20 PEOPLE ARE OUT FOR THE RUN FOR PRESIDENCY.
Among the 20 possible candidates are Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former military President, Gen Ibrahim Babangida and his predecessor in office, Major-Gen Muhammadu Buhari(rtd). The three men are considered to be the front runners in the race. Their rating however is in spite of the fact that they do not fall within the governors rank where the PDP is shopping for its flagbearer. Other top contenders are six of the PDP governors, three from the North and three from the South, respectively. They are Governors Ahmed Makarfi(Kaduna), Adamu Mu’azu(Bauchi) and Umaru Yar’Adua. Others in this category are Governors Peter Odili (Rivers), Donald Duke (Cross River) and Obong Victor Attah(Akwa Ibom). Apart from the governors and senators, there are also some key members of the Obasanjo administration who are being given serious mention in the permutations in political circles.They include the National Security Adviser, Lt. Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (rtd), Federal Capital Territory (FCT)Minister, Nasir el-Rufai, his Finance counterpart, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Minister of Agriculture, Adamu Bello.

Among the list of top contenders are businessman,Aliko Dangote, former Common-wealth Secretary General, Emeka Anyaoku and Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu.

Now they are out, let us talk about who are going to win, sumthing of that nature

http://odili.net/news/source/2006/may/28/200.html

Of all those mentoned I would go for a coalition of the key members of Obasanjo's administration and Donald Duke with Donald Duke as the presidential candidate.

I honestly believe letting a bussiness man in there would be bad. Almost as bad as letting in any one of the 3 musketiers (Atiku, IBB, Buhari) or Kalu.

Mariory:

Of all those mentoned I would go for a coalition of the key members of Obasanjo's administration and Donald Duke with Donald Duke as the presidential candidate.

I honestly believe letting a bussiness man in there would be bad. Almost as bad as letting in any one of the 3 musketiers (Atiku, IBB, Buhari) or Kalu.

Why do you have preference for Duke? And what make you think those you have sidelined are unfit for the presidency? Please share your opinions as this will help us appreciate your reasoning better.

Donald Duke has done very well in his state, I alwayz believe that as a governor, if u do well in ur state, there is hope you will continue when in power as the president, the man is young, bright and gat goals PERIOD, left 3 me, he is da best candidate, IBB and other former rulers, should go and sit down, businessmen also including kalu

What are the views of these candidates on increased State rights? The role of a President is a more ideological one. The vast amounts of roads and projects should and are done in the State and local government level. As always, when you get to the national level in a Federal system of governance, it is a lot more to do with ideology and less to do with actually building things. As far as I am concerned, anyone on that list of 20 that is unable to properly articulate him/herself and is lacking when it comes to philosophical and political science knowledge is not worthy to be considered a candidate.

My views are, taking into consideration the fictionalization of the country, we need a candidate that is willing to weaken the central government in favor of empowering the various Governors and State assemblies. This would include better and more resource allocation. In short, each State gets to keep most of what they earn. It is only common sense. How would you feel if you have to work 16 hour days just to split what you earn with others. Or in the case of oil, if you had to distribute your inheritance that your fore-fathers left for you with people from other regions. It is just not right.

The only oil money that should be distributed to all the States and Federal Government are the one that are received from off-shore locations.

I am hoping that you have the stance of at least a few of these governors on the issue of resource allocation.

Afeni:


Or in the case of oil, if you had to distribute your inheritance that your fore-fathers left for you with people from other regions. It is just not right.

The only oil money that should be distributed to all the States and Federal Government are the one that are received from off-shore locations.

Oil was not put there by anybody's fore-fathers. It is an act of nature. Are you going to say people also own the wind that blows through their land? Or the rain that falls where they live? The issue of oil in regards to the local population is the land. The local people own the land. Therefore adequate compensation should be given for utilising the land to drill for oil when it could be used by the inhabitants for other purposes.

In other words, I support your call for more local resource control. It's been 7+ years since we began this new adventure on developement. Any State that cannot survive right now with reduced allocations from the oil states only have themselves to blame.