2011: North places IBB, Saraki on standby •Fears Atiku may be disqualified

Written by Taiwo Adisa, Abuja

Wednesday, 15 December 2010

NOTWITHSTAN-DING the announcement of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as consensus candidate of the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF), political leaders of the North are said to have placed former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida and the Kwara State governor, Dr Bukola Saraki, on standby ahead of the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja confirmed that leaders of the two main pro-North groups, the NPLF and the Northern Elders Assembly (NEA) were said to have brainstormed on the situation in the North at their recent meetings and concluded that it was important to place the two aspirants on standby to avoid a situation where the North might be caught unawares.

At one of the meetings of the NEA, sources confirmed that the group concluded that it was necessary for the North to place the two aspirants on standby, so as to avoid an emergency situation that could occur in the future.

A source said that the North needed to work on other viable alternatives other than the consensus option which produced Abubakar.

It was confirmed that other meetings of the NPLF also agreed to a similar position.

Sources at the NEA meeting confirmed that one of the participants raised the issue and that it was agreed to at the meeting.
A source said that one of the leaders told the meeting that after arriving at a consensus candidate, the next thing the North should do was to place Babangida and Saraki on standby to avoid what he called ‘eventuality.’

Though the leader who raised the issue did not elaborate on the fears, he was said to have told the meeting that there are fears Abubakar might be disqualified “somehow.”

The leader was quoted as saying: “The North should now be working on other viable options outside the consensus arrangement. This means that those presidential aspirants involved in the consensus arrangement should be put on standby should he (Abubakar) be disqualified from contesting in the PDP primaries or national convention. If this happens at a time when there is no space for litigation on the matter, one or two of the aspirants would continue in the race.”

A source said that while some of the participants were wary of the suggestion, others advised that it should be considered.
It was then agreed that the option be pursued.

Sources confirmed that the NPLF said it took notice of the controversies surrounding the presidential contest of Abubakar and Babangida before arriving at the choice of the former vice-president but also concluded that his choice could be defended.

It was gathered that the group thought that the protests that would greet the choice of Babangida in the South might be uncontrollable and that many people in the North feel that Saraki was not strong enough in the area, being a minority from the North.

It was gathered that the groups had decided on the duo of Babangida and Saraki on the waiting list in case anything happens to the consensus arrangement.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/14802-2011-north-places-ibb-saraki-on-standby-fears-atiku-may-be-disqualified

Big Failures!