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North at last dumps Yar’Adua
•Ex-military leaders that installed Obasanjo shop for successor
•ACF leader blasts Northern Union: You are greedy for power
From ERIC OSAGIE, Abuja
Saturday, December 12, 2009
•President Yar’Adua
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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The party appears to be over for ailing President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as the same forces that made Chief Olusegun Obasanjo president in 1999 have taken a critical decision: “It’s time up for you, Mr. President”.
Towards this end, they have not only withdrawn their formidable support for his presidency, they are of the strong view that the nation is bigger than one individual and cannot be held hostage by the interest of one man and his group.

Saturday Sun gathered from impeccable sources that the powerful group which has a former army chief and a respected leader in the North as one of the arrow heads, also has two former heads of state, retired top civil servants, some first class emirs, bureaucrats and some serving governors of northern extraction in the group.

The reasoning of the group, Saturday Sun investigations reveal, is the ‘embarrassment and ridicule’ which the epileptic nature of the Yar’Adua presidency has subjected the north and the nation in general to since 2007 when he (Yar’Adua) took the reins of power.

Said an inside source to the workings of the group: “This is not about the North being in power. This is not about liking or hating Yar’Adua. This is about the unwillingness to continue the pretence that we have a president. Nigeria has had no functional president since 2007 and it is not right to continue the hypocrisy.”

The group also believes that, “The president should in his own interest and the higher interest of the nation be allowed to tend to his failing health and have a deserved rest. A country is greater than an individual. How can we say that only one man is fit to rule us out of a population of over 160 million people? How can we say Yar’Adua must remain president whether he is ill or half ill? How can we say that those calling for Yar’Adua’s resignation are evil or unpatriotic simply because they are saying the obvious that this man hasn’t been effectively in charge, that he can’t be effectively in charge because of his ill-health for which we sympathize with him? It’s those who want him to continue in power that actually hate him, they are the sycophants.”

In the view of the northern coalition in the Operation Save Nigeria Project, what is happening in the country today is a throw- back to previous administrations when pressures were also mounted on incumbent leaders to continue in power against popular opinion.

“We saw it during the Abacha days. The man was ailing and dying yet shameless politicians and other opportunists asked him to stay on forever. They were also the architects of the ill-fated Obasanjo third term misadventure. Now, they are holding Umaru by the jugular and asking him to continue even when they know that the man is tired.”
Saturday Sun further learnt the very influential northern bloc which actually facilitated Obasanjo’s release from Yola Prison and drafted him into the presidential race, have held series of meetings in the nation’s capital to deliberate on the most suitable northern candidate to act as deputy to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the vice-president who will be supported to act as president in line with constitutional provisions. One of such meetings held in Wednesday in Abuja also.

With the withdrawal of their critical support for the Yar’Adua presidency, some public affairs observers of the nation’s delicate power game who spoke to Saturday Sun in the strictest confidence believe that it will be a matter of time before Yar’Adua finally throws in the towel.

Said one of the sources: “We know how the third term battle was fought and won. We know how Yar’Adua became president. We know when the game is over. We know Yar’Adua can’t hold on for too long. We know this group of people is serious-minded. And they believe enough is enough. That Nigeria can’t continue to be a laughing stock in the comity of nations. Yar’Adua’s presidency has neither benefited the North nor the nation. We don’t even have a presidency. We have a president and nothing more.

We can’t continue to embarrass ourselves.”
In a related development, the chairman of the octopus umbrella body for the North, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Gen. I. B. M Haruna, lashed out at the leadership of the Northern Union for insisting that even if Yar’Adua resigns, the North would never allow another part of the country produce the next president.

In an interview with the Saturday Sun at the launch of veteran journalist, Peter Enahoro, a.k.a. Peter Pan’s book, Then Spoke the Thunder at the Sheraton Hotels, Abuja, Haruna said the Olusola Saraki-led group was being greedy for power. “Is that what the constitution says? Such statements are reckless and provocative. They should be careful not to plunge the nation into crisis. They should remember Honduras and other parts of the world engulfed by crisis,” said Haruna, as he argued that the president’s ill-health should not be the sole yardstick for calling for his resignation. “Did the constitution say the president can’t be ill? That when he’s ill he should resign. He’s not a super human being.”

Former defence minister under the Obasanjo administration, Gen. Yakubu Danjuma, also recently warned against the instigation of another civil war by the unguarded comments of politicians concerning the current political impasse and the president’s ill-health.
Now, as the nation awaits the president’s return from Saudi Arabia where he is undergoing treatment for heart-related ailment, the political yo-yo game continues. And the people wait with bated breath.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2009/dec/12/national-12-12-2009-00-001.htm

Another drama set to unfold.

I think tis men are more sick upstairs than Yardummy.so it took them 2yrs to make tis very obvious decision(maybe they no watch the campign how our supposed president was jerking like a chicken that was beaten by rain).How long will it take them to decide to fix tis nation

God,please see us through this tribulation

I havd said it several times,Mr President wont return to Nigeria alive. . .call me weird or wicked but that is the true situation of things.Yaradua is on life support 4get the media dressing and lipstick report. . Mr President is not just dying he is already dead without the life support. . .he is in a stage where humans cant do shyt to bring him back.

History in the making. . .
20 days without a President and it all look same, the same stagnation since 07. meaning there was never a president, because his absence and presence means nothing to the nation.
Words fail me.

people are just making and reading too much into North or Core North.

It does not mean anything. Tanimu Yakubu and Co are just executing illegality in the name of the North. There is no North and even if there is they don't have monopoly of politics as people make it out to be.

Where was the North when Obasanjo was in power? Anybody? Where were they when OBJ single-handedly installed Yar'adua as President?

I have said it before when this confusion started and I say it again if Yar'adua dies there is nothing under the sun Tanimu Yakubu, or Sariki Mukhtar will do about it. The Constitution says Jonathan Goodluck will be President and so shall it be.

There is no need talking about North dumping Yar'adua as if it means anything. Yar'adua is incapacitated, why did they not dump him when he was around? People should embrace the new times we live in and speak more of what Nigerians think not what 'North' thinks.

Solomon Lar seems to agree with me

Stop heating up the polity, Lar warns govs, ministers
From MARIAM ALESHINLOYE AGBOOLA, Jos
Thursday, December 10, 2009

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The pioneer National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Solomon Lar, has advised ministers and governors shuttling between Saudi Arabia and Nigeria with tales about the state of health of President Musa Yar’Adua’s to remain in their duty posts and stop over heating the polity.

Chief Lar, who described those calling for the resignation of Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as ‘none Nigerians’ said President Yar’Adua is not the first president to fall sick while in office and wondered why his case must be over blown.
“We heard that former President Bush of America was sick while in office and nothing happened as the Vice President was around. Our presidential system is tailored around that of America, so when our president is sick, his deputy is there to run the affairs of the state without any problem.

“In America, you do not hear about the governor of California traveling to where the president is receiving treatment.”
He pointed out that it is well spelt out in the 1999 Constitution what should happen in a situation that the president is indisposed, stressing that people are giving the nation bad name if they are halting workshops or changing appointments simply because the president is not around.

The first civilian governor of old Plateau State urged Nigerians to stop personalizing the office of Mr. President because it does not belong to anyone or any group but to all Nigerians.
‘We do not need to play politics with the health of President Yar’Adua. By the grace of God, he will come back to us in good health. If you are a governor, a minister, or a local government chairman, stay in your duty post. We need to develop some sense of patriotism. This country is too dear to us. It must remain indivisible,” he reiterated.
He dismissed with a wave of the hand those calling themselves the core north, asking for the resignation of Vice President Jonathan Goodluck.

“I do not think they are true Nigerians. They are not Nigerians. They might have come from Niger or somewhere else to make such a call.
Chief Lar, who appeared irritated with the claim that PDP is trying to protect the president, vice president or minister with its utterances, said those elected into offices are competent for the office and need no protection by the party.

mikeansy:

people are just making and reading too much into North or Core North.

It does not mean anything. Tanimu Yakubu and Co are just executing illegality in the name of the North. There is no North and even if there is they don't have monopoly of politics as people make it out to be.

Where was the North when Obasanjo was in power? Anybody? Where were they when OBJ single-handedly installed Yar'adua as President?

I have said it before when this confusion started and I say it again if Yar'adua dies there is nothing under the sun Tanimu Yakubu, or Sariki Mukhtar will do about it. The Constitution says Jonathan Goodluck will be President and so shall it be.

There is no need talking about North dumping Yar'adua as if it means anything. Yar'adua is incapacitated, why did they not dump him when he was around? People should embrace the new times we live in and speak more of what Nigerians think not what 'North' thinks.

It seems you can always be trusted to provide incisive logic. The fear of the "mysterious" and mythical North is ridiculous !! When OBJ held sway, he did what he wanted and the "powerful" North toed the line with only the occasional grumbling about "marginalisation". I have always insisted that OBJ , if he was genuinely decent , could have been the President to enshrine meritocratic appointment at the Presidential level. OBJ could have produced Donald Duke as the PDP candidate and the North would have had no choice but to go along !!!

This fear of the North is something Southern Nigerians subconsciously use to mask how they are not ready to take their destiny in their own hands.

mikeansy:

people are just making and reading too much into North or Core North.

It does not mean anything. Tanimu Yakubu and Co are just executing illegality in the name of the North. There is no North and even if there is they don't have monopoly of politics as people make it out to be.

Where was the North when Obasanjo was in power? Anybody? Where were they when OBJ single-handedly installed Yar'adua as President?

I have said it before when this confusion started and I say it again if Yar'adua dies there is nothing under the sun Tanimu Yakubu, or Sariki Mukhtar will do about it. The Constitution says Jonathan Goodluck will be President and so shall it be.

There is no need talking about North dumping Yar'adua as if it means anything. Yar'adua is incapacitated, why did they not dump him when he was around? People should embrace the new times we live in and speak more of what Nigerians think not what 'North' thinks.

GBAM. . . . the truth is, Babangida emasculated the North. . . . the North is more heterogenous than we ever imagined. . . . besides, the military which has always been the North's leverage has shown itself incompetent in the face of societal breakdown (Niger Delta) and increasing proliferation of firearms in the country.

@Mikaency and Ibime
I totally agree with Ur views,Nigerians have continued to erroneously believe the myth that the north controls or decides who becomes what in our polity.The truth is ,this age-long lie is believed on the basis of the false northern population and their deliberate domination

Gbawe:
OBJ could have produced Donald Duke as the PDP candidate and the North would have had no choice but to go along !!!

It will be wrong and senseless to produce Duke as the PDP candidate because an agreement was made to rotate the presidency between the North and the South and that agreement was to prevent any problems as even OBJ was drafted in to become the president even when he did not work for it as there was a serious need to placate the South especially Yorubas for what happened to Abiola.

While rotational presidency may be undemocratic it makes sense in our own environment due to the fact that we are not yet a nation and as such must figure out a way to work together if breakup is out of the question.

I will not buy this news so quickly. If you closely pay attention to history you will realize that the North has been known to systematically play game when it comes to picking or choosing who to lead this country.

OBJ could have produced Donald Duke as the PDP candidate and the North would have had no choice but to go along !!!

Obasanjo knew better not to do so.

Yaradua will step down when the time is right.
The North is working very hard everyday to figure out what is next; and according to a reliable source, the implementation process of what is next from North is almost complete.
I honestly believe that at the completion of this process, our president will then step aside.

Afam:

It will be wrong and senseless to produce Duke as the PDP candidate because an agreement was made to rotate the presidency between the North and the South and that agreement was to prevent any problems as even OBJ was drafted in to become the president even when he did not work for it as there was a serious need to placate the South especially Yorubas for what happened to Abiola.

While rotational presidency may be undemocratic it makes sense in our own environment due to the fact that we are not yet a nation and as such must figure out a way to work together if breakup is out of the question.

I also agree with rotational presidency. But I think it should be written into the electoral act because at the rate we are going some are plotting to reject it after benefitting from it.

Depilot:

Yaradua will step down when the time is right.
The North is working very hard everyday to figure out what is next; and according to a reliable source, the implementation process of what is next from North is almost complete.
I honestly believe that at the completion of this process, our president will then step aside.

This is the type of delusion that annoys me. Yar'adua was always going to resign anayway once his administration runs out of lies in the face of his not returning back to work as well as mounting pressure from Nigerians.

mikeansy:

I also agree with rotational presidency. But I think it should be written into the electoral act because at the rate we are going some are plotting to reject it after benefitting from it.

Exactly! And that is why the rest of the country must prevent any group that may have benefited from rotational presidency and wants it dumped from achieving that.

I doubt anything positive is going to happen from the demise of Yara adua . The script is going to play out this way. If yara adua does not come back Jonathan takes over and the mess continues. Nigeria is far from change.  All potential destiny changers are dead.  I cant even think of another Moses that will deliver Nigeria

the latest jist is Turai is moving her precious belongings

I hope those of you who are discussing power rotation and the agreement (albeit unconstitutional)  between all political parties to rotate the presidency between North and South, understand that,  the agreement requires the president to emerge from the South in 2015 - and that means anywhere in the south.  

If the agreement is continued through 2015, I believe that the president will be come from the south south region or south west (ala Fashola), unless the south eastern politicians come up with very ingenious negotiating skills and political strategies.  History does not support the idea of such skills by politicians from the East. Anambra is a case in point.

ndu_chucks:

I hope those of you who are discussing power rotation and the agreement (albeit unconstitutional)  between all political parties to rotate the presidency between North and South, understand that,  the agreement requires the president to emerge from the South in 2015 - and that means anywhere in the south.  

If the agreement is continued through 2015, I believe that the president will be come from the south south region or south west (ala Fashola), unless the south eastern politicians come up with very ingenious negotiating skills and political strategies.  History does not support the idea of such skills by politicians from the East. Anambra is a case in point.

I took it for granted that you would understand the meaning of North/South to include the 6 geo political regions 3/3 across the 2 zones.

Your comments with East and Anambra will be treated as silly so no need to debate that.

I do not support power rotation.
The reason is simple, if we had a true federal system, there will be no need for such spurious arrangements, because the centre wouldn't be attractive to the criminals that have ruled us. A lot of power (and accountabilty) would reside at state level.

The system is our problem, not whether or not we stick to gentlemens agreements made in the closet. These agreements are intrinsically faulty anyway, what if the PDP loses the next election?
Also, is there a monolythic North and a monolythic South? No, there isn't.

We would be far better off pressuring for a better government structure than rotation in a system that serves us no good.

Afam:

I took it for granted that you would understand the meaning of North/South to include the 6 geo political regions 3/3 across the 2 zones.

Your comments with East and Anambra will be treated as silly so no need to debate that.

I acknowledge your right to deem whatever you like, silly.  

Would you agree that a president from the South West such as Fashola, or Goodluck from South South, in 2015, will be in compliance with the terms of the said agreement? If not, please explain.

Beaf:

I do not support power rotation.
The reason is simple, if we had a true federal system, there will be no need for such spurious arrangements, because the centre wouldn't be attractive to the criminals that have ruled us. A lot of power (and accountabilty) would reside at state level.

The system is our problem, not whether or not we stick to gentlemens agreements made in the closet. These agreements are intrinsically faulty anyway, what if the PDP loses the next election?
Also, is there a monolythic North and a monolythic South? No, there isn't.

We would be far better off pressuring for a better government structure than rotation in a system that serves us no good.

I agree with you that the federal character idea should be scrapped completely.

On the agreement in question, ALL major political parties signed on to it. They will all produce a candidate from the North in 2011, and one from the South in 2015. That's the current agreement.

ndu_chucks:

I agree with you that the federal character idea should be scrapped completely.

On the agreement in question, ALL major political parties signed on to it. They will all produce a candidate from the North in 2011, and one from the South in 2015. That's the current agreement.

Fashola will be President in 2040.

That will be the next Yoruba turn

OYB_MEND:

Fashola will be President in 2040.

That will be the next Yoruba turn

na how you take calculate dis ya turn by turn methodology? de agreement say dem go rotate between North and South. how you go convince all de political parties make dem no pick Fashola?

ndu_chucks:

na how you take calculate dis ya turn by turn methodology? de agreement say dem go rotate between North and South. how you go convince all de political parties make dem no pick Fashola?

na only Yoruba states go vote Fashola to become President?

Other parts of the country go reject any form of selfishness. Because if North Central and North-East endorse another Yoruba President the next time power come South, they are by implication endorsing another North West candidate if Power move back North. Remember NorthWest also has the upper hand in the North. So other regions like North-East, North-Central, South-South, South-East have a reason to form a united front.

blacksta:

I doubt anything positive is going to happen from the demise of Yara adua . The script is going to play out this way. If yara adua does not come back Jonathan takes over and the mess continues. Nigeria is far from change.  All potential destiny changers are dead.  I cant even think of another Moses that will deliver Nigeria

Nigeria doesn't need a moses.

OYB_MEND:

na only Yoruba states go vote Fashola to become President?

Other parts of the country go reject any form of selfishness. Because if North Central and North-East endorse another Yoruba President the next time power come South, they are by implication endorsing another North West candidate if Power move back North. Remember NorthWest also has the upper hand in the North. So other regions like North-East, North-Central, South-South, South-East have a reason to form a united front.

I see. your take on de matter be say, Fashola no fit get votes outside of yoruba land. anyway, remember say de issue no dey nicely divided into geo-political regions wey you enumerate.  if you no know, there are only two parties in Nigeria; (1) PDP  (2) The Rest

The constitution of "The Rest" party, will determine where de president comes from, in 2015.  By dat time PDP go don die a natural or violent death. if south westerners align properly with their northern counterparts, then fashola fit enter.  if others align with northerners, then dem fit produce the president. na alliances wey matter, not the geo-political region wey de candidate come from.

if southerners no fit come with united front, I'm afraid, na people wey come from other regions go pick where the southern president come from.

Fashola can win 2011 elections under normal circumstances.With support from Buhari,Atiku,etc he will definitely win

olafolarin:

Fashola can win 2011 elections under normal circumstances.With support from Buhari,Atiku,etc he will definitely win

In a normal setting without any rotational presidency I will vote for Fashola to win the next election however, the fact on ground is that for the South West to vie and win any election in this country all the other geo political regions must have produced presidents.

We live in a peculiar environment that requires careful handling. It does not cost any greedy or wicked person anything to cause havoc as long as he/she does not perceive danger or thinks he/she will not be affected.

When it comes to keeping Nigeria one there are compromises that must be made and respected otherwise things can go real bad.

For example, the North willingly (military regimes owe no one such willingness to hand over power to civilians) agreed to hand over power to the South to placate the South West due to the death of Abiola. They did not do so out of fear as nothing would have happened if Abdusalami spent a few more years in power. They did so because they understood that power shift and rotational presidency though undemocratic in my opinion make perfect sense to douse the many claims of marginalization from the geo political regions.

The argument for a proper federal system of government is perfectly ok but when it comes to the important issues we must face reality and not idealism which may never materialize due to the facts on ground.

For example, do you expect all the 36 states to be collapsed today into the 4 regions we had in the past? I don't see that happening, not now, not tomorrow and probably never.

If Yar'adua becomes incapacitated

Goodluck Jonathan should not strike any deal with any pressure group or traditional chief or Sultan or Imam because his ascendancy to the Presidency in the above situation is non-negotiable. However when he is in power he can now go into talks on how and when to return power to the North.

But discussing that as a condition for the man who could be President before he assumes his constitutional duty is an insult to Jonathan, decency and ultimately its an insult to us all as Nigerians.