[size=15pt]Tinubu, Ribadu clash[/size]
…Over running mate

From AMOS DUNIA, Abuja

Monday, February 14, 2011



Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has set up a two-man committee made up of its National Secretary, Senator Lawan Shuaibu and the former national secretary, Usman Bugaje to meet its presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to resolve the crisis over the choice of a presidential running mate.

Leader of the ACN, Senator Bola Tinubu had been engrossed in disagreement with Ribadu over the choice of a running mate to the presidential standard bearer. While the former Lagos State governor was said to be favourably disposed to the choice of former minister of finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonje-Nweala as running mate to Mallam Ribadu, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had remained resolute, insisting that he should be given the free hand to choose his running mate.

It was the same scenario that emerged immediately after the emergence of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as presidential candidate of the ACN during which he insisted on being allowed to choose those he would work with as members of his campaign team. He got his way.

However, at a meeting which took place last Thursday, at the national headquarters of ACN situated at Wuse II, Abuja and chaired by the party’s National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, it was agreed that the brewing crisis between Tinubu and Ribadu would not augur well for the party and in particular Mallam Ribadu.

Akande stressed at the meeting that the party and in particular Tinubu must put every machinery in place and work for the success of Ribadu, adding that going against every suggestion and input of the party by the presidential candidate could spell doom for its chances at the April polls. According to Akande; “the party did everything possible to ensure his (Ribadu’s) emergence as its presidential candidate.”
The meeting, which was attended by Chido Onuma, Lukman Salihu, and Uche Onyeagocha observed that there was an urgent need to amicably resolve the crisis between the two leaders of the party to kick-start the campaigns.

A copy of the minutes of the meeting in the possession of Daily Sun revealed that Mr. Onuma, who represented Mallam Ribadu, noted that there was no remarkable difference between Ribadu and Tinubu, saying that the duo only spoke their minds. Onuma further said the arguments made by both Tinubu and Ribadu at the earlier meeting were valid, adding that the perceived misunderstanding was healthy since both leaders merely spoke their minds and not that they quarrelled as it was being insinuated.

“Some of our leaders and members contend that the party needs a political figure from the South-east political zone as presidential running mate while others think other wise. I think it is healthy,” Onuma said.
In his contribution, Dr. Usman Bugaje said he did not believe in the array of presidential running mates lined-up except for two he considered as credible deserving the approval of the party.

Bugaje further said such deliberations were better handled at a smaller meeting where the issues involved would be dissected and expounded for better understanding and appreciation of the issues. Accordingly, he suggested that a two-man committee made up of the National Secretary, Senator Shuaibu and himself should be given the opportunity to meet with the party’s presidential standard bearer and to report back to the national chairman on decisions that would be reached at the meeting.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/feb/14/national-14-02-2011-001.htm

Tinubu is wasting time. It may be purposely. Anybody would agree that Okonjo-Iweala is Ribadu's best bet. I suspect that Tinubu could be working with Buhari trying to impose a running mate which would give Ribadu low votes and not take a chunk out of Buhari votes. Precious time is being wasted, no politician would jeopardize campaigning,especially with only 2 months left till the elections. After all, in Nigeria its all about personal interest and side deals,on top of that, the ACN at least still has a candidate.This stops them from ending up like the AD. I guess we'll know Tinubus intentions by Tuesday, the deadline to finalize running mates.

Chyz*:

Tinubu is wasting time. It may be purposely. Anybody would agree that Okonjo-Iweala is Ribadu's best bet. I suspect that Tinubu could be working with Buhari trying to impose a running mate which would give Ribadu low votes and not take a chunk out of Buhari votes. Precious time is being wasted, no politician would jeopardize campaigning,especially with only 2 months left till the elections. After all, in Nigeria its all about personal interest and side deals,on top of that, the ACN at least still has a candidate.This stops them from ending up like the AD. I guess we'll know Tinubus intentions by Tuesday, the deadline to finalize running mates.

Tinubu dares not except he has some deal with CPC to merge. Without Iwela, Ribadu would be doomed even in the SW.

Omo mehn, e be like say gbegeh wan scatter-burst

People have gone far with their campaigns, while these ones are still clashing over choice of VP.

This report is wrong . Ribadu has always wanted Okonjo-Iweala to be his running mate. They are good friends who respect each other proffessionally and have worked well together in the economic team under OBJ. It is Tinubu who is fearful he will not be able to control two opinionated people if they join forces. This is another example of why Ribadu is good for Nigeria. He has not attempted to choose a lightweight "obedient" boy-boy as his VP. He is showing awareness of how merit must overide all other consdierations. We know that if Ribadu is indisposed then we have an able deputy in Okonjo-Iweala. GEJ was chosen as deputy to Yar Adua because he is a mediocre administrator , with no strong views , who has never 'rocked the boat' in his life. We see this with how he is always attempting to 'settle' everyone and carry them along. Sambo was chosen as VP to GEJ for precisely the same reason. The PDP always puts square pegs in round holes because merit is not a consideration for them. Being a "business as usual" administrator that will keep everything 'business as usual' is far more important to the PDP. Ribadu is already showing he will fill positions with proven performers who will deliver .


http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/17483-acn-jittery-over-presidential-election-as-tinuburibadu-face-off-deepens-akande-walks-out-of-meeting-northern-groups-back-buhari

ACN jittery over presidential election •As Tinubu/Ribadu face-off deepens •Akande walks out of meeting •Northern groups back Buhari
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Monday, 14 February 2011

LEADERS of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) are in a fix, over the candidate to be picked to replace the stand-in running mate to its presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Dr Sunny Ugochukwu.
Already, leaders of the party had expressed jitters at its fate in the presidential election, as a result of the protracted face-off on the running mate issue between Ribadu and former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu.

At a meeting of the party held in Abuja, on Thursday, leaders of the party expressed the fear of defeat in the hands of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the face of the unresolved battle between Ribadu and Tinubu over who to pick as running mate.

It was learnt that Ribadu had to pick Dr Ugochukwu in a hurry as a stand-in running mate, following divisions on the choice of the running mate for the presidential ticket.

A source said Ugo-chukwu had been told clearly that he would be replaced at the right time.

But Ribadu’s attempt to pick Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as his running mate was opposed by Tinubu, who suspected that Okonjo-Iweala and Ribadu would be too strong for him to control.

It was gathered that the party then resolved to meet on Thursday, to resolve the crisis between Ribadu and Tinubu.

Those who attended the meeting, according to sources, included the national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; national  secretary, Senator Lawal Shuaibu; Dr Usman Bugaje; Honourable Uche Onyegoacha, Alhaji Lukman Salihu and Mr Chido Onuma.

The meeting expressed the fear that ACN appeared to have signed up for defeat in the April election, once it could not resolve its crisis on the running mate up till now.

One of the participants at the meeting, a top official of the party, was said to have threatened to return to the PDP if the so-called progressives could not organise their home.

It was gathered that the meeting agreed to pacify Ribadu to drop Okonjo-Iweala and that Tinubu should also be begged to accept another candidate from the South-East.

The division among the ACN leaders, according to sources, had to do principally with the division between Tinubu and Ribadu.

While Tinubu believed that a running mate for the ACN ticket should be his nominee from the South-West, Ribadu wanted Okonjo-Iweala, who hails from the South-East.

It was gathered that Tinubu had said if the candidate must come from the South-East, he or she must be a politician, not a technocrat, but Ribadu had refused to budge on that.

The Thursday meeting was said to have ended abruptly, as Akande and Shuaibu were said to have walked out of the meeting.

Their decision to walk out was said to have angered Onyegoacha and Bugaje.

A source close to the meeting said “the ACN is already expressing the fear of losing the next election.

“How can we pose any threat to the PDP when Jonathan is already campaigning and we are sleeping on who will be our running mate. It is clear we have programmed for defeat.”

Meanwhile, the pro-zoning leaders of the North have now resolved to back General Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress For Progressive Change (CPC) in the next presidential election.

Sources at a meeting held by a number of northern political groups told the Nigerian Tribune that the groups had now resolved to support Buhari as presidential hopeful.

A source at the February 5 meeting in Abuja said Buhari should now proceed to enter into alliances that would ensure he won the election.

A source said the groupa agreed to prevail on Buhari to negotiate power with other political groups.

The groups also resolved that if Buhari failed to win the presidency,  some other measures should be put in place to tackle President Goodluck Jonathan.

Sources told the Nigerian Tribune that the meeting attended by eight participants representing different groups resolved to back  Buhari’s ambition.

A source at the meeting said the option of stopping the conduct of the election could be problematic and might not be feasible, because it was not only the presidential election that would be conducted that day, adding that all candidates should not just be sacrificed as a result of the plan to stop Jonathan.

Dr Sule Hamman, a member of the  Buhari organisation, said the group needed to hold further meetings with the organisation on the way forward.

He should remove his nostrils from PDP and settle the fire in his house! Is this a good example? You haven't even perceived the elections and there's already fire?