks Soludo and guarantees 2015 for the Igbos, then I say go for it. Otherwise, it is Jonathan all the way, rather than the chameleon Ribadu, or the religious bigot Buhari. I dey sidon look because I am getting confuser and confuser

Atiku loves Nigeria and ALL Nigerians. His children are from ALL parts of Nigeria.

Only the North, South, East and West play that game of pitching one set of Nigerians against the other.

The Middle Belt is neutral.

Atiku is from Adamawa State, near Cameroun.

No loyalties whatsoever.

Goooooo "Tikkkku"!!!


Atiku/Nnamami(ken) for 2011.

Blazay:


Atiku/Nnamami(ken) for 2011.

You cannot have two typical politicians. That will not take us to the promised land economically. Atiku/Soludo, or its Jonathan. So better go and tell that to your brother Atiku.

igbobuigbo:

I agree with you. Plus the little matter of vendetta that Soludo must have against Jonathan for rubbishing his bank consolidation. In Nigeria, each group looks out for their own. If Atiku picks Soludo and guarantees 2015 for the Igbos, then I say go for it. Otherwise, it is Jonathan all the way, rather than the chameleon Ribadu, or the religious bigot Buhari. I dey sidon look because I am getting confuser and confuser

Believe it or not, Soludo's grouse with Jonathan is deeper than that.

Soludo did not loose Anambra elections just like that. The same reason that brought Ogbulafor down also stopped Soludo in Anambra. and it is Jonathan's ambition.

This is what Jonathan has been doing to Ndigbo. If he thinks you will be an obstacle to his ambition he brings you down even though all you were seeking at the time is to serve your own people.

Jonathan, Dora Akunyili and Peter Obi colluded in the Anambra election. Believe it or not.

If Jonathan was a presentable man like Odein Ajumogobia, then I will have no problem with that. But the Problem is he has no clue and does not know how to be president and yet he wants to force himself on the Nation.

Nigeria can not withstand another 4 years of poor leadership.

McKren

Spot on. Jonathan is a disgrace to the ijaw. Yes, I wish it was Odein in charge as an Ijaw. Such an urbane man to the core.

Soludo will enliven Nigeria once again as he did as CBN gov

igbobuigbo:

You cannot have two typical politicians. That will not take us to the promised land economically. Atiku/Soludo, or its Jonathan. So better go and tell that to your brother Atiku.

We need seasoned politicians not neophytes.
Soludo will be ripe in some 10 years.
He needs to learn the ropes first.

He would make a good president.
Let him go and settle his peppersoup joint family squabbles with Dora Akunyili first.

Ken Nnamani is the man. He will make a good President too for Nigeria.

Anyone that has dealt with OBJ and survived is my choice anyday.

igbobuigbo:

McKren

Spot on. Jonathan is a disgrace to the ijaw. Yes, I wish it was Odein in charge as an Ijaw. Such an urbane man to the core.

Soludo will enliven Nigeria once again as he did as CBN gov

my people, see life!!!

what happens to ohanaeze's decision . this is funny!

Blazay:

We need seasoned politicians not neophytes.
Soludo will be ripe in some 10 years.
He needs to learn the ropes first.

He would make a good president.
Let him go and settle his peppersoup joint family squabbles with Dora Akunyili first.

Ken Nnamani is the man. He will make a good President too for Nigeria.

Anyone that has dealt with OBJ and survived is my choice anyday.

That is a very simplistic way to choose a leader.

Nnamani may have held a political office while Soludo is yet to. But trust me Soludo is the better politician.

Do not judge mastery of politics on who wins and who does not. Ken Nnamani in Soludo's situation would not even would have been able to upstage the Uba brothers let alone running against Obi.

Blazay:

We need seasoned politicians not neophytes.
Soludo will be ripe in some 10 years.
He needs to learn the ropes first.

He would make a good president.
Let him go and settle his peppersoup joint family squabbles with Dora Akunyili first.

Ken Nnamani is the man. He will make a good President too for Nigeria.

Anyone that has dealt with OBJ and survived is my choice anyday.

I think ATIKU is formidable enough a politician to hold the political forte while Soludo handles the economy. It is redundant having Atiku and Nnamani.

jason12345:

my people, see life!!!

what happens to ohanaeze's decision . this is funny!

There are 50 million or so igbos. I did say previously that Ohaneze - some 20-30 officials - spoke theirs and that the igbo public will speak theirs on voting day

as power hungary as Atiku, will he hand over power to his vice in 2015? Igbo be wise.

If Atiku Picks Soludo, then this is going to be a tough one!

daroz:

as power hungary as Atiku, will he hand over power to his vice in 2015? Igbo be wise.

If they can wrestle power out of a more hungry GEJ, then the Igbos can wrestle power out of Atiku too when the time comes.
Let us forget about 2015 1st and concentrate more on 2011, alot can be achieved before 2015 if we elect the right team

A "Atiku/Souldo " ticket would massively upstage the Jonathan camp and their strategies - but actually, picking Soludo seems to be the best option politically and economically for Atiku and the North in general. This is the only potential ticket that is bound to cause a significant division of choice amongst the Igbos - apart from the "Jonathan/Sambo" ticket. 2011 is shaping up to be a very interesting year in Nigeria. Either way, the Igbos have much better bargaining options than they have ever had since the end of the civil war. Let the games begin.

McKren:

That is a very simplistic way to choose a leader.

Nnamani may have held a political office while Soludo is yet to. But trust me Soludo is the better politician.
Do not judge mastery of politics on who wins and who does not. Ken Nnamani in Soludo's situation would not even would have been able to upstage the Uba brothers let alone running against Obi.

Soludo is an economist, not a politician. Big difference.
Ken Nnamani is a politician. A savvy one at that.
Ken Nnamani can pave the way for Soludo as the next president of Nigeria come 2015.

I would rather see Soludo as a President than a sitting duck VP.
Let him keep managing the economy in whatever capacity he can.
Nigeria needs him there more than with a redundant VP portfolio.

igbobuigbo:

I think ATIKU is formidable enough a politician to hold the political forte while Soludo handles the economy. It is redundant having Atiku and Nnamani.

Of what use is Soludo as a VP if you want someone to handle the economy? Is the job of the VP of any country to 'handle' the economy?
Then Soludo can function well as the Minister of finance. Not a redundant position as VP whose only function in government is to wait for the President to 'quench' before assuming any meaninful position in politics.

Ask Al Gore or manliness Chenny.

How can anyone think of putting a vibrant young man like Soludo as VP(a position of redundancy in any democratic government)?
If your aim is to groom him as the next "Ndi-Igbo" president, that is not the way to go.

Ken Nmamani fits that position perfectly. Let him sit there and do the 'siddon look' job. Not Soludo. That would be a waste of both time and space.

Nothing on earth can make Atiku hand over to an Igbo man in 2015.So people should not support him on that basis.Even Jonathan cannot hand over to an Igbo man.

Hmm, interesting development. Atiku is sharp.

We need seasoned politicians not neophytes.
Soludo will be ripe in some 10 years.
He needs to learn the ropes first.

s hit like this is laughable considering what is currently on ground

the yorubas and the north that had; done any better abi

some people need brain re-orientation for good of the country

Atiku/Soludo ticket will surely will the 2011 presidential election.

my people, see life!!! Undecided

what happens to ohanaeze's decision Huh Grin Grin Grin Grin. this is funny!

@jason12345,
the ohanaeze ndigbo did not endorse jonathan rather uwaechue did. we will be patient with him as we look forward to his re-endorsing atiku/nnamani presidency.
i don't want to see any obasanjo boy arround. soludo is not only a thief but a failure as he messed his life up in anambra when he stoop so low to allow himself to be used by obasanjo.
the combination ohanaeze will endorse or re-endorse now is atiku/nnamani combination

McKren:

Thanks for waking up.

It is certainly Atiku/Soludo ticket.


Soludo is a level headed man who will help Atiku Govern effectively. It is not all about 2015

The next 4years also need a Government that works. This is what Soludo will bring to the table.

He is a natural reformist and architect of social re-engineering

WHAT?

Atiku/Nnamani or Atiku/Soludo is a very strong pair and I can't quite choose between the two.

Lol This is I gotta admit that many Northerners are more intelligent than Easterners. The North knows VP position is useless to them hence they keep insisting on having their run while we have Easterners having o.garsm @ the mere thought that one of their own might be a "powerless" VP to a northerner in hopes that Atiku a northerner will relinquish power to the Igbo man in 2015. Even Atiku picks my own father sef, I will and I repeat, WILL NOT vote for him coz I know VP position is useless. The core aint worried about being anyones VP so why is SE foolishly worryin about it? What did Ekwueme or Ebitu Ukiwe's VP position do for Ndi-Igbo? Nada.

Blazay:

Soludo is an economist, not a politician. Big difference.
Ken Nnamani is a politician. A savvy one at that.
Ken Nnamani can pave the way for Soludo as the next president of Nigeria come 2015.

I would rather see Soludo as a President than a sitting duck VP.
Let him keep managing the economy in whatever capacity he can.
Nigeria needs him there more than with a redundant VP portfolio.

Of what use is Soludo as a VP if you want someone to handle the economy? Is the job of the VP of any country to 'handle' the economy?
Then Soludo can function well as the Minister of finance. Not a redundant position as VP whose only function in government is to wait for the President to 'quench' before assuming any meaninful position in politics.

Ask Al Gore or manliness Chenny.

How can anyone think of putting a vibrant young man like Soludo as VP(a position of redundancy in any democratic government)?
If your aim is to groom him as the next "Ndi-Igbo" president, that is not the way to go.

Ken Nmamani fits that position perfectly. Let him sit there and do the 'siddon look' job. Not Soludo. That would be a waste of both time and space.

If you want to groom someone for the Presidency in Nigeria, the easiest route is the VP. Ekwueme and Atiku were strong candidates because they were former VPs. Soludo is matured enough to play the role of a VP.

udezue:

Lol This is I gotta admit that many Northerners are more intelligent than Easterners. The North knows VP position is useless to them hence they keep insisting on having their run while we have Easterners having o.garsm @ the mere thought that one of their own might be a "powerless" VP to a northerner in hopes that Atiku a northerner will relinquish power to the Igbo man in 2015. Even Atiku picks my own father sef, I will and I repeat, WILL NOT vote for him coz I know VP position is useless. The core aint worried about being anyones VP so why is SE foolishly worryin about it? What did Ekwueme or Ebitu Ukiwe's VP position do for Ndi-Igbo? Nada.

There is rotation in the PDP constitution and there is nothing you can do about it. In all fairness, the next 4 years is for the North.

No one seem to be answering the main question posed by the poster.

It would be a big display of weak judgment to attach sentiments to politics. Most northerner dont care what the heck with Igbos or any other southerners. To say that Atiku loves the SE is laughable to say the least.

If one insinuates that his attraction for the SE is to pitch it against the SS, that would be a gross over-statement.

In in educated guess, this latest move for getting a running mate from the SE by the Atiku camp is to cut down Jonathan's earlier popularity lead in the zone, and skillfully he does so with an attractive bait. This is what Jonathan has been unable to replicate in the North.

Whichever way you look at it, one thing is certain: The SE will benefit both ways.

excanny:



Whichever way you look at it, one thing is certain: The SE will benefit both ways.

This is how we should play politics really; maximize opportunities to benefit any which way things go. Thanks.

udezue:

Lol This is I gotta admit that many Northerners are more intelligent than Easterners. The North knows VP position is useless to them hence they keep insisting on having their run while we have Easterners having o.garsm @ the mere thought that one of their own might be a "powerless" VP to a northerner in hopes that Atiku a northerner will relinquish power to the Igbo man in 2015. Even Atiku picks my own father sef, I will and I repeat, WILL NOT vote for him coz I know VP position is useless. The core aint worried about being anyones VP so why is SE foolishly worryin about it? What did Ekwueme or Ebitu Ukiwe's VP position do for Ndi-Igbo? Nada.

Suit yourself. You have only one vote. Please tell me what the benefit of a GEJ presidency will be for ndigbo. He will not hand over to you in 2015, neither will he do so in 2019 because the north will take it back then (2019). Even if Atiku does not hand over in 2015, with an Igbo as his deputy, there is no reason not to do so in 2019. Now tell me where Igbos stand with Jonathan.

From now henceforth, the Igbo should stop putting their eggs in one basket. We will root for both Atiku and Jonathan and benefit from both of them accordingly. However, the rooting pattern will be skewed toward the one who offers the best deal.