Governor Donald Duke of Cross River State today formally withdrew from the Peoples' Democratic Party presidential primaries scheduled for Saturday, December 16, 2006, in Abuja. Governor Duke's decision to withdraw from the race is in line with the decision of the leadership of the PDP to zone the presidency to the North.

Mr. Donald Duke was, until his decision to withdraw from the race, a frontline candidate for the ticket of the PDP. His presidential campaign had been anchored on the platform of visible and credible achievements of his administration in Cross River State. This message of Duke's platform had resonated well with Nigerians' burning desire for change and credible leadership for the country.

In spite of his decision to withdraw from the presidential race, Mr. Duke intends to continue to preach the message of hope and a credible and effective transformation of the country. Governor Duke is grateful to all his supporters and the multitude of Nigerians who believe in his message and support his candidacy for the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Clem Baiye
Director-General
The Donald Duke Campaign Organisation
Abuja.
http://www.donaldduke4president.org/

Damn! I was really hoping on Duke taking the PDP ticket.

Damn! You were so so wrong!

Definitely a dissapointment for me.

once again the presidency is "zoned" into the hands of those who put us on the path of poverty and underdevelopment in the first place!

When will Nigerians ever get to pick those they truly want to lead them? and someone tells me this is not a (s)elective dictocracy?

This is not democratic. This zoning thing should go. The man with the most votes should be the president.

what does zone the presidency to the North mean exactly. I do not follow why Duke dropped out

I have never supported the presidential ambition of Donald Duke for good reasons which have proved true in the face of his shameful withdrawal from the race.

One thing I have learnt in life is this: you can only have significant success in an endeavour you are passionate about.  From all indications, Duke is not passionate about the presidency.  He only entered the race to 'try his luck' which is not good enough.  His withdrawal also shows he holds his party a greater loyalty than he does to the nation.  This is indeed shameful.

While I will not consider the possibility that he may have been adequaltely 'compensated' to withdraw from the race by those who claim to be fighting corruption, I suppose his withdrawal just show that the power of external persuasion that got him to run is all that is needed to end that half-hearted pursuit. So what about these big words he uttered after submitting his forms: "I am not prepared to step down for any other presidential aspirant because I have not seen any aspirant that could challenge my credentials. " Can he now be taken seriously?

At this point in our chequered history, we need someone with vision, passion, youth and determination to lead our country.  So far, I see only one person who fits this bill.  And while I will get crucified for suggesting this, I know from the bottom of my heart that the only person who meets this criteria right now is Chris Okotie.  Duke may be a worthy candidate, but he lacks the will power and the vision to lead us into the promised land.  Okotie on the other hand is consumed with that passion. He has got the vision, the intellect, the integrity, the administrative and people skills required. He has shown he will not compromise and above all will not be tied to the apron strings of anyone.

Others who may have shown some passion about leading Nigeria are Buhari, IBB, Kalu and maybe Marwa.  I am not in support of any of these personalities and I can't vouch for the galvanising force behind their burning passion to want to lead Nigeria.  But if passion is needed, they got it.  However, they lack either vision, integrity or both.

Okotie may seem a greenhorn in politics, but recent events around the world have shown that all you need is the relevant vision, administrative and human skills to be a political leader.  Arnold Shwazenegger and Jesse "the Body" Ventura have proved that in the United States.

The ball is in our court Nigerians.  Are we going to take the chance with this young dynamic man or are we going to keep wondering in darkness, hoping that these geriatric rulers will lead us to the promised land they cannot even see?

Zoning: A uniquely Nigerian form of "home-grown" democracy where political kleptocrats are anointed by a tiny cabal to be foisted on the people while decieving them with the charade of elections.

@Davidylan,

When is the Davidylan compedium of Nigerian vocabularies due for release?

@Davidylan

They do zone in Switzerland so it's not a Nigerian idea.

@ TayoD
Very soon sir! When we have sufficiently covered the length and breadth of Nigeria's unique political language.

@ Donzman
Yes sir! But "anointing" of presidential kleptocrats by a tiny cabal is a unique feature of Nigeria's dictocracy!

This is more like it. In this our country na who u know na im dey reign - who be donald duke?

was shocked when I heard the news. do thes pple know what integrity is? hmm na wa o

TayD, to say Duke is not passionate about the presidency becuase he has withdrawn is a joke. Duke said he will not withdraw for anyone and he hasn't, the party has zoned the presidency to the North, that is an entirely different thing. Duke is a loyal man and even though it was stupid of the PDP to zone the presidencuy at the eleventh hour, after all the southern candidates had spent millions and wasted time and energy, Duke will not be a rebel. Are you saying that all the other candidates like Odili, Markafi etc who have also withdraw were not passionate because they withdrew. Nonsense! Politics is about compromise and were there is no compromise it could lead to civil war.

If Duke is given the Vice Presidential ticket and the PDP wins then it is almost certain that Duke will become the next President of the country by or before 2015, in my mind that is much better that nothing. If he chose to rebel and refuse to step down he would loose the support of the party and many northerners which would make him unsellable in the future i.e. he would loose everything. A Vice President Duke, especially if Yar' Adua is President, would shine brighly and make his eventual crowning inevitable.

Keep Dreaming about Okotie. Yeah right! Okotie has vision that is why he started as a lawyer, then became a musician, then a pastor and now wants to become President. If his vision/prophesy that God said he will be president in 2003 never came to pass, why should anyone believe in his vision for Nigeria? I am not even sure he is qualified to be the Governor of Delta State. The man is a joker and will never be President.

Revolution:


Yeah right! Okotie has vision that is why he started as a lawyer, then became a musician, then a pastor and now wants to become President. If his vision/prophesy that God said he will be president in 2003 never came to pass, why should anyone believe in his vision for Nigeria? I am not even sure he is qualified to be the Governor of Delta State. The man is a joker and will never be President.

This is where u totally lost me, i dont agree with u because there is no correlation between this statement n d need for a trully complete leader in all respect. Okoties irrespective of the fact that he changed proffesions is more qualified to do battle for the presidency dan 85% of the guys in the arena.

We are at a point in this democracy where leaders chose ppl who will protect them when they are out of office rather than a leader who will deliver on the salient points we need as a nation to grow.That is why incumbent governors chose greenhorns in politics instead of there deputies to run in 2007 that is why ppl like duke who shd be clear favorites 4 pdp ticket r being intimidated out of the race.

But do u knw wat? the mistake/miscalculation these cabals make abt handpicking a seeming "COMPLACENT" candidate is dat u can never control the man in power. The example is dere 4 all to see and he is seating right there in aso rock.

Buchi07, I disagree. All the front runners in the race a re better qualified than Okotie, who has no political experience or any other experience that qualifies him for the highest office in the land. I totally agree with Obasanjo that the next President should be a Governor because state Governance is a mini model of national governance. Let okotie vie for Governor of Delta State, which I don't think he will win, before thinking or becoming President.

@revolution

Total bunkum!!!!!!!

some of the ppl u have seen ascend the rung as either governors ,senators e.t.c did not have prior political experience so why cant he be qualified. Yar'adua was not even with his own broda in pdm prior to his being governor n now he is being propped up for presido. Okotie is qualified whether u like it or nt to be president. Whether he wins or looses is anoda kettle of fish but if it is on the subject of qualification he stands head over shoulders above most of d candidates.

how many of the ppl campaigning hav integrity,history of visible achievements in public service that makes them qualified to be president? is it odili(who efcc is hounding nw) ,is it udenwa(who has under-developed imo) or is it saminu turaki(who has no clear cut agenda n is a political prostitute) dont even mention gana(because he has been part and parcel of the decay now inherent in d polity) who is popularly touted as A.G.I.P( any government in power)

Buchi07, You can vie for the Governor position without relevant experience which is where most people start, however the Presidency is the highest job in the land and requires experience. All the serious contenders for president have experience, you can't compare running for Governor with running for President.

If EFCC were to probe Okotie's, do you think he will be cleared as clean? The man is very wealthy, why has the money come from? Probably the same way many Nigeria pastors get their money. Please don't get me started.

Too bad.

I wonder why people are dissapointed!

The first hurdle is for the Aspirant to be the Party's flagbearer and from day one, i knew he cant, definitely NOT in PDP.

Harry Akande left Chicago in 1999 for Nigeria with loads of money, in fact he is the richest of all the-then aspirants, he cant even get the party's nomination.

Maybe one day we will be RIPE enough to have partyless candidate.

We are already ripe for partyless cancidacy. It's just that the people in power want to control the process.

Garbage in, Garbage out.

Nobody should cry for Nigeria.

My brodas there is no need to be surprised. It is the nigerian thing. Few people sit down in a bear palour and discuss the future of the country. Too bad.

Even if I am disapointed about his withdrawer from the race I am also happy he is not on his way out of the PDP. He should put loyalty first in everything he does especially to his party, because that's the best way to know a good politician. believe me brothers and sisters I know things are going to get better Lets wait till the presidential primary is concluded.

That is PDP for you guys! i do not have any confidence in the party, just look at the kind of dangerious and anti-democartic politics they play! but it does appear that we are going to be stuck with them for a while!!!!

Let us see where all these will lead us to. nations of the world are watching us. I fervently pray we are not made a laughing stock.


@ Seun wishing us merry christmas and a properous new year. If u had contested in any capacity i will mobilise electorates to vote for u. (I no be Adedibu O!)

Some times it amazes me when Intellectuals discuss like children , Generally i don't really like discussing POLITICS (which is quite strange since i am a Pol sci Graduate ) cause of its dirty nature be it Nigeria; africa and the world. Its all the same thrash .

But we all act in Nigeria as if we can not read the writings on the wall, and look so surprised at events, Nigeria's case always reminds me of what a certain Prof always use to warn us about as students, he said we should never take politics at face value and always read btw the lines, its only by doing that will one find the true answer to what you are looking for!!

1, Everyone needs to realise that all these happenings are at the instance of our President OBJ; who is trying to kill many birds with one stone.

A, Yaradua is a means to finally kill off Atiku's chances, as definately Atiku's claim to the PDM machinery has just been wrenched from under him, so he really has no foundation to stand on, even if he choses to run under a different platform.

B. OBJ/PDP had to zone this thing back to the north as a means to control the way the elections were heading, with ANPP/AC getting ready to pick a Northern candidate, it would have made the battle a fight btw the North/South divide, and believe me the South wouldn't have won, cause all the Northern cadidate had to do was pick a South Eastern VP and that would have changed the scale of the balance to favour the opposition, cause even if PDP had picked a Northern VP, (which of those estemmed northern aspirants would have wanted to be VP ) they would not have carried the day.

Basically Duke did the right thing, since it is quite clear that he respects the President, and so if the President asks him to step down, his obedience will only make way for him to be compensated with the VP slot, which in the longrun keeps him in power and makes room for him to become President when power comes back to the south in about 8 years time . My friends patience is a true virtue, the children of Isreal had to be sent on a merry go round in the sinai dessert for 40 years before God let them enter the Promised land, so lets just ride it out. Remember it would have been impossible to pick Duke as the VP if he had run for the ticket and lost, cause it would not be ethical to pick a fellow opponent as a running mate.

The important thing is for us to have a successful Civilian to Civilian transition, and for democracy to be the norm rather than the exception. Pray tell how many years did it take for an Irish american to become president in america , as they say Rome wasn't built in a day.

As for the zoning principle, please people live with it, nigeria wass formed with the amalgamation of different zones, and so that will be the only way for power to really be shared in a country the dances btw true federalism and semi federalism that the country practices. (There is no need to really expansiate on this zoning principle stuff, cause its quite boring )

As far as i am concerned Yaradua is an ok candidate, and since OBJ has used his will power to save us from IBB and others like a certain south south candidate, who was professing to be a saviour (part 2), not forgeting Atiku We should just pray that Duke is picked as the VP,  and we will eventual get our desire, God keeping us healthy to see that day. We need to weed out the present political class, and its happening (slowly but surely)

As for the issue of Okotie , all i can say is that even in Biblical times, God never ususally picked a Prophet to be king, cause he knew that this would cause a conflict of interest, so why now would Nigeria pick okotie as president, even in america, many Christian of the right didn't even vote for Pat Roberston when he ran for President some time back, all they do is vote for individuals that have a strong religious background, not someone that is the religious background . doesn't work that way, and never will. Do you see any Rabbi being voted Prime minister in Isreal, Look at Haiti under a so called "Father" Aristide, what happened under his regieme This okotie issue as far as i am concerned is a no brainer!!!

Oh well let me get back to the footie forum all this talk of zonings, Dukes and God anointed leaders is really doing my head in

WE ARE NOT AT A PDP RALLY

Loyika, what are u doing here? Abeg make u keep our bullets intact o! Lol Man, u said it all, i never reckoned Duke would have been gifted the ticket anyway and even at that, i still feel we have not heard the last of IBB the 'evil genius', there had to be something to the way he withdrew and the hastiness behind the letter of acceptance of such signed by OBJ, purely my thoughts though!

kitaun:

Loyika, what are u doing here? Abeg make u keep our bullets intact o! Lol Man, u said it all, i never reckoned Duke would have been gifted the ticket anyway and even at that, i still feel we have not heard the last of IBB the 'evil genius', there had to be something to the way he withdrew and the hastiness behind the letter of acceptance of such signed by OBJ, purely my thoughts though!

i concur with you

Very well said Ioyika. Very wise and impressive words.

Isn't it better to know where your fate lies and withdraw earlier than going through an exercise in futility? We all know how elections are won and lost in Nigeria, definitely not through the ballot boxes. Donald Duke has a passion to serve our country but he was made to read and understand the handwriting on the wall. I am from Cross River like himself a microscopic minority in the context of the present day Nigeria. The powers that be is responsible for DD's latest decision and that is a pointer to our destination in 2007.

@Loyika

Lord Jesus!

Unbeatable gunner in Politics!

I will go and report you in Sports o.

Very very good comment. I shouldnt be suprised .

I beg, you and Kitaun should be coming here.

Lets make Politics TICK, the same way we do in sports.

Welcome on board!