Posted: September 17, 2010 - 18:05

Abuabakar Atiku tripped on his boubou at a recent press conference in Abuja
By SaharaReporters, New York
A validation of the recent exclusive report by Saharareporters that other presidential candidates of the People’s Democratic Party in the north are working for former Nigerian dictator Ibrahim Babangida, emerged today as four presidential aspirants of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) this afternoon issued a declaration that northern Nigeria must produce "one candidate" in the next presidential candidate in accordance with the party’s power rotation policy.

The aspirants: Ibrahim Bademasi Babangida, Atiku Abubakar, Aliyu Gusau, and Bukola Saraki, said in a joint press statement that they have set up an eight-man committee drawn from their campaign organisations to “deliberate and advise” on recommending one of them as presidential candidate, a process that will almost certainly result in IBB becoming the party’s candidate.

Each of these other “aspirants” from the North has definite ties to IBB and none of them will challenge him in a real contest:

• Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki has been working behind the scenes for IBB, as Saharareporters has previously reported,

• General Gusau is an IBB loyalist who served as Security Chief during the IBB years and helped annul June 12 presidential elections; and

• Abubakar Atiku banks on IBB to help cover the political and economic damage done to him by Olusegun Obasanjo.

The statement was signed by the Directors-General of each campaign organization: Raymond Dokpesi, for Ibrahim Babangida; Chris Mammah, for Atiku Abubakar; Ben Obi, for Aliyu Gusau; and Ibrahim Yakubu Lame, for Bukola.

With this development, the candidacy of President Goodluck Jonathan, which is set to be formally announced tomorrow, may yield a full-blown war within the ruling party, a move that may lead to its final demise. The PDP which has always called itself a “family” is set to erupt. Analysts say assemblage of ambitions and egos at the very top of the party could result in a crisis the opposition could exploit to their benefit at the January 2011 elections.
If the Babangida strategy succeeds and he becomes the PDP candidate for the January 2011 elections, he would have positioned himself to grab back the job from which Nigerians popularly chased him in 1993, but national resistance builds against his emergence.

The full text of the joint statement is as follows:

An eight man committee drawn from the campaign organisations of General Ibrahim Babangida, Ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, General Aliyu Gusau and Governor Bukola Saraki has been set up to, among other things, deliberate and advise on the need to recommend a SINGLE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE among them and explore other areas of co-operation.

After its sitting today (Friday September 17, 2010), the committee resolved as follows:

1. That it would present a SINGLE CANDIDATE among the four Presidential ASPIRANTS.

2. The campaign organisations have also resolved to co-operate and work together towards achieving this objective

3. It commends the FOUR ASPIRANTS for the sacrifice they have agreed to make towards achieving this goal.




Finally, the FOUR ASPIRANTS enjoin their supporters nationwide to remain calm and focused, assuring them of their resolve to work together to move this country forward.
………………………………………………

Chief Raymond Dokpesi

Director General

(General Ibrahim Babangida Campaign organisation)
-----

Mr Chris Mammah

Director General

(Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation)

-------
Senator Ben Obi

Director General

General Aliyu Gusau Campaign Organisation)
-----

Dr Ibrahim Yakubu lame

Director General

Gov Bukola Saraki Campaign Organisation

I will not be shocked if this turns out to be the case. We have already seen the PDP machine ABRACABRA act first in 2003 and then in 2007.

A bad omen for Nigerian democracy

These are the people I pity the most in such an overtly sectional meeting;

Chief Raymond Dokpesi
Mr Chris Mammah
Senator Ben Obi

These people care nothing for the north- step down for IBB?

are they serious this report better be false. I dont mind a notherner emerging as presidential candidate but IBB?

Thats like giving votes away to buhari

Beaf:

These are the people I pity the most in such an overtly sectional meeting;

Chief Raymond Dokpesi
Mr Chris Mammah
Senator Ben Obi

they are thieves that benefited from IBB's loot.

GEJ has all the ACE and He will definitely use it.

Let the gain begin.

Coming together with a plan to find a concensus candidate is the easy bit. The difficulty is actually getting folks to step down for others.

I will take this drama seriously when Atiku, Saraki or Gusau come out publicly to say they are stepping down for IBB.

This is simply politics of who controls the momentum at play here. They simply want to cast doubts in the minds of politicians who will turn up for Jonathan's declaration tomorrow. Thats what this is all about. I will not be supprised if this committee achieves nothing but a statement agreeing that they will all be respectful to one another and stick to issues that will benefit their North and Nigeria.

IBB winning PDP primaries will really strengthen the hands of Labour Party though. Labour Party should simply start organising itself because I see PDP imploding.

I hope Jonathan fails at the Primary and then end up working behind the scenes to encourage the defeat of PDP at the General elections (thats my personal wish for Nigeria).

We may have for the first time in history a sitting president losing in primary. But as I dislike PDP, the reality is GEJ is their best bet. If opposition party can make a good move, this is an opportunity for them.

Jarus:

We may have for the first time in history a sitting president losing in primary. But as I dislike PDP, the reality is GEJ is their best bet. If opposition party can make a good move, this is an opportunity for them.

haba Jarus ! Dont succumb to pressure! We know where you stand and is not GEJ.

They will all fall in line one by one.The closer to the election the more Governors would fall in lne.Good Luck is no match for Ibb.

mistakay:

They will all fall in line one by one.The closer to the election the more Governors would fall in lne.Good Luck is no match for Ibb.

IBB is most definetely gonna meet his nemesis. The blood of hundreds of innocent souls is wheeling him to certain doom.

. . .Ejigbo plane crash, Dele Giwa, June 12, MKO Abiola, vatsa (he was best man at vatsa's marriage). . . and thousands of other innocent souls.
Innocent blood is calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling. . .

Vengeance, Justice, Doom!

@ mikeastin

Coming together with a plan to find a concensus candidate is the easy bit. The difficulty is actually getting folks to step down for others.

I will take this drama seriously when Atiku, Saraki or Gusau come out publicly to say they are stepping down for IBB.

This is simply politics of who controls the momentum at play here. They simply want to cast doubts in the minds of politicians who will turn up for Jonathan's declaration tomorrow. Thats what this is all about. I will not be supprised if this committee achieves nothing but a statement agreeing that they will all be respectful to one another and stick to issues that will benefit their North and Nigeria.

IBB winning PDP primaries will really strengthen the hands of Labour Party though. Labour Party should simply start organising itself because I see PDP imploding.

I hope Jonathan fails at the Primary and then end up working behind the scenes to encourage the defeat of PDP at the General elections (thats my personal wish for Nigeria).

That is a very good observation. They are trying as much as possible to take the shine out tomorrow's declaration. This has gone to confirm these guys have not got games but zoning.

Finally u have divulged where your heart belongs and its good for u it has nothing to do with the Evil 1.

Its too late GEJ cant loose PDP primaries. Quote me anywhere even if he discovered he is not going to win d general election and he is earnestly planning a free/fair election he will simply INSTALL his norther choice.

These fools (IBB, Atiku, Gauso, and Saraki) were watching like dummies when GEJ started taking over d structure of d party starting with Ogbulafor sack to choosing Nwodo as chairman. GEJ practically controlls all PDP NEC members with about 90% of the BoT memebers rooting for him. These guys should have gotten more involved in the internal politics of the party instead of clinging to 'zoning' as d factor that will win the PDP ticket for them.

GEJ took over PDP structure brushing OBJ's and 28 governors' interests aside in a swipe. This is a seriuos warning to any1 still underestimating this queit but gallant 'soldier'.

GEJ will win anway doesnt matterd

Beaf:

IBB is most definetely gonna meet his nemesis. The blood of hundreds of innocent souls is wheeling him to certain doom.

. . .Ejigbo plane crash, Dele Giwa, June 12, MKO Abiola, vatsa (he was best man at vatsa's marriage). . . and thousands of other innocent souls.
Innocent blood is calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling. . .

Vengeance, Justice, Doom!

 Its a free world so we cant stop your rantings.Not that i like ibb but he just seems like a safer bet than Jonathan.GEJ will overturn Nigeria.The average Niger Deltan thinks and prays one thing. The day Nigeria will end they get to swim with oil money. in their dreams

@Mistakay, where do I stand. I used to be and still anti-GEJ. I was just doing normal analysis there. Affirming that GEJ is PDP's best bet doesn't mean I am switching support for GEJ. I don't support IBB, Saraki or Atiku either. I have always rooted for Ribadu, but I think Buhari stands a better chance than Ribadu

I prefer Buhari to Ribadu. Think Ribadu is not got the right stuff.

mistakay:

 Its a free world so we cant stop your rantings.Not that i like ibb but he just seems like a safer bet than Jonathan.GEJ will overturn Nigeria.The average Niger Deltan thinks and prays one thing. The day Nigeria will end they get to swim with oil money. in their dreams

In the very very super unlikely event that GEJ doesn't make it, your next President will be Ribadu, cos thats where we'll be rolling.
[size=14pt]So anyhow you look at it, IBB will hit jail in 2011![/size]

IBB is most definetely gonna meet his nemesis. The blood of hundreds of innocent souls is wheeling him to certain doom.

. . .Ejigbo plane crash, Dele Giwa, June 12, MKO Abiola, vatsa (he was best man at vatsa's marriage). . . and thousands of other innocent souls.
Innocent blood is calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling. . .

Vengeance, Justice, Doom!

@ T9ksy

The sucker punch is when GEJ too finally steps down for Ibb.
Now you all will definately see that Nigeria is bleeped!

None of those presidential aspirants are gonna ameliorate the woes of the common man.
None of them even know how to go about solving our myriad problems.
None of them even have the capability to do anything positive for the common on the streets of 9ger.
Our messiah is not yet born.

Where is diz one coming from? step-down ko step-inside IBB ni. Biko go back to d pots u were smoking jare

Jarus:

@Mistakay, where do I stand. I used to be and still anti-GEJ. I was just doing normal analysis there. Affirming that GEJ is PDP's best bet doesn't mean I am switching support for GEJ. I don't support IBB, Saraki or Atiku either. I have always rooted for Ribadu, but I think Buhari stands a better chance than Ribadu

  I thought these useless haters got to you

This is SUPER STORY, The truth is that there are no credible candidate among these contestants.Let Atiku,Saraki,Gusua,step down for IBB, Goodluck Jonathan will still win the PDP primary election.

Posted by: Solomon227

Where is diz one coming from? step-down ko step-inside IBB ni. Biko go back to d pots u were smoking jare

Yeah, and it was a flippin' good puff, too,
what about if GEJ decides to "step aside" (for IBB) and wait his turn, come 2015?
Just another permutation o.
Gosh, dis smoke is amazing    

T9ksy:

Yeah, and it was a flippin' good puff, too,
what about if GEJ decides to "step aside" (for IBB) and wait his turn, come 2015?
Just another permutation o.
Gosh, dis smoke is amazing

That smoke must be bloody good, but GEJ is going nowhere! He has demons to defeat.

The blood of dead babies, widows and the innocent is calling IBB to his doom. Calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling. . .

Interesting!

Am still not sure the combine efforts of the four can defeat the power/influence of incumbency that Jonathan has.

But in event IBB becomes the flag-bearer of PDP, i hope all the opposition parties can come together, cos if they do, they will defeat PDP

Posted by: Beaf

That smoke must be bloody good, but GEJ is going nowhere! He has demons to defeat.

The blood of dead babies, widows and the innocent is calling IBB to his doom. Calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling, calling

GEJ is not the messiah we have been waiting for,
GEJ is a derivative of the old guard so,
So, am afraid we are still perambulating,

Just one final question before I go.

When will this Presidency confirm the resignation of Gusau or sack him? Or better still re-deploy him to special duties.

Its amazing when Remi Babalola get's frustrated out of Government for giving an honest economic assessment yet nobody is talking about Gusau liaising with other candidates to run against his own C-in-C?

^
Perhaps, Gusau is just office decoration?

Beaf:

^
Perhaps, Gusau is just office decoration?

National Security Adviser? office decoration?

What does that say about the seriousness of the Government we have?

mikeansy:

National Security Adviser? office decoration?

What does that say about the seriousness of the Government we have?

The office can bear any name.
The best way to watch your enemy is to draw him close. Thats high wisdom.

@t9sky   who cares that jona aint the messiah . B there waiting for messiah . Cant u see all we want is a generational shift in power and gej is the best shot . To hell with ibb and atika they wil never see power aslong as we stand firm .  Why is a fifth columnist like gusau still in gejs govt . If GEJ use his good boy behaviour to f  u  c  k up this primary i wont forgive him . We need to play dirty in the primary and leave free and fair nonsense for the general elections.  becus ibb and his spent allies aint neva gon play fair

Beaf:

The office can bear any name.
The best way to watch your enemy is to draw him close. Thats high wisdom.

You just admitted that Nigeria's NSA is not in office to guarantee Nigeria's security but for Jonathan's political expediency and survival.

Now that must be some record.