[size=16pt]Zoning dead in PDP–Nwodo[/size]

National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, has given an official position on the controversial zoning arrangement in the party. Even as 19 northern governors met in Kaduna last week, with a resolution to get a feedback from their people on the faltering arrangement, before making a final pronouncement. The issue appears to have been foreclosed as Nwodo told journalists that zoning was dead in the PDP.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja yesterday, the PDP National Chairman submitted that the zoning arrangement was applied in 1999 and had since been observed in the breach.

“There is no zoning on ground right now. Absolutely no zoning, because in 1999, there was zoning and only one northerner insisted on his alienable right in the Nigerian Constitution to contest against the zoning arrangement of the PDP.
“The PDP put its foot down and I wrote a letter to him and returned his cheque. That’s Abubakar Rimi of blessed memory.

“In 2003, after four years of Obasanjo, candidates sprang up from across the country. They paid, they canvassed. Nobody returned their money, nobody wrote them that there was a zoning. Nobody! “In 2007, there were more candidates from Southern Nigeria than from Northern Nigeria and I think if that election was allowed to hold, without interference, maybe Peter Odili, maybe Donald Duke, maybe a Sam Egwu. Anybody could have won. They all paid. Nobody returned their money, nobody stopped them, nobody talked about zoning! They all contested. Why zoning now? Why?”

Nwodo disclosed that even as it had been observed in the breach, it could be revisited, but with the unanimity of all stakeholders in the party. “We jettisoned it, but we can revisit it. I am not afraid of revisiting it. If we think that we need to revisit zoning today, let us revisit zoning, but the one we did in 1999? No, no, it has been jettisoned by PDP itself.

“So, those who are talking about that agreement aren’t following the history of the party. The party has never stopped anybody after 1999 on the altar of zoning, but if they want us to zone now, we go through the mill.
“We will sit from the National Working Committee, we will prepare a memo on the advantages and disadvantages of zoning.

We will take the memo to the caucus, the parliament and the government will make their input, on which way to go. We will take it to the Board of Trustees, we drink from their wealth of experience, the conscience of the party, we modify the scale with their input and then we have a final debate at the National Executive Committee, which takes decisions for PDP.

“But right now, nobody can get up and say there was zoning or no zoning in PDP. If we want to zone, we have to go through these, because that one isn’t working anymore.” The National Chairman, however, assured all presidential aspirants on the platform of the party of a transparent presidential primary, that they would all be proud of.

“I don’t see any problem with a lot of our members wanting to be presidential candidate of the PDP. What I promise them, as national chairman, is that there would be a repeat of Jos. It would be transparent, it would be a showcase and those who would watch it live on television, they would see that it is possible again to have such a thing in Nigeria and we can keep repeating it for the life of our country.

“That’s the way things should be and that’s the way they are going to be,” he added.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/july/08/national-01-08-2010-001.htm

ROFLMAO!!! ELection year is definitely here!!!

Well, at least it is now official. Maybe all these talks of betrayals will now die naturally. Apparently the PDP never observed zoning after 1999.

hahahahaha 

I love Nigeria politics  Different  Unique  Homemade  (Where is Kosovo? need to borrow some vocabularies from him )

Anyway let the 2011 drama begin - I laugh in Kuwait 

Zoning in PDP dead, says Nwodo

Says no more godfathers

Narrates story of his emergence as chairman

“YES, I said to BBC and I repeat to you again that zoning in PDP
has been jettisoned. There is no zoning on ground right now.
Absolutely, there is no zoning.”
That was the categorical statement of the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Okwesileze Nwodo, yesterday, in response to the raging controversy over the eligibility or otherwise of President Goodluck Jonathan to contest next year’s elections.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja yesterday on the issue, Nwodo who was the founding national secretary of the party gave the circumstances that led to the zoning arrangement and how it was invalidated by some members of the party. According to him, when PDP made efforts to implement the arrangement, some members of the party from the North, including the late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi and Chief Barnabas Gemade still went ahead to buy nomination forms.

Nwodo remarked: “In 1999, there was zoning and only one
Northerner insisted on his inalienable right to the Nigerian
Constitution to contest against the zoning arrangement of the PDP.     The PDP took its rule down and I wrote a letter to him and returned his cheque. That was the late Abubakar Rimi of blessed memory.
“In 2003, after four years of Obasanjo, candidates sprang up from across the country. They paid, they canvassed. Nobody returned their money. Nobody wrote them that there was a zoning.

“In 2007, there were more candidates from Southern Nigeria than Northern Nigeria and I think if that election was allowed to hold without interference; may be anybody among Peter Odili, Donald Duke or Sam Egwu would have won. They all paid. Nobody returned their money. Nobody stopped them. Nobody talked
about zoning. They all contested. Why zoning now? Why? We have jettisoned it but we can revisit it. I’m not afraid about revisiting it. If we think that we need to revisit zoning today, let us revisit zoning. But the one we did in 1999, no, no, no, no, it has been jettisoned by PDP itself. So, those who are talking about that
agreement are not following the history of the party.

The party has
never stopped anybody after 1999 on the altar of zoning. But if they want us to zone now, we will go through the process. We will start from the Working Committee, we will prepare a memo on the advantages and the disadvantages of zoning. We will take the memo to the Caucus.”
  Nwodo continued: “The parliament and the government will make their input on which way to go. We will take it to the BoT; the conscience of the party and draw from their wealth of experience. Then we will modify the scale with their input. And then we will have the final debate at NEC, which takes final decision for PDP. Right now, nobody can get up and tell me there was zoning or there is zoning. If we want to zone, we have to go through this process because the earlier arrangement on zoning is not working any more.”

On the election of candidates for various positions and in particular, for the presidency for the 2011 election, the national chairman assured that the party would get it right stressing that there would be a repeat of the presidential primary in Jos, Plateau state in 1998 where a transparent exercise was conducted.
His words: “I think that is the easiest one to address because you know that our party is the largest party in our country and probably the largest in Africa. For us to have a presidential election and we only have one candidate, then something is wrong. There must be different candidates and each candidate must have his own programme for Nigerians. We will look forward to nomination forms that all these candidates will buy. When I was National Secretary, I think about six candidates vied for the slot in Jos or more. There was no problem. We had a free, transparent primary
election. At the end of the day, I think it was the first primary
election anywhere in the third world that was so transparent; that all the candidates agreed with the results of the primary, filed behind the winner who won the election. We had an Appeal Panel but we didn’t have one single appeal in that election. So, I don’t see any problem with a lot of our members wanting to be presidential candidate of PDP.”
  “What I promise them as the National Chairman is that there will be a repeat of Jos. It will be transparent and it will be a showcase.

Those who watch it live on television will see that it is possible again to have such a thing in Nigeria and we can keep repeating it for the life of our country. That is the way things should be and that is the way they are going to be.”
He noted that the crises rocking the party stemmed from the activities of godfathers who have hijacked PDP and promised to remove the cankerworm.
He went on: “The root of 90 per cent of the crises is what I have been preaching against from the very day I made my inaugural speech. It is the matter of handling the party to godfathers or godmothers and excluding the rest of the stakeholders. That is why I am saying we’ve got to push this party back to the hands of the people. The party belongs to the people. It is Peoples Democratic Party. I will keep saying this. I will keep repeating it. I will never be tired of repeating it because that is the truth. This party belongs to the people. It doesn’t belong to any one person and all these crises are generated by one person amortizing the party to himself and then every other person is shut out. So, what we want to do is to try and reconcile all the stakeholders and make sure that everybody has a stake. If everybody has a stake, I don’t think there should be problem except one person who may be greedy. If he doesn’t have the whole structure to himself, then there will be no
way forward for such a person. We only have one way forward and that is for all of us, all the stakeholders in every state of Nigeria to be comfortable about the structure of the PDP in their states. And that structure with the National Executive of the party can deliver free and transparent primary in each of the states of the federation.   Then I don’t see where there will be problem again.”

He attributed his emergence as national chairman of the party to God, saying: “No godfather supported me o. They are stakeholders. The South eastern stakeholders sat with the President and, out of a number of candidates, zeroed on me. They
took it to the Caucus, which comprises the parliament, the party and the government. There again it was debated forthwith. If your ear is on the ground, you would have heard during the reception programme organised for me. At the end of the day I came out as the choice of the Caucus. Then they took it to the Board of Trustees (BOT). Many people said I will never pass through the BOT because of my ‘wahala’ with OBJ in the past but he presided over the meeting. In fact, it was at that point that I had a unanimous acceptance. Then, we left the BOT and we came to the National Executive Committee (NEC) and again the NEC was unanimous. Where is the godfather with unanimous members?”
  “Before we went to the Caucus, the South-East governors took me to the council of governors. Again at the council of governors, I came out almost unanimous. What they told me was that it was unanimous when they called me. Then people said; Ah! these governors are imposing Chairman again and I have to battle that I am not a candidate of the governors.”
  Meanwhile, the members of PDP in the House of
Representatives who fought on the floor of the chamber a few weeks ago yesterday had a marathon meeting with the party leadership. One of them, Dorris Uboh, representing Ika Federal Constituency in Delta State, denied slapping any member of the chamber as alleged in some quarters.

Speaking before the commencement of the meeting, Uboh said:  “I didn’t slap anybody. The tape of the incident of the day is everywhere. All the media houses have it.  I am sure when you look at it in any media house of your choice, you will not see me slapping anyone and the member that was allegedly slapped by me has not come out to say I slapped him. I was not even talking to him. I was talking to another person when Hon. Chinyere Igwe slapped me on my neck instead. I didn’t  slap anyone. Eseme Eyibo, Chairman, House Committee on Media has been going around saying that I slapped someone. Let him bring evidence. At least, he is an Honourable member and he is Chairman (Media). So, he has access to the tapes of that day, let him show the Nigerian public where I slapped anybody. He is a Christian and an elderly man. I am deeply surprised that he would degenerate to that level to lie, because he has been lying to the Nigerian public. I think it is just an excuse by him to justify how they treated and manhandled me. They assaulted me, they battered me on the floor of the House.”
Suspicion that President Goodluck Jonathan might contest the 2011 presidential election has continued to fuel the debate on zoning.

That debate has split even the PDP leadership with some like the former president Olusegun Obasanjo arguing that there was no agreement in the PDP that power will rotate between the North and the South. Some members of the PDP from the North have called him a liar.
Pioneer National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Solomon Lar has explained further that the concept of zoning the presidency followed a request from the South, particularly the South-West, saying that they would boycott further participation in political activities since they won an election, which the North annulled. So they were not happy and they felt that Nigerians didn’t like them.
“So we said, if that is the case, let us allow power to go to the South particularly to the South-West because of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections and the subsequent death of the acclaimed winner of the election, Chief MKO Abiola. So, many Nigerians were not happy over the annulment of June 12 1993 elections and the death of Abiola. So, we were boxed into a corner.”

He, however, admitted that despite the zoning that presidential aspirants from the North ran against Obasanjo.
Northern politicians have argued that the North should be allowed to complete the two terms of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and that President Jonathan should not contest.
After an inaugural meeting in Abuja, where the Northern Elders Forum insisted that the North would produce the president in 2011, the elders met recently in Kaduna.

The high point of a recent meeting in Kaduna was a division in the ranks of the northern governors and elders. The meeting ended with the governors resolving to consult to other stakeholders on the twin dominant political issues in the country. Some northern leaders have also called for Jonathan to continue. Unable to find a compromise, the Northern Elders are planning for a northern political summit on July 15 in Kaduna to further thrash the issue.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/

^^

This is a more complete version of the story from Guardian Newspapers.

I LOVE THIS PART

“There is no zoning on ground right now. Absolutely no zoning, because in 1999, there was zoning and only one northerner insisted on his alienable right in the Nigerian Constitution to contest against the zoning arrangement of the PDP.
“The PDP put its foot down and I wrote a letter to him and returned his cheque. That’s Abubakar Rimi of blessed memory.

“In 2003, after four years of Obasanjo, candidates sprang up from across the country. They paid, they canvassed. Nobody returned their money, nobody wrote them that there was a zoning. Nobody! “In 2007, there were more candidates from Southern Nigeria than from Northern Nigeria and I think if that election was allowed to hold, without interference, maybe Peter Odili, maybe Donald Duke, maybe a Sam Egwu. Anybody could have won. They all paid. Nobody returned their money, nobody stopped them, nobody talked about zoning! They all contested. Why zoning now? Why?”

UNCLE JOE, COAST DON CLEAR, CARRY GO

NO MORE GALLOP, EXPRESS ONE WAY

Prominent northerners have been in the forefront of agitation for the PDP to remain committed to its zoning formula that will see the presidency returned to the north after the one year term of President Goodluck Jonathan. "There is no zoning on ground right now. Absolutely there is no zoning. I[b]n 1999, there was zoning and only one Northerner insisted on his inalienable right to contest against the zoning arrangement of the PDP," [/b] Nwodo said in an interview with political correspondents in his Abuja office.
Jonathan

"The PDP insisted on its stance and I wrote a letter to him and returned his cheque. That was the late Abubakar Rimi of blessed memory. In 2003, candidates sprang up from across the country. They paid the nomination fee which the party accepted and they campaigned. Nobody returned their money. Nobody wrote them that there was a zoning.

"In 2007, there were more candidates from southern Nigeria than northern Nigeria and I think if that election had been allowed to hold without interference, may be anybody among Peter Odili, Donald Duke or Sam Egwu would have won. They all paid. Nobody returned their money. Nobody stopped them. Nobody talked about zoning".

Interesting ! So, these people have resorted to playing the Nigerian people for fools then. Just a couple of days ago, 2 founding members confirmed that zoning did exist and it was put in place to benefit the south. Now it never existed? ROFLMAO!! If we choose to believe this new about turn, we have a long way to go at the hands of the PDP.

AC has also PUBLICLY announced that there will be no zoning . . . woohoo!!! These people really take us for fools in that country . . . lol

Kobojunkie:

AC has also PUBLICLY announced that there will be no zoning . . . woohoo!!! These people really take us for fools in that country . . . lol

WHY? do you believe in zoning?

I have always argued that zoning was not put in place or agreed upon in the interest of the South
The North demanded for the agreement to ensure that power returns to them after Obj
And Obj did not benefited from the agreement, but from the injustice done to MKO, who won without any zoning agreement.

OAM4J:

WHY? do you believe in zoning?

Do I have to BELIEVE in zoning to discuss zoning?

OAM4J:

I have always argued that zoning was not put in place or agreed upon in the interest of the South

In the PDP Party, Zoning was put in place or agreed upon in the interest of the south. This has been confirmed by PDP South members actually.

OAM4J:

The North demanded for the agreement to ensure that power returns to them after Obj

I have no info on any such being true. I doubt it was the case either . . . under zoning, the North gets a period and then it continues back to another group. We need to STOP demonizing the North in most everything, as it seems to be clouding our judgement and causing us to make the same mistakes over and over.

OAM4J:

And Obj did not benefited from the agreement, but from the injustice done to MKO, who won without any zoning agreement.

Mind you, the PDP is NOT the only Party out there that practices zoning. It has been claimed from the start that AC does the same as well. Even though they now PUBLICLY deny zoning this time around, the list of possibles does not encourage one much to believe that is the case. Obasanjo benefitted from the agreement actually, he was installed as the first because the south played the Injustice done to MKO card to have a southerner installed first.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201007050285.html

He disclosed that zoning was to redress the purported injustice allegedly done the South and to restore democracy from the military. He added that the annulment of the June 12 presidential election of 1993, and the death of Chief MKO Abiola, made the party zone its presidential slot to the South, particularly the South-West.

Kobojunkie:

Do I have to BELIEVE in zoning to discuss zoning?

Well your arguments tends to show you believe in it, Sorry I dont. (explains my question)

Kobojunkie:

In the PDP Party, Zoning was put in place or agreed upon in the interest of the south.

And who is making so much fuss about it now? The South? or The North?

Kobojunkie:

I have no info on any such being true. I doubt it was the case either . . . under zoning, the North gets a period and then it continues back to another group. We need to STOP demonizing the North in most everything, as it seems to be clouding our judgement and causing us to make the same mistakes over and over.

I am not tribalistic and I have nothing against the North in general, I believe they (and the south) do not need zoning to win an election.
All they need is a credible candidate and to ensure the election is free and fair. Give me a credible candidate from the North and you will see me campaigning against my vision-less candidates from the South
If we keep supporting zoning, we will never get the best from our political system

Kobojunkie:

Obasanjo benefitted from the agreement actually, he was installed as the first because the south played the Injustice done to MKO card to have a southerner installed first.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201007050285.html

Which one came 1st, MKO injustice or the agreement? which one was more potent in 1999, the injustice or the agreement?
All the parties knew then that only a southern (preferably from west) presidency will guarantee peace and stability of the country as at of then.

OAM4J:

Well your arguments tends to show you believe in it, Sorry I dont. (explains my question)

What the FRELL? Please stick to dissecting the argument and NOT THE PERSON, cause apparently, you are not good at it.

OAM4J:

And who is making so much fuss about it now? The South? or The North?

BOTH . . . the North justifiably because they claim it is still their turn, but the South on the other hand is trying to WEASLE OUT on the agreement because it does not play in their way this time. Come on, think about these things. If, we had someone like Orji Kalu sitting in place of Jonathan today, do you think the south would be doing this? I would say NO.

OAM4J:

I am not tribalistic and I dont have nothing against the North in general, I believe they (and the south) do not need zoning to win an election.

Didn't say you need to be tribalistic to catch the "THE NORTH IS GREAT EVIL IN ALL" bug either. They don't?

OAM4J:

All they need is a credible candidate and to ensure the election is free and fair. Give me a credible candidate from the North and you will see me campaigning against my vision-less candidates from the South

Well, this has NEVER been about getting you a credible candidate. For one, even the south has none to offer you.

OAM4J:

If we keep supporting zoning, we will never get the best from our political system

Well, I am not supporting zoning but denying it exists and supporting this underhand from the south will also get us hoodwinked and settling for less as well.

OAM4J:

Which one came 1st, MKO injustice or the agreement? which one was more potent in 1999, the injustice or the agreement?

Actually, THE MKO INJUSTICE SHOULD NOT HAVE COME UP IN THE FIRST PLACE. If you are want to be fair, BE FAIR. The main here is the agreement CAME because the south played the MKO card, simple! If the card had not been played, a Northerner or even a Southeasterner would probably have won the first primaries on the PDP side. But because that card was played, It was GIVEN to a South Westerner.

OAM4J:

All the parties knew then that only a southern (preferably from west) presidency will guarantee peace and stability of the country as at of then.

I disagree. Most of Nigeria WERE NOT even clamoring for a South Westerner, we mostly lit up AFTER we were OFFERED one by the PDP.

The truth is told now.

Kobojunkie:

Well, this has NEVER been about getting you a credible candidate. For one, even the south has none to offer you.

You are entitle to your opinions, doubt we'll ever be able to come to terms with our divergent views.

On your quote above - For me a credible candidate under free and fair election is all that matters.

On whether the South has any to offer me, I will find out when am ready to make my choice.

And I don't care if no credible candidate comes from the south or where he comes from, all I want is A CREDIBLE CANDIDATE.

OAM4J:

You are entitle to your opinions, doubt we'll ever be able to come to terms with our divergent views.
On your quote above - For me a credible candidate under free and fair election is all that matters.
On whether the South has any to offer me, I will find out when am ready to make my choice.
And I don't care if no credible candidate comes from the south or where he comes from, all I want is A CREDIBLE CANDIDATE.

Well, opinions are ok but it is NO REASON TO CONTINUE AVOIDING THE MAIN FACTS OF THE SITUATION. Zoning existed and has been confirmed over and over. Last election, we had no problem understanding that. What changed since then?
Well, about credible candidates, when I said south, I meant PDP South, Donald duke is running and I believe if Jonathan decides to run, which one of them will you consider CREDIBLE in this case? The PDP North is probably not going to offer you any other but the IBB pack and some other lame names, how CREDIBLE will you consider those?
AC has yet to endorse any particular candidate but I am not certain which of the rumored packs have proven records we can consider CREDIBLE at the end of the day. Yeah, sure you will get to choose your CREDIBLE candidate but it pays to understand what exactly is going on so you are not HOODWINKED into believing what is NOT, come next election.

When is the timetable gonna be released?

@ Kobo, I am more inclined to believe this guy's account of event than Ekwueme's account but one thing they both agree on is that there was a zoning agreement in 1999, and that is evident as the PDP two candidates Obj and Ekwueme where both from the South,
Now as he explained this rules were adhered to in 1999; hence the refund of Rimi money,

Following 2003 and 2007 this rules and zoning was abandoned by the party as it became a free for all; like he said no one said anything in 2007 about zoning when Odili and Duke contested, so what has changed,

Like the PDP Chairman stated, if they want zoning inserted in the PDP constitution he stated how to go about it,

Also Jonathan is wrongly considered as a beneficiary of zoning, he did not benefit from zoning but balance of power, the two are different though they may appear similar,
For a country like nigeria, I would actually advocate zoning as it ensures equity and sense of equality amongst the always contending regions of the union, so I dont consider it backward in anyway, as I believe that each region has the human capacity to fill the post of president, Zoning or No Zoning does not guarantee we will have a credible leader and I also understand the uproar against zoning as those championing the implementation of zoning are detestable self seeking politician e.g Atiku & IBB, hence making the zoning Idea detestable,

It is very refreshing to know that federal character, quota system and zoning of everything including the PDP’s rotational presidency are coming to abrupt end. I guess Nigerians do not have any need for quota system or federal character any longer. However, I had to remind the seemingly loud proponents to the end rotational presidency in PDP to take very long look at the Nigerian socio-political history on issues concerning elections.

Can someone explain to me what has gone wrong with southern Nigerians? I am of the view these goons are not drunk on the current illusionary political wind that seemed to be blowing across the political landscape of Nigeria. PDP was right in bringing sort of political decorum in the process of selecting presidential candidates through the means of political rotation on the axis of northern and southern Nigeria. Now it is apparent the seemingly mitigated chaotic approach to Nigerian presidency installed by PDP is about to be destroyed by self-defecating political highway robbers in Nigeria.

Kobojunkie:

Well, opinions are ok but it is NO REASON TO CONTINUE AVOIDING THE MAIN FACTS OF THE SITUATION. Zoning existed and has been confirmed over and over.  Last election, we had no problem understanding that. What changed since then?
Well, about credible candidates, when I said south, I meant PDP South, Donald duke is running and I believe if Jonathan decides to run, which one of them will you consider CREDIBLE in this case? The PDP North is probably not going to offer you any other but the IBB pack and some other lame names, how CREDIBLE will you consider those?
AC has yet to endorse any particular candidate but I am not certain which of the rumored packs have proven records we can consider CREDIBLE at the end of the day. Yeah, sure you will get to choose your CREDIBLE candidate but it pays to understand what exactly is going on so you are not HOODWINKED into believing what is NOT, come next election.

Wait until the authentic list comes out.

Now, Jonathan has not said he is contesting, Donald Duke is no longer in PDP, you dont know if Nuru Ribadu/El Rufai will come out. You also dont know if there is an unknown brilliant Harvard scholar AC/ANPP will present at the last minute. When the finalist comes out, I will chose my 'Most credible' of the pack.

Fhemmmy:

When is the timetable gonna be released?

I dunno, but I think it is the right answer to seek NOW.

OAM4J:

Wait until the authentic list comes out.

sure

OAM4J:

Now, Jonathan has not said he is contesting, Donald Duke is no longer in PDP, you dont know if Nuru Ribadu/El Rufai will come out.

Well, I still would ask you what makes a Nuhu Ribadu/El Rufai ticket CREDIBLE. lol

OAM4J:

You also dont know if there is an unknown brilliant Harvard scholar AC/ANPP will present at the last minute. When the finalist comes out, I will chose my 'Most credible' of the pack.

What would make an unknown brilliant Harvard scholar presented by AC/ANPP a CREDIBLE choice?

Anywho, my point is we should not let this fool us into thinking THE WIND OF CHANGE IS HERE . . . I remember @Aisha runing a thread last election when Yar adua/Goodluck were elected that the WIND OF CHANGE was finally here. This sort of announcement ought to be expected by now. PUBLICLY DENYING ZONING is EXPECTED considering the current division between people in the south and those in the north over this issue. Does this mean only the best candidates from each party will be presented the poeple at the end of each primary? Does this mean selections within each party will be made on merit and not on ethnicity or region? Right now the PDP has a popular candidate in Jonathan, if he is presented us in the end, would it be because he is really the best candidate or just the ace they have to play now to remain in power?

Kobojunkie:

sure Well, I still would ask you what makes a Nuhu Ribadu/El Rufai ticket CREDIBLE. lol

Just trying to point out that the North has other potential candidates besides IBB and Atiku.

Kobojunkie:

What would make an unknown brilliant Harvard scholar presented by AC/ANPP a CREDIBLE choice?

didnt say they will be credible choice yet, but they will add to present known options.

BTW, I though you are a supporter the relatively UNKNOWN/NEW/FRESH Candidates?

Kobojunkie:

Anywho, my point is we should not let this fool us into thinking THE WIND OF CHANGE IS HERE . . . I remember @Aisha runing a thread last election when Yar adua/Goodluck were elected that the WIND OF CHANGE was finally here. This sort of announcement ought to be expected by now. PUBLICLY DENYING ZONING is EXPECTED considering the current division between people in the south and those in the north over this issue. Does this mean only the best candidates from each party will be presented the poeple at the end of each primary? Does this mean selections within each party will be made on merit and not on ethnicity or region? Right now the PDP has a popular candidate in Jonathan, if he is presented us in the end, would it be because he is really the best candidate or just the ace they have to play now to remain in power?

Time will tell my friend. . . Time will tell. I just hope we will not keep repeating the same mistakes over and over, cos some of us have no desire to change our nationalities.

OAM4J:

BTW, I though you are a supporter the relatively UNKNOWN/NEW/FRESH Candidates?

Did you see me bolt on the word "CREDIBLE" to that anywhere? ROFLMAO!!!
The way I see it, an UNKNOWN thief is better than the pack we have today. I am more for CHANGING THE STATUS QUO, which happens to be shuffling around/recycling the same old confirmed problems.
More like let us give NEW thieves people a chance.

OAM4J:

Time will tell my friend. . . Time will tell. I just hope we will not keep repeating the same mistakes over and over, cos some of us have no desire to change our nationalities.

That is what I fear is already in motion.

Kobojunkie:

Did you see me bolt on the word "CREDIBLE" to that anywhere? ROFLMAO!!!
The way I see it, an UNKNOWN thief is better than the pack we have today. I am more for CHANGING THE STATUS QUO, which happens to be shuffling around/recycling the same old confirmed problems.
More like let us give NEW thieves people a chance. That is what I fear is already in motion.

ROFLMAO!