POLITICAL leaders from the North have resolved to scuttle the forthcoming presidential primaries through the deployment of strategic suits that would be difficult to challenge by the party.

Insiders at a meeting of the Northern Elders Assembly (NEA) in Abuja confirmed to the Nigerian Tribune that the Northern elders, in conjunction with the Alhaji Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Political Elders Forum(NPLF), had met to strategise on the way forward in view of the apparent failure of the group to get the court to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2011 elections.

Alhaji Sani Aminu Dutsima, who claimed to be a presidential aspirant of the PDP had filed a suit before the Abuja Federal High Court, presided over by the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Lawal Hassan Gunmi, asking the court to stop President Jonathan from contesting the next election on account of the zoning arrangement of the PDP.

The arrangement, contained in Article 7.2 (c) of the PDP constitution, 2009, as amended, indicates that political offices shall be open to candidates from all sections of Nigeria.

Dutsima, however, insisted that the zoning arrangement recognised by the PDP Constitution should ordinarily rule out President Jonathan since, according to him, the North should be entitled to two terms in office.

The court, however, declined to stop Jonathan from contesting the election, saying that zoning is an internal affair of the party.

Sources confirmed that a meeting held by NEA leaders, including Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, Bello Kirfi, Tijani Daura, Dalhatu Bashir Dalhatu, Amin Aliyu Dutsima, Isah Salami, Sani Zango-Daura and Fatima Balla, at Bashir Dalhatu’s residence in Abuja, concluded on the need to stop the PDP convention, following the North’s loss at the Abuja High Court.

It was confirmed that while Dutsima, who briefed the meeting suggested that he should quickly head to the Court of Appeal and secure an injunction stopping the PDP convention, other members at the meeting said that going to court immediately and securing an injunction now would enable the PDP to react and possibly vacate the injunction.

They then agreed that the injunction should be obtained very close to the PDP convention.

A source at the meeting stated: “Dutsima told the meeting that now that the PDP has come out with its election timetable, it would be appropriate that after they file the appeal, they should seek a court injunction. However, most of the participants at the meeting disagreed with this suggestion, but they posited that such an action would be too early at this point in time.

“They contended that such a move could easily be challenged by the PDP. So the meeting resolved that such a strategy would be better applied when it is close to the primaries/National Convention of the party.”

A source said that the meeting was also advised to set aside a huge sum to prosecute the suits.

It was also confirmed that the meeting agreed that besides the planned appeal on the Dutsima case, another suit should be filed by the camp of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to seek interpretation of the ruling of Justice Lawan Gunmi.

Although the meeting was held when Abubakar was out of the country on a trip to the United Kingdom, it was confirmed that the meeting resolved to meet with him when he returned to the country .

A source confirmed thus: “The meeting resolved that Atiku was being expected back in the country between December 3 and 4 and that when he returns, the committee will discuss with him on the possibility of him going to court for the interpretation of the PDP Constitution over the zoning issue.”

This will be different from the litigation on the same issue being handled by Dutsima. They believe that this suit could be faster than the appeal by Dutsima.

The source said the NEA, which is working closely with the NPLF, was strategising for the consensus option and the northern presidency option from 2011.

He added that the NEA and the NPLF had banked on the suit filed by Dutsima as the best option to ease out President Jonathan from the 2011 race, adding that the North was pained that the suit by Dutsima was lost at the high court.

It confirmed that some concerned people working from behind actually went to make further inquiries from a judge who assessed the case and declared that it was “a winning one against the president.”

It was gathered that based on the technical advice, the committee was already preparing appeal papers in respect of the Dutsima case.

The bid, according to sources, was not only to make the case water tight, but also to ensure that the two strategic cases being planned ahead of the PDP convention were “well assisted by this one.”

Meanwhile, the Northern Governors’ Forum, in Abuja, on Monday, condemned the move by federal legislators to pass the controversial Electoral Act, saying that “it is very dangerous to democracy.”

The chairman of the forum and Niger State governor, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, addressed the media after the meeting, urging political stakeholders in the country to be wary of the antics of the federal legislators.

However, the House of Representatives insists it was yet to pass the Electoral Act as being insinuated by the governors, adding that the passage of the amendment proposed to the Electoral Act would only be passed today if members unanimously agreed to do so.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on the issue, the chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Bussiness, Honourable Ita Enang, said state governors were entitled to their own opinion on matters arising.

According to him, the protest by the governors on the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act was part of the general views required in passing the amendment, stressing that the House was not in a position to oppose them.

The northern governors’ however, called on Nigerians “to be vigilant, to protect and defend democracy and avoid political bickering that will give room for those who do not wish the nation well to take advantage of the differences and disagreements.”

Out of the 19 Northern governors that make up the forum, only nine governors and two deputy governors attended the meeting. The nine governors were those of Niger, Kwara, Adamawa, Kaduna, Jigawa, Gombe, Nasarawa, Kogi,Taraba, Sokoto and Zamfara, while the two deputy governors in attendance were those of Kano and Kastina.

Governor Aliyu, however, debunked the news doing the rounds that the meeting was held in Abuja as a result of insecurity in Kaduna, adding that “the meeting was held in Abuja for convinence and not due to insecurity as alleged in some national newspapers.”

http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/paperfrmes.html

Who cares?
Atiku should get a hold of Jega and Waziri period.
(The OBJ winning method of African-Styled Democrazic Government).
All these Kangaroo meetings are not necessary.
Not enough to win elections in places like Naija!!!

Why should Jonathan be stopped?
Allow him to come out and disgrace himself in front of the world with his 'insecurities'.
May the better thief win.

Poor Atiku, the experienced thief. He now understands that stealing (in which his "experience" is vast) isn't the same as politics.
Politics requires, head on shoulders, high IQ, strategic style manuevering; not the agbero, low IQ, jungle ways that theiving demands.
Poor thing! He is wildly outclassed.

Can we not call this sour grapes and throwing in the towel, even before the bell for the opening round of battle has sounded? Damn!

It appears Ciroma and co have no confidence in Atiku. They just chose fart over $hit with that consensus joke of theirs.

those guys are acceptin defeat with style
I DEY LAFU OOOO

Guys, its easier to spoil show than working for its success. Just a small kick is enough to 'kaitalize' months of scheming n careful planning. I don't think d plans of these northern guys should be taken wt levity. Dey may not knw how to milk d cow, bt no one needs lessons on hw to upturn d milk bucket. U remember ABN?

I still hold GEJ culpable for fanning d ember of distrust. One distrust begat another and d evil cycle is made. He may put a lot into political machinations, but he should know dt less effort is required to frustrate his and hold him at stalemate at d worst. Anyone acquainted wt game of chess knows dt when u r not sure of winning, its so easy to frustrate ur opponent into a stalemate.

I like GEJ but I think the court can do something. GEJ entered a contract with PDP and is breaching it. The court hears cases where contracts are breached and then makes decisions.
I always felt he should run under another party.

homerac7:

Guys, its easier to spoil show than working for its success. Just a small kick is enough to 'kaitalize' months of scheming n careful planning. I don't think d plans of these northern guys should be taken wt levity. Dey may not knw how to milk d cow, bt no one needs lessons on hw to upturn d milk bucket. U remember ABN?

I still hold GEJ culpable for fanning d ember of distrust. One distrust begat another and d evil cycle is made. He may put a lot into political machinations, but he should know dt less effort is required to frustrate his and hold him at stalemate at d worst. Anyone acquainted wt game of chess knows dt when u r not sure of winning, its so easy to frustrate your opponent into a stalemate.

WORD

Help me out here - did Beaf just describe Atiku or GEJ?

What are they afraid of? They Called theirselfs the wisemen, they have made a decision why worry again.

Boboribo:

Help me out here - did Beaf just describe Atiku or GEJ?

Sharap and stop echoing me on this forum like a demented maggot.

Atiku people = dimwits.
Atiku people = dimwits.
Atiku people = dimwits.

homerac7:

Guys, its easier to spoil show than working for its success. Just a small kick is enough to 'kaitalize' months of scheming n careful planning. I don't think d plans of these northern guys should be taken wt levity. Dey may not knw how to milk d cow, bt no one needs lessons on hw to upturn d milk bucket. U remember ABN?

I still hold GEJ culpable for fanning d ember of distrust. One distrust begat another and d evil cycle is made. He may put a lot into political machinations, but he should know dt less effort is required to frustrate his and hold him at stalemate at d worst. Anyone acquainted wt game of chess knows dt when u r not sure of winning, its so easy to frustrate your opponent into a stalemate.

Not if all you have is a miserable pun, while your opponent is a grandmaster with an array of rooks, queens and positional advantage (at which point, you knock your king over in resignation ).

How can anyone hold the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to a stalemate? How? Court ke! Dem neva born dat judge!

How can a court rule on something like zoning that is unconstitutional?

Beaf:

Not if all you have is a miserable pun, while your opponent is a grandmaster with an array of rooks, queens and positional advantage (at which point, you knock your king over in resignation ).

How can anyone hold the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to a stalemate? How? Court ke! Dem neva born dat judge!

but you guys just lost a huge battle today in the senate

and wait until the appeals court in the next few weeks, then you're going to see some real fireworks

your "grandmaster" is really just a local politician with no political base whatsoever. checkmate coming up in 3 moves baby.

Signing off as Beaf and coming back as Feab with tails in between legs.