Nigeria's ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has distanced itself from comments by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the party’s presidential candidate can hail from any part of the country.

Party National Secretary Alhaji Abubakar Baraje says only candidates from the northern part of the country will be allowed to contest the presidency.Such a policy would effectively bar Acting President Goodluck Jonathan from contention.

Divergent views on the issue are deepening the crisis within the PDP, which last week suspended dozens of its influential members for alleged anti-party activities.

Emma Ezeazu is General Secretary of the pro-democracy group, Alliance for Credible Elections. He says the PDP is right to challenge Mr. Obasanjo’s position on the presidential candidacy issue.

“He benefitted from the zoning formula and by the time he was leaving he insisted that a northerner will take over from him and he forced Yar’Adua on Nigeria. So I think at this particular time, he has played some bad politics and he is trying to come back into popular light and no one takes him serious for his comments.”

Ezeazu says adhering to the zoning formula will force the present administration to give the country a free and fair poll that lives up to internationally accepted standards.

“I really think that Mr. Jonathan should not contest not because of the zoning formula of PDP, but because of   the fact that when he contests, he will bring to bear on the electoral system the pressures of his ambition.”

The democracy activist argues reforming the country’s electoral laws should be given precedence over the ongoing debate about the zoning formula.

He says a reformed electoral system best guarantees each candidate a fair chance regardless of party affiliation.

“The most important thing now in the history of our country is credible elections.It does not matter who wins the election or which tribe the person comes. I think the fight today is really to create a level playing field that would make it possible for people with potential   to rule the country properly to come up.”


http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Nigerian-Ruling-Party-Insists-On-Northern-Presidential-Candidate-92694439.html

Has Obasanjo lost the Plot here or is there some element of confusion.

With Jonathan still the acting president, what hope does he have to contest for next years election, probably on an independent platform.

frosbel:

Has Obasanjo lost the Plot here or is there some element of confusion.

With Jonathan still the acting president, what hope does he have to contest for next years election, probably on an independent platform.

With respect, I don't undersand your argument.

The PDP and North argument about Zoning is big SCAMM by the North on the rest of Nigerians.

Where the President comes from, his/her religion, tribe etc is irrelevant, good leadership with good vision are the basic main criteria. The North are looking for opportunity to continue 'BORN TO RULE'

Only if the South continue to be political mugus can the North continue scamming us.

Lets calm down and think of it again. If there was really an aggreement, why did the northerns contest 1999 and 2003 elections and why did Odili and co contest 2007 elections. I think the northerners are simply jittery and conjuring their insinuations to mean an aggreement.
After all, the easterners thought that 2003 will be theirs, it did not mean there was an aggreement.

Interesting. So he means the PDP will not allow southerners to contest? What about Rimi in '99 ? Gemade in 2003 ? and Rochas in 2007 ? Mallam Baraje better adjust his alliances.

ojesymsym: Lets calm down and think of it again. If there was really an aggreement, why did the northerns contest 1999 and 2003 elections and why did Odili and co contest 2007 elections. I think the northerners are simply jittery and conjuring their insinuations to mean an aggreement.
After all, the easterners thought that 2003 will be theirs, it did not mean there was an aggreement.

STILL FRESH AIR.

See him mouth only a northern will be allow 2 contest as if northern own Nig

GEJ till 2019

we have had this debate before and we know how it ended

so long as constitution allows GEJ to contest he will contest

GEJ will rule till 2019 BARAJE should go to hell. The Northerners are afraid of loosing their oil block next year,90% of Naija oil blocks are owned by them that is just the politics. How can Mallam say his born to rule? Who him wan rule,cow or Ram? What we need is a leader that has the interest of Nigerians at heart not this tribal politics they are playing. GEJ will break their wings and dump them in jail.

GEJ carry go


.

Northerner all the way

frosbel: Has Obasanjo lost the Plot here or is there some element of confusion.

With Jonathan still the acting president, what hope does he have to contest for next years election, probably on an independent platform.

1. jonathan is not an 'acting president', he is the president by election.

2. Whateva u read above is just a rehearsal of the what they want us to read and biliv.

This is Politics

Make a note, Ibos are treacherous.

Look at Iboman supporting Northern candidate against GEJ. They claim they are behind Gej but in actuality and behind doors are supporting Northerner.

frosbel: Nigeria's ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has distanced itself from comments by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the party’s presidential candidate can hail from any part of the country.

Party National Secretary Alhaji Abubakar Baraje says only candidates from the northern part of the country will be allowed to contest the presidency.Such a policy would effectively bar Acting President Goodluck Jonathan from contention.

Divergent views on the issue are deepening the crisis within the PDP, which last week suspended dozens of its influential members for alleged anti-party activities.

Emma Ezeazu is General Secretary of the pro-democracy group, Alliance for Credible Elections. He says the PDP is right to challenge Mr. Obasanjo’s position on the presidential candidacy issue.

“He benefitted from the zoning formula and by the time he was leaving he insisted that a northerner will take over from him and he forced Yar’Adua on Nigeria. So I think at this particular time, he has played some bad politics and he is trying to come back into popular light and no one takes him serious for his comments.”

Ezeazu says adhering to the zoning formula will force the present administration to give the country a free and fair poll that lives up to internationally accepted standards.

“I really think that Mr. Jonathan should not contest not because of the zoning formula of PDP, but because of   the fact that when he contests, he will bring to bear on the electoral system the pressures of his ambition.”

The democracy activist argues reforming the country’s electoral laws should be given precedence over the ongoing debate about the zoning formula.

He says a reformed electoral system best guarantees each candidate a fair chance regardless of party affiliation.

“The most important thing now in the history of our country is credible elections.It does not matter who wins the election or which tribe the person comes. I think the fight today is really to create a level playing field that would make it possible for people with potential   to rule the country properly to come up.”


http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/africa/Nigerian-Ruling-Party-Insists-On-Northern-Presidential-Candidate-92694439.html

I hate bringing this up, but it's important.

The SE has voted at above 90% for EVERY PDP President since 1999.

SE went OBJ in 1999 and 2003
SE went Yar'Adua in 2007
SE went GEJ in 2011

In each of those elections, Ojukwu himself was running for President. Ojukwu never got over 1% of the vote.

Even Orji Kalu performed better than Ojukwu in the SE.

The SE will never be taken seriously as long as it suffers from AGIP disorder (aka Any Government In Power).

Kairoseki77: I hate bringing this up, but it's important.

The SE has voted at above 90% for EVERY PDP President since 1999.

SE went OBJ in 1999 and 2003
SE went Yar'Adua in 2007
SE went GEJ in 2011

In each of those elections, Ojukwu himself was running for President. Ojukwu never got over 1% of the vote.

Even Orji Kalu performed better than Ojukwu in the SE.

The SE will never be taken seriously as long as it suffers from AGIP disorder (aka Any Government In Power).

i hate this bring this up too but Yorubas have never voted for any of Nigeria's president . Yorubas voted for Awolowo ,he lost. Yorubas voted for MKO , he couldn't make it. Yorubas voted for Olu Falae , he lost. Yorubas have had 0.05% hand in the making of Nigerian Presidents. They re always in opposition. Even when some of them voted for GEJ, the immediately ran back to been Opposition, that is what they are only comfortable in.

tawa89: i hate this bring this up too but Yorubas have never voted for any of Nigeria's president . Yorubas voted for Awolowo ,he lost. Yorubas voted for MKO , he couldn't make it. Yorubas voted for Olu Falae , he lost. Yorubas have had 0.05% hand in the making of Nigerian Presidents. They re always in opposition. Even when some of them voted for GEJ, the immediately ran back to been Opposition, that is what they are only comfortable in.

And your point is what exactly madam? We Yorubas should gnash our teeth that we haven't succeded in putting proven abject failures in charge of our national matters??Or did the Primary school teacher Shagari turn Nigeria into the US with his encouragement of corruption? Did your fake born again Mandela, OBJ, reconcile this nation and set us on the right path? Or has the current Lion of Biafra succeded in ensuring we are not continually on BBC/CNN ONLY for the wrong reasons?

I am telling you madam I as a Yoruba man have sleepless nights when I think of this shameful record and recollect how me and my people continually fail in selecting bad leaders to steer our national affairs.... this is simply UNFORGIVEABLE!! Next you'll be asking Germans who didn't vote for Hitler in the 1930s if they're proud of not supporting the team that made history.

Thanks for exposing how silly ethnic bigotry can be.

tawa89: i hate this bring this up too but Yorubas have never voted for any of Nigeria's president . Yorubas voted for Awolowo ,he lost. Yorubas voted for MKO , he couldn't make it. Yorubas voted for Olu Falae , he lost. Yorubas have had 0.05% hand in the making of Nigerian Presidents. They re always in opposition. Even when some of them voted for GEJ, the immediately ran back to been Opposition, that is what they are only comfortable in.

Maybe when they voted for OBJ in 2003, he did not win