SEARCH FOR JONATHAN’S VP: Ribadu, el-Rufai, Lamido, 2 others top list
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Written by Taiwo Adisa and Kola Oyelere

THE North appears to have moved beyond the era of ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua, following fresh moves within the geopolitical zone to present a vice-presidential material to Acting President Goodluck Jonathan any moment from now.
Two main groups have emerged in the bid, in what a source said was another attempt to ensure that the North fielded its first 11 for the presidency in 2011.

It was gathered on Tuesday that one of the groups had concluded arrangements to ensure the emergence of a “Young Turk,” first to the seat of the vice-president and then for the presidential seat in 2011.

Sources said that the group pushing for the emergence of a young Turk had conducted studies and arrived at the conclusion that the time was ripe for the North to be represented by young and vibrant candidates at the presidency.

The group pushing for the emergence of a young Turk had, therefore, shortlisted the trio of the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, a former Minister of the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai and former governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu.

Another source said that the name of former governor of Jigawa and Kano states, Alhaji Sule Lamido and Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, are also on the list.

A source said that some leaders of the North were already seeking the right time to present proposals to the acting president on the need to move forward and appoint one of the preferred candidates as his deputy.

It was gathered that the group would then back the emergence of the vice-presidential material as presidential candidate in 2011.

It was further gathered that another group seeking the emergence of experienced hands in the presidency had decided to push forward former intelligence chief, General Aliyu Gusau.

General Gusau contested the 2007 presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which produced President Yar’Adua.

The group pushing for experience above youth, according to sources, was of the view that the Jonathan presidency needed a strong character as vice-president, somebody who could rally the North behind the acting president.

Those pushing General Gusau’s candidacy are said to be hammering on the fact that the man has experience in the security circles.

The group is said to have insisted that Gusau’s knowledge of the security networks could be invaluable in a Jonathan presidency.

But a position paper put together by the group, bent on presenting a young Turk first as a vice-presidential material and then as a presidential candidate in 2011 insisted that only the young and upwardly mobile professionals from the North possess the abilities to lift Nigeria to greater heights.

The group insisted that Yar’Adua had not been a fair representation of the North.

“We believe that Yar’Adua was not a fair representation of what the North has to offer. The belief is that Yar’Adua missed the opportunities and wasted chances to move Nigeria forward,” the group submitted.

A source further said “we are thoroughly disappointed and embarrassed by the Yar’Adua presidency, there are arguments in support of a younger generation to produce the next president. The North has more than 80 million people, many of whom are well educated, tried and tested in various public offices. Why must we recycle the same old cargoes over and over again?”

While justifying the need to draft the young generation from the North into the presidency, the group further declared that while Ribadu made impact in the fight against corruption, Mu’azu developed Bauchi State and el-Rufai made notable efforts when he served as minister of the FCT.

The group further submitted that apart from the trio’s record of achievements when they served in public offices, they also possessed links with the international community.

The group kicked against the possibility of any of the in-laws of President Yar’Adua to make the presidency.

The group, in its position paper, said “the person must be of the right age,” while performance in office should be a key determinant as to who emerged.

“el-Rufai is known to have strong contacts in the international community. We note that Nigeria’s important diplomatic partners are now wary of having persons of unknown pedigree to become president of the country, following the misadventure of Yar’Adua,” the group said

http://www.nigeriannews.com/

What do these dudes really mean when they say "the North"? Do they mean cabals and thieves or the long suffering Northerners?

80 million people in the North? They are unsettled liars, they need truth. I wonder why a typical Northerner is power hungry. Damn them. Jonathan for 2010, unless he dulls.

. . . .  . .  . and out of the claimed 80M people in the north, how many of them are almajiris?. So almajiri too can rule this country? . Chei!, we don suffer for these people's hands

Really don't care who leads, as long as we get a leader with the pedigree to lead right.
whether he/she is from the North, South, East, West or just from the next corner, it really does not matter.
We have lacked good leadership for a long, long time

Nigeria's Jonathan could win backing as candidate

By Matthew Tostevin

February 17, 2010 02:00PM
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Nigeria's Acting President Goodluck Jonathan could win support as a candidate for the presidency in 2011 if he delivers in coming months, said a former minister with a reputation as a key reformer.




Jonathan has not said he might stand for the presidency and the place on the ruling party ticket has been widely expected to go to someone from ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua's Muslim north rather than Jonathan's more heavily Christian south. But Nasir El-Rufai, a northerner from a group of younger Nigerian politicians pushing for more rapid liberal reforms, became one of the first to openly suggest the possibility of support for a Jonathan candidacy.

"Yar'Adua is from the North but did nothing for the region, just like many before him," he told Reuters in response to emailed questions.

"If Goodluck shows real leadership over the next few months, many of us will campaign for him to be our president. And I think Nigeria and the West African sub-region will be the better for it," said Rufai, who has been tipped in local media for a possible position in Jonathan's administration.

Jonathan, the vice president, assumed executive powers last week, over two months after Yar'Adua left for a Saudi hospital.

El-Rufai was one of the most senior members of former President Olusegun Obasanjo's team, serving as minister for the capital Abuja and heading the privatisation agency, and was tipped as a potential candidate for the 2007 election.

But he lost out to Yar'Adua, who was seen as less radical and won the presidential race.

After denouncing high level corruption, El-Rufai was himself accused of wrong-doing during his time in government. Dismissing the accusations as politically motivated, he left the country and has remained critical of Yar'Adua.

El-Rufai said that even with limited time, Jonathan could make a start on priorities such as the amnesty for rebels in the oil-producing Niger delta, fixing power supplies and roads as well as reforms to ensure clean elections.

"A lot can be done in these areas to give people hope that in time, the problems will be solved," said El-Rufai.

If Jonathan were to stand for election, at least for the ruling party, he would need the backing of northern politicians because of an unwritten commitment to rotate power between Nigeria's regions.

Since Yar'Adua appears likely to serve only one term, instead of the two allowed under the constitution, many northerners believe his successor should be from the north too.

Local media have suggested that if Yar'Adua's return became impossible, making Jonathan president, El-Rufai could be a candidate for the vice-presidency and therefore potentially for the presidency itself.

"I want to assure you I am not in any race to be that person," El-Rufai said.

- REUTERS

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5528202-146/nigerias_jonathan_could_win_backing_as.csp

http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE61G0AD20100217