[size=18pt]Presidential poll: ACN, APGA may field Ribadu[/size]
By Niyi Odebode and Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja
Saturday, 23 Oct 2010

[img]http://www.punchng.com/images/October/Saturday/pix201010234273165.jpg [/img]


The All Progressives Grand and the Action Congress of Nigeria have commenced talks aimed at mobilising progressives to support the presidential ambition of the former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

Investigations by SATURDAY PUNCH showed that the two parties were favourably disposed to fielding Ribadu as their presidential candidate in 2011.

It was learnt that a new group, the Patriotic Electoral Alliance of Nigeria, consisting of 46 political parties, had set up a committee that would produce the criteria for picking a joint presidential candidate.

SATURDAY PUNCH learnt that during a meeting held at the Labour Party headquarters, in Abuja on Thursday, the parties directed the committee headed by the chairman of Congress of Nigeria Political Parties, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, to submit its report on Oct. 28.

The coalition, which was formed on Thursday, consists of APGA, ACN, Labour Party and Congress for Progressive Change.

But the National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, confirmed to one of our correspondents on the telephone that the party had commenced talks with Ribadu.

He said that although the talks had not been concluded, if they were fruitful, Ribadu would be the presidential candidate of the ACN and APGA.

“We want all progressives to come together during the 2011 elections. The talks have not been concluded, but they have started,” he said.

The National Publicity Secretary of the CNPP, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, in an interview with one of correspondents, said that the 46 parties in the coalition were determined to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party, which has been ruling at the centre since 1999.

“If the strength of your party is in Lagos, we will advise everybody who is a member of the coalition to file behind your party to contest an election so that the voting will go that way,” he said.

According to him, the new group was formed by the Coalition of New Nigeria led by Charles Nwodo and the Patriotic leadership Forum headed by Prof. Pat Utomi.

He said, “The steering committee headed by (Alhaji Balarabe) Musa comprises members of the CNN and the PLF. The steering committee is to harmonise the structure and come up with a checklist.”

Okechukwu explained that the central objective of the new group was to dislodge the PDP from the centre.

He said opposition parties were not divided on the choice of either Ribadu or the presidential aspirant of the CPC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

He said, “It (picking a presidential candidate) is not our headache because we have reasoned that every human being has his own ambition. But we are trying to build a checklist or a template for these people who are interested in becoming president. The person must have the highest chances of defeating the PDP.”

Okechukwu added that the steering committee set up by the group would come up with criteria for picking a presidential candidate on Oct. 28.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201010234273920

if acn field ribadu they would loss. even lagos.

AP what? Which faction?

Contrary to suggestions that Ribadu is not experienced enough. May I remind Nigerians what the so called experienced politicians have done to our country. For one this is good news, but I hope it has not come too late.

What i will like to see is a Ribadu / Utomi ticket or vice versa. I believe this will be a winning team that is likely to deliver the sort of change and programmes Nigeria needs. Nigerians must remember that is it time to vote for change, let us stop being politically lazy and really maximise our options. We must not let PDP remain in power. they have destroyed that country, and I am convinced that a Vote for PDP is a vote for same old rubbish.

We now have a chance to change the course of our country, this is no time to be lazy and siddon look. Freedom is not gained from sitting on our backsides, but from engaging in programmes that will bring about change. Nigerian must wake from thier slumber. No one (not even GEJ), can do it for us.

APGA will be making a big mistake to field Ribadu.

@ afam4eva,

Why do you think so?

I don't care who they want to field, but they must have credible primaries, policy debate televised on TV etc. Without these, if they crown Ribadu as their leader without internal deomcracy then they are as good as PDP.

@Mikeansy,

I agree with you, we must work together to esstablish a credible opposition

if the other parties are not yet wise that they need to come together to beat PDP, then PDP cannot be defeated. This is a good move, expecting more alliances.

@monkeyleg, agree with your views, we need to all come together and make a difference, this elections should be fair, its up to people to vote for change. Vote wisely. Vote Ribadu!

Currently, i don't see any party that can dislodge the PDP. Their biggest mistake started at their initial stages of formation, when they presented themselves as regional/ethnic parties.

Now not even a name change will alter their inevitable fate of failure, except they go back to the drawing board and plan how to structure themselves in all nook and cranny of the Federation.

What i will like to see is a Ribadu / Utomi ticket or vice versa. I believe this will be a winning team that is likely to deliver the sort of change and programmes Nigeria needs. Nigerians must remember that is it time to vote for change, let us stop being politically lazy and really maximise our options. We must not let PDP remain in power. they have destroyed that country, and I am convinced that a Vote for PDP is a vote for same old rubbish.

Ribadu and Utomi on an [i]APGA [/i]ticket? Nna Bros, na Naija you dey so?

The choice of Ribadu for such a highly regional party is simply to woo the Northerners who believe, based on the PDP agreement, that the 2011 mandate is theirs, with the hope the he(RIB) would had over to them come 2015, a hope attainable only if an Igbo candidate is made the vice.

Nonetheless, as many others have observed, dislodging GEJ and the PDP machinery from power. . .nna no be small work be that o!