Buhari, Atiku, Tinubu join forces against Yar’Adua
FORMER Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former governors of Lagos and Sokoto states, Senator Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, are set to announce a strategic collaboration agenda today ahead of the 2011 election.

The new agenda, to be unveiled under the aegis of the National Democratic Movement (NDM), according to a spokesman of the leaders, Alhaji Sule Hamman, is aimed at redeeming Nigeria from total collapse before the next general election.Alhaji Hamman, who spoke to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, ahead of the strategic meeting, said “Nigeria is only sure of its geographical attribute so far, while other qualities of nationhood, like effective and credible leadership and organised system of management are already missing.”

He said that the former leaders had discovered that if men of their caliber refused to move to arrest the situation, “the geographical existence called Nigeria may disappear before 2011, in line with sad projections from some Western intellli-gence.”

Hamman, who also mentioned the names of a former presidential candidate of the Allaince for Democracy (AD) and the All Peoples Party (APP) in the 1999 presidential election, Chief Olu Falae, former governor of Cross Rivers state, Mr. Donald Duke, as participants, also named Afenifere chieftain, Chief Supo Shonibare, former Minister of Foreign affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Chief John Nwodo, among the participants.

He stated that Atiku and Bafarawa recently visited Buhari, where they rubbed minds on the way forward for the country and agreed on the formation of the National Democratic Initiative.

He said that the NDI would transform into the NDM, adding that the leaders and members of the group would decide whether it will eventually transform into a new political party or whether they will use one of the existing political parties to prosecute the 2011 election.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/28102009/news/news11.html



I know Nigeria needs another very strong political party besides PDP, but will this attempt work? Can we trust this new party in formation to do better than PDP?

People need to STOP voting parties and start voting Individuals. when you vote parties, you get MOBs like the PDP and AC that are willing to do whatever it takes to stay in power.

hahahahhahahahahahhahahahhahahahahahahhahahahahahahhahhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
coalition of the weak and spent corrupt forces.

Kobojunkie:

People need to STOP voting parties and start voting Individuals. when you vote parties, you get MOBs like the PDP and AC that are willing to do whatever it takes to stay in power.

isnt that how things work in a democracy? Imagine all Nigerians voting for eachother, it just wouldnt make sense to vote individuals. Voting parties is most  the realistic thing in a democracy.

@post
Its a good strategy honestly speaking. In a country like Nigeria they have two things on their side one- those who vote on based on ethnic and religous lines thats how Abiola gained votes.

It would not work every politics is local, it's not about big names or personality

Choosing between PDP and an Atiku/Tinubu coalition is like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea.

Kobojunkie:

People need to STOP voting parties and start voting Individuals. when you vote parties, you get MOBs like the PDP and AC that are willing to do whatever it takes to stay in power.

Who told you that people vote for parties? When individuals in Nigeria are not even the ones electing leaders.

Why is Atiku and Buhari so power hungry. This is not possibly for the good of the people, sounds like they trying to prove a point, or a revenge.

yeswecan:

Why is Atiku and Buhari so power hungry. This is not possibly for the good of the people, sounds like they trying to prove a point, or a revenge.

But don’t you think that PDP dominance is also not good for our democracy. May be with stronger opposition, any party in power will be result-oriented as in UK and US, knowing that if it doesn’t perform, the opposition will simply take over power. A strong opposition might also checkmate election malpractices.

Looks like PDP is overconfident that there is no party that can match it in size. Nigeria needs a strong opposition party.

PDP . . . Power to the people!! . . . . Power to the people . . PDP!!
As Ogbulafor said,"PDP will rule Nigeria for the next 60 years." . . . . . Truly, that is the most sincere sentence Ogbulafor has ever made.

As for all those thieves roaming about in disguise that they want to form a formidable pary . . . they all are political jobbers and expired thieves like Bode George.

1) Establish a really independent electoral body

2) Institute internal democracy in ALL the political parties

3) Make provision for independent candidates

4) Discourage carpet crossing

And you will see wonders.

A strong formidable opposition is the only thing that can pull down the "poverty dedicated party" pdp,,,i'd expected atiku & buhari to join forces together in 2007 but they were both ambitious and couldnt think right,i think its a good development if the alliance works,,i am just tired of pdp messing up this country.!

The problem with Nigeria is not PDP. The problem of Nigeria, from my own understanding, correct me if I am wrong, is Nigerians.

If they form another political party, stronger than PDP, Nigerians will start decamping to that Party again. All of them. Isn't it what is happening recently.

~Bluetooth:

A strong formidable opposition is the only thing that can pull down the "poverty dedicated party" pdp,,,i'd expected atiku & buhari to join forces together in 2007 but they were both ambitious and couldnt think right,i think its a good development if the alliance works,,i am just tired of pdp messing up this country.!

exactly, but think about it, next election instead of putting someone forward i have a feeling Atiku or Buhari will be the front runner and that to me is not opposition they just want to become the leader of the parties!

And it seems buhari forgot something under the carpet in aso rock, why is he so determined to go there, whta exactly has he achieved in his local region which is still dominated by the main party

Buhari is about the only honest politician left in our country.
Lets give him a chance.

our votes do not count.
there is a very big problem here.
nigeria has been hijacked by group of armed robbers and the only way out is engaging another group of robbers to go for release.
nigeria and nigerians are in a very deep shit.
if our hope lies in the hands oa tiku/buhari coalition, it means we have a dead hope.
but how long will a dare devil(obj) continue in this appointments/imposition of rulers in a country of over 150 million ppl.
God, why have thou foresaken us. God pls visit our rulers like u did to nebukkadinezar. obj has proved too strong for human destruction hence we need devine intervention in our time.

naijacann:

Buhari is about the only honest politician left in our country.
Lets give him a chance.

being honest is not enough mon ami

Is it the Atiku that keeps running from pillar to post? He felt out of grace with PDP cheiftain, started his own party, after his losses he went back to PDP, now he wants to start a "formidable force". It all boils down to self. If you think they have Nigeria in mind better wake up from your slumber.

Buhari and Atiku combination is quite incompatible.

Must it be the same set of people everytime.

Why Atiku of all people in the first place? Why are these people always see doom or extinction of name "Nigeria" at all time? Who are these people? Do they think personality is what give good governance? Pls Mr Atiku can you just keep quiet for sometime? I can listen and reason somehow with Buhari only among this group the rest has no place in my record pls Atiku and the rest has nothing to offer Nigeria in absolute let them carry on with their doom message and let see if they are prophets God shows the doom to come on Nigeria or they themselve are Nigeria doom we shall see.

“the geographical existence called Nigeria may disappear before 2011, in line with sad projections from some Western intellli-gence.

   i will be looking and hoping from a distance!

PDP is here to stay, i can't see any other party taking the center stage anytime soon,
  i will have to subscribe to Ogbulafor's 60 years claim of total PDP National Dominance. . .

kosovo:

   i will be looking and hoping from a distance!

PDP is here to stay, i can't see any other party taking the center stage anytime soon,
  i will have to subscribe to Ogbulafor's 60 years claim of total PDP National Dominance. . .

Hope you have done your post-Nigeria cost-benefit analysis

The whole non PDP supporters in Nigeria cannot do anything unless there is electoral reform and IWU removed. If we can fight against riggin, there is notting PDP can do 2 win in the smallest local government. SO Buhari n co shld 4get about forming coalition group and work 2wards ensurin a free n fair election in 2011

I think people are only seeing Buhari and atiku there are other big names.

The presidency will have 1 notherner and 1 southerner so,

Vanpee:

The whole non PDP supporters in Nigeria cannot do anything unless there is electoral reform and IWU removed. If we can fight against riggin, there is notting PDP can do 2 win in the smallest local government. SO Buhari n co shld 4get about forming coalition group and work 2wards ensurin a free n fair election in 2011

Some people asked for Guobadia's removal too even Nwosu.

This is totally false.

desperado

They will surely fail.

It is a shame we are in an era of nationhood where these-likes are prevailing for history to record. A party formed without a sound ideology neither conscience to serve the governed is but like a train running outside its tracks. Buhari/Atiku/Tinubu and their ilks have little or no regard for the suffering many of this geographical entity called Nigeria. Neither does the current occupant of Aso rock villa. I tell you something a farce in leadership is all we see from these so-called poiliticians and when all is said and done they meet to share our commonwealth. Atiku has Intel logistics running the show in the oil  gas free zones in the deep south, why must he care in our suffering? Absolute control is what he seeks as he and his co travellers are neither democrats or believers in its ethics. Enough said.

The way these people form coalitions with former political opponents makes me feel sorry for Nigeria.
I do not believe that it is for the good of Nigeria or Nigerians. It is all about these guys wanting power at all cost.

it sounds good when we say we dont like old men like atiku,buhari,tinubu but who among the young generation will speak out or campaign for a revolution.We dont just post good ideas on nairaland,we nedd action.,until then,these old cargoes will keep recycling themselves in nigeria politics

Are you sure Buhari and Atiku will consider stepping down for the other person when the chips are down?