maasoap: If we in APC are strongly opposing the coming of PDP govs into our party on the ground that they're corrupt, are we not indirectly saying that all govs in opposition parties are not corrupt? The issue of how to tackle corruption in Nigeria is solely depends on the president. Who gives the fuc.k if all PDP govs defect to APC as long as have people like Buhari and ribadu as our president. After all we're still in short of supporters in APC. Once they're in Rome, they'll act like Romans.

maasoap: PDP controls 23 states while APC controls less than 13 states at the moment. Then, how do you intend to dislodge PDP if you don't want them in the newly formed party? Many nairalanders are not politicians but noise makers. Winning elections is about population and figures, without PDP members defecting to APC or PDP dividing into 2 or 3 parties, APC should forget it. These people (govs and co) control voters and no matter what you tell them about new party, they'll only follow their leaders.

Reference:

And what can Buhari as party chairman or as President do about a looting member in power. What are they doing about looting party men as we speak. Please democracy doesn't work that way. I said it last year that to ascend to power you have to make many compromises, jump into bed with total strangers. It has happened with CPC and ACN. Now with PDP. By 2015 will it resemble the party you once knew? Be realistic.

Even in the Governor's Forum, the National Assembly and other pan political gatherings there is more opposition to the government from PDP members than any other party. What will turn this country around is beyond the actions of any one man.

thelastPope:

Question: So why has Buhari not made the nasarawa CPC gov to behave himself? Because Buhari?

Answer: Because Buhari is a crook himself. A thief that squandered over 200 billion naira PTF funds. Why did he keep quiet when IBB called him out? He should have made more noise now. lol

thelastPope:

Does the governor of a state vote on behalf of everyone in that state? lol. The problem is very simple. The biggest selling point of the merger party is credibility. They will completely loose that piych if the PDP govs defect. Just wanted to point that out. But it is all beer parlour talk though

maasoap: Because Buhari is not our president. Or is he the one who is caging EFCC?

thelastPope:

You see how confused you are? you are not intelligent at all. Can EFCC prosecute a serving gov? Or you dont know govs have immunity? If Buhari cannot influence the only CPC gov to perform and shun corruption, how is he going to change Nigeria? The taste of the pudding is in the eating?

Like I said before, he is also a crook who wasted over 200 billion PTF funds and declared Abacha corruption free. So you sound stup1d when you claim he will rid Nigeria of corruption. He is the problem. He got us to where we are now. He is an idiota. He is a serial looser who will not achieve his life ambition of becoming a civilian president because he plunged us into 16 sad years of military backwardness. He is the single biggest misfortune Nigeria has ever had

Super1759: for what? Is he APC leader?

Sharrks: Nigerian are wiser now.PDP and GEJ can fool some of the people all the time but they cannot fool all the people all the time

thelastPope:

People who have never travelled out of their states will just come to NL, facebook or twitter and claim they are speaking for Nigerians. go and read your books my friend.

eldoradoxx: Na grammar u just dey blow oh make I tell u. Nigerian politics is not for grammarians because over 80 % of real voters don't really read opinions in print, electronic or social media. They re the tomatoes seller, the plantain roaster, the bean-cake seller, the keke napep/maruwa rider, the wood hewer etc. So all that was analysed above is stil to the figment of the writer's imagination. PDP perhaps quarrels more than other parties, but it has first class in resolving all disputes before elections. I asked earlier, would pdp governors be ready to be ordinary floor members in APC? Or would APC guys like Buhari, Tinubu, Rochas allow their party to be hijacked by pdp (corrupt) governors whose only interest is to use the party machinery already created for them to further their interest? The union can't work.

APC: The Game Changer? By Zainab Usman
Posted: March 23, 2013 - 16:03

By Zainab Usman
"This is a new dawn for our generation. This is unusual. It is gratifying that they are here to see and share with us," the middle aged man remarked with tears of joy when he saw the nine state governors trekking through the volatile Monday Market in Boko Haram hotspot, Maiduguri, shaking hands with fish mongers, vegetable sellers and taxi drivers. To this middle aged man, to the yam-seller who exclaimed “unbelievable” and to countless other ordinary Nigerians in that market, interacting with the governors up-close was far beyond what they had come to expect from the detached, conceited and unapproachable persona Nigerian politicians have cultivated over the years.

This daring act by the opposition governors brought to life for many, the ongoing merger of five main opposition parties under the banner of the All Progressive Congress (APC). This merger has recently dominated the agenda of political calculations for the 2015 general elections, and is the favoured discussion point for many pundits. Importantly, many justifiably question the APC’s capability of providing a credible alternative to the norm, the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), focusing especially on the APC’s lack of a coherent ideology.

One of the notable commentaries critiquing the proposed APC is the one by former Central Bank Governor, Professor Charles Soludo titled “Where is the Political Party for (the) Nigerian Economy?” In it, he mirrors the sincere concern of many Nigerians – that the APC is an alliance of convenience by disgruntled politicians lacking any progressive ideology save their inordinate ambition to grab power at the centre, that the “soul of the party” is not really different from the much derided PDP, and that it lacks a sophisticated manifesto. As close to the truth as this description probably is, [size=14pt]many do not quite appreciate that the dominance of the PDP behemoth and the emergence of its soon-to-be arch nemesis, the APC, are manifestations of the continuous evolution of our democratic process. The APC cannot be that which we are not.[/size]

The much cited APC’s lack of a coherent ideology is an interesting paradox. When many including Professor Soludo refer to ideology, they mean either or all of two things. One, they hark back to the left-wing right-wing parties of the 1960s to the 1980s whose class-based identities were critical elements of their mobilisation strategies. Two, they are also referring to the clear articulation of the vision, strategy and proposed programmes of such parties in an ideologically-driven manifesto. As ideal as these normative expectations of a what a party should be seem, they are neither entirely relevant to our present Nigerian reality, nor are they necessary requirements for the APC or any such movement to be agents of the much desired change in the Nigerian polity.

An ideologically-driven movement is not relevant to Nigerians because globally the ideological parties that pundits long for are no longer tenable in our present unipolar (yet increasingly multipolar) world. When those class-based political parties existed decades ago, the bipolar world had two superpowers representing rival systems of political and economic organisation – the American-led capitalist West and the Soviet-led socialist East. Countries and their constituent political parties, academics and civil society organisations strongly defined themselves on the basis of either of such doctrines. In Nigeria, progressive-pro-masses politics were personified, to varying degrees, by Awolowo’s Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), and Aminu Kano’s Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), while conservative and aristocratic politics were the forte of the Northern Peoples’ Congress (NPC) and later, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). Consequently, such parties articulated their manifestos and strategies for policy execution loosely based on the political orientations they subscribed to.

Presently, the exigencies of the global environment and Nigeria’s present realities have rendered such ideological movements – at least in the way many pundits envision – untenable. First, the global dominance of capitalism as the preferred system of economic organisation, means most of the world’s countries have adopted some variant of capitalism – whether its America’s free market capitalism, China’s state-led capitalism or Nigeria’s crony capitalism. Secondly, any movement that employs the rhetoric of a “proletariat revolution”, promising the usurpation of the “bourgeois hegemony” to appeal to the Nigerian masses – of which people under the age of 30 constitute almost 70% – will find itself left in the cold, dry winds of the Harmattan.

The basic needs of ordinary Nigerians which sadly haven’t changed that much, are to be met with pragmatic promises to be achieved via strategically crafted but importantly, easily accessible methods. Nigerians still need the basics: electricity, jobs, access to quality education and efficient healthcare services; Nigerians want to feel secure in this era of kidnappings, suicide bombs and diabolical killings by “unknown gun men”; marginalised swathes of Nigerians want to feel they matter too in the scheme of things beyond being used and dumped during elections and importantly, many are just fed up with the dysfunction and culture of impunity that pervades the polity, which the PDP symbolises.

Since grandiose ideologies and fancy manifestos will obviously not resonate with ordinary Nigerians, what the APC or any movement needs is the ability to tap into the collective yearnings of Nigerians from all walks of life. The enthusiasm and fervent idealism of young Nigerians from the 1960s to the 1990s fuelled by left wing political ideology has been replaced with brittle cynicism. This frustration stems mostly from our exclusionary and testosterone-driven political system especially at the core of decision-making. The archetypal decision-maker being an “Oga at the top” anywhere between 40 and 80 years, typically arrogant, accessible to cronies and colleagues, yet inaccessible to his constituency, gets away with defying many manmade, marital and divine laws with impunity, and retires to be celebrated in his local church or revered in his neighbourhood mosque rather than to the societal opprobrium he so deserves. It’s no wonder that some young Nigerians find an outlet for this frustration through Twitter and Facebook, others at markets and motor-parks perpetually feel like second-class citizens, while many in rural areas who hardly feel the impact of governance at any level just couldn’t be bothered until elections season. This cynicism pervades all segments of society.

The APC or any such movement ought to become a rallying point for Nigerians to coalesce around, at the barest minimum to set the tone for a more inclusive type of governance where ordinary Nigerians will be regarded as people who matter in the scheme of things. Such a movement could learn a thing or two from Zambia’s Patriotic Front (PF), the platform on which the current president, Michael Sata sailed to victory in 2011, thereby upstaging incumbent Rupiah Banda and his ruling party, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD)’s 20 year hegemony. Observers such as Cambridge academic Alastair Fraser, attribute the PF’s victory to its ability to mobilise ordinary Zambians across ethnically diverse communities, especially the critical youth demographic, through a grassroots approach to politics. The PF focused not on socialist slogans, but on the unmet needs of individual communities especially employment and infrastructure, employed a fiery anti-Chinese rhetoric and the famous “Don’t Kubeba” (accept bribes from parties but vote for your choice at the polls) slogan.

Barring slight differences in context and dynamics, parallels can clearly be drawn between Zambia and Nigeria. Apparently, the key for any movement that seeks to mobilise ordinary citizens is its ability to reach out to and connect with marginalised segments of society, communicate through the language of their lived realities and basic needs, and importantly, make them feel relevant in deciding their own destinies. The brazen visit by APC governors to Maiduguri a few weeks ago, prompted President Jonathan to visit Maiduguri days later, his first visit since his election in 2011 despite the daily carnage there. This is healthy competition on both sides to score political points with the masses, and this competition is the stuff responsive democracies are made of.

Ultimately, Nigerians need a credible alternative, not just to replace the PDP in power, but an alternative way of doing things, an alternative to the dysfunctional and malevolent “do-or-die” politics that has characterised our polity throughout the past 13 years of democratic rule. In this quest, it matters little whether the APC is an alliance of convenience by “desperate” power mongers, as they have been variously described, all that matters is their ability to provide an inclusive platform and a reliable alternative that Nigerians can choose to either support or ignore. The quality of our politics needs to be lifted from the grubby bottom through healthy competition engendered by a worthy rival to the PDP. Whether the APC is capable of this arduous task, only time and the strategies it adopts will determine.

utumunta: What made u ppl think dat d PDP did nt plant ds story in d media to get the governors hurrying to Aso rock on their knees in loyalty? Or d APC(?) did it to cause trouble btwn d PDP governors & their party ,thereby bolstering their chances of winning d governors over?
Hw can u ppl believ dat a sane man will exchange real value for perceived value? Are d governors going to APC(?) cos they love opposition or d masses? D PDP umbrella, no matter how torn, will continue to give cover to it's members .
Most of these governors are completing their 2nd term and wld nt want anything to stop them from enjoying their ill-gotten wealth in peace. Many of them won elections by virtue of being in d ruling party & they know it. Babangida Aliyu was defeatd by d ANPP in 2007 & CPC in 2011 bt is a governor 2day cos of PDP. Same applies to most of 'em. They are only negotiatn for free passage so dat EFCC will stay off their back after office.
Ask Tinubu how bad it is to play the opposition in Nigeria.

thelastPope:
People who have never travelled out of their states will just come to NL, facebook or twitter and claim they are speaking for Nigerians. go and read your books my friend.

kiyosaki1: I know you will agree with me, that experience they say is the best teacher. Majority of Nigerian have experienced the worst under the mis-rule of GEJ compare to when Buhari was in power. What further proof is needed to discard this tyrannical government

utumunta: What made u ppl think dat d PDP did nt plant ds story in d media to get the governors hurrying to Aso rock on their knees in loyalty? Or d APC(?) did it to cause trouble btwn d PDP governors & their party ,thereby bolstering their chances of winning d governors over?
Hw can u ppl believ dat a sane man will exchange real value for perceived value? Are d governors going to APC(?) cos they love opposition or d masses? D PDP umbrella, no matter how torn, will continue to give cover to it's members .
Most of these governors are completing their 2nd term and wld nt want anything to stop them from enjoying their ill-gotten wealth in peace. Many of them won elections by virtue of being in d ruling party & they know it. Babangida Aliyu was defeatd by d ANPP in 2007 & CPC in 2011 bt is a governor 2day cos of PDP. Same applies to most of 'em. They are only negotiatn for free passage so dat EFCC will stay off their back after office.
Ask Tinubu how bad it is to play the opposition in Nigeria.

maasoap: Why do some of you couldn't argue or debate without insulting people? Does it have to do with type of homes you people were raised or what? Does it have to do with parental upbringing or what? Do intelligent people insult others when debating? Only frustrated souls insult others, Don't you know?

Eko Ile: Too bad when its all said and done, APC = Another PDP.


Credible opposition in Nigeria is still a mirage.

kiyosaki1: I know you will agree with me, that experience they say is the best teacher. Majority of Nigerian have experienced the worst under the mis-rule of GEJ compare to when Buhari was in power. What further proof is needed to discard this tyrannical government

Mentcee: Eight PDP Governors Move to Defect




• PDP will have 15 states, opposition 21

     
As political calculations towards the 2015 elections heighten, it has emerged that at least eight Peoples Democratic Party governors are set to leave the party. It is not a question of "if" but of "when", said a senior political actor familiar with the developing strategy.

The governors are those of Rivers (Rotimi Amaechi), Adamawa (Murtala Nyako), Kano (Rabiu Kwankwaso), Jigawa (Sule Lamido) and Kebbi (Seidu Dakingari).

Others are Governors Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto and Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara.
To underscore the frustrations of the group with PDP, three of the Governors: Lamido, Kwankwaso and Wamakko boycotted the PDP peace parley in Kaduna yesterday, which had Vice-President Namadi Sambo in attendance.

THISDAY has learnt the eight governors are firmly resolved to work together politically, claiming that they have been "thoroughly marginalised in PDP" and have lost confidence in the party leadership, which they say has been totally "commandeered" by President Goodluck Jonathan and the Aso Rock political apparachik.

The governors, according to several sources, have come to the conclusion that their political fortunes can only dwindle in PDP and as such are weighing their strategic options and next political moves having reached some political "agreement-in-principle" with the Bola Tinubu and Muhammadu Buhari - led opposition merger group, All Progressives Congress (APC), after several meetings in Lagos and Abuja.

“The governors are, however, agreed on a number of decisions at present,” sources close to the state chief executives told THISDAY.
One of these is to approve the agreement with and move en-mass, with the Senators, House of Representatives members, state assembly members, local council chairmen and political structures at all levels in their states, into the opposition APC. 

And in doing this, they will be keeping their political structures in their states, at the local government and state levels, intact and alter the political landscape of Nigeria effectively making the PDP-led Federal Government a minority government as they will then have 21 state governors against the PDP'S 15.

PDP currently has 23 governors to the opposition’s 13. They will have absolute majority in the House of Representatives, given the numbers in the North-West, and share power in the Senate depending on which Senator follows them.
In their discussions with APC, they are also seeking guarantees and assurances of equality of membership, a level-playing field, internal democracy at the federal party as well as the adoption of their political leadership structures as the legitimate leadership of the merged APC in their states.

In the race for the presidency, they are demanding full internal democracy and total transparency and openness in the choice of the presidential candidate of the emergent coalition party.

According to sources, the eight governors have cited various reasons, ranging from marginalisation, moves to hijack the PDP structures from them and using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to persecute them, to other untoward moves against them, as reasons for their move to defect.

They also specifically complained that under Bamanga Tukur’s leadership, PDP had allegedly perfected the moves to dismantle their leadership of the party in their states, and weaken them through federal ministers and friends of Aso Rock.
These ministers, according to them, are being empowered to fund parallel political structures.

For instance, the Rivers State governor allegedly spoke of marginalisation within PDP, plans to prop up his former ally-turned–political-foe to hijack the PDP structure in the state from him and moves to oust him as chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and promote his arch-political rival, Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio in the process.

Jigawa Governor Lamido has also complained of persecution within PDP leadership because of the rumour that he has presidential ambition resulting in the use and unleashing of EFCC on him as exemplified in the arrest and prosecution of his son by the commission on flimsy grounds.

For Kwara Governor Ahmed, his political godfather, former governor of the state, Senator Bukola Saraki, has been marginalised within the party for allegedly daring to contest against President Jonathan in the build-up to the 2011 election and for moving the motion in Senate that paved the ground for the probe of oil subsidy fraud.

"Despite being proved right with the uncovering of huge subsidy fraud, Saraki should be praised and honoured as a whistle-blower, instead the Villa is using the police against him," said the sources.

Governors of Sokoto, Kebbi and Adamawa involved in the defection plan have also cried of marginalisation and persecution within PDP, while Babangida Aliyu is said to be facing the same charge as Lamido: "nursing a presidential ambition in 2015".

For Kwankwaso of Kano, the charge of marginalisation is even worse: the sources say he has never been consulted in any federal appointments in Kano and no one in the Presidential Villa has ever called him to discuss his security challenges and find out how he is coping.

The sources insist that they are not sure if the Presidency called him with any support after the last dastardly Kano bombing, which claimed 25 lives, but point out it was Bola Tinubu and APC leaders that came in a symbolic gesture to see the Kano people "in their hour of need".

“The president does not call him to find out how the state has been coping in respect of the incessant bomb blast,” another source close to the governor lamented as all attempts by Kwankwaso to reach the president to discuss the security problems have proved abortive.
The defection would be a major blow to the PDP and is said to enjoy the moot support of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

If that is true, Nigeria could witness a major alliance of the North-west where most of the defecting governors come from, and the South-west, controlled by the Action Congress of Nigeria.

Following the 2006 population census, the North-west comprising seven states and with a total population of 35,915, 468 followed by the South-west with six states and a population of 27, 721, 832 have the highest of the six geo-political zones.

Other zones and their populations are as follows: South-south-21,034,081; North-central-18, 963, 717; South-east-16,395,545 and North-east-14, 331, 233.

When contacted, a senior presidency official said he was not aware of the development and that he would check.


http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/eight-pdp-governors-move-to-defect/143045/

mike404: The new boko haram party can never, stop GEJ come 2015

thelastPope:

When were you born? You do not qualify to speak of when Buhari was in power. Ask us to tell you. We witnessed it first hand. He was a dolt!

peace-1:
Keep quite.That's why its called POLITICS.GEJ had northerners as his campaign cordinator.Meanwhile,if this happens,PDP bye bye.The being simple;Lagos,Kano,Rivers,Sokoto,Imo,Oyo,Ogun,adamawa and Niger states constitute 62.3% of total votes in naija.I am dancing Azonto already.

Your Azonto dance is definitely geared towards the realm of stark and naive foolishness

Sincere 9gerian: Hypocrisy dey smell here joor!

E smell pass Hydrogen Sulphide gas