Long but interesting read.




http://www.independentngonline.com/DailyIndependent/Article.aspx?id=26761

Intrigues as PDP gov candidates emerge today
•Primaries mere formality •Party suffers more defections

By Tunde Abatan, Rafiu Ajakaye (Lagos) and Obiorah Ifoh (Abuja)   

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidates will emerge today nationwide in election primaries insiders dismiss as mere formalities, rather than tough contests in which the popularity and programmes of the aspirants are tested in open battlefield.

That worsens the discord within the ruling party as more prominent members will quit in the days ahead, following what they deemed dubious congresses and primaries skewed in favour of governors who, in turn, are expected to deliver their states to President Goodluck Jonathan.

[b]Jonathan had reportedly struck a behind-the-scene deal last year to ensure that the Wadata Plaza hand all first-term governors automatic return tickets in return for them to also deliver overwhelming delegate votes capable of giving the President an age over former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the PDP presidential primaries billed for January 13.

The deal has seen many PDP governorship aspirants and their loyalists either being disqualified or short-changed in the congresses in manner that jeopardised their ambitions, leading to mass defections – and rumour of it – in many PDP-controlled states including Abia, Plateau, Imo, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Oyo, Ogun, Kwara, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, Kebbi, and Nassarawa.

Analysts say the President-Governors’ deal now appears particularly more damaging to Jonathan’s ambition and beneficial to Atiku, with many automatic delegates to the presidential primaries now aged out of their own race at home and willing to play the spoilers in a bid to take their own pound of flesh from the President who, they felt, sacrificed them for his own ambition.[/b]

Some leading PDP hawks have already quit the party. Buba Marwa left the party on Friday, in protest of alleged irregularities in the Adamawa PDP which eclipsed his governorship ambition under the ruling party.

In Akwa Ibom, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, Governor Godswill Akpabio’s main challenger, had since joined the ACN, while former Governor Achike Udenwa and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, both major characters in the Imo PDP have also taken a walk since.

Former Transport Minister, Abiye Sekibo (Rivers) has also left the party, and there are speculations that Celestine Omehia may also leave in the days ahead having sensed an un-level playing ground in today’s governorship primaries.

Former Governor Saminu Turaki has also dumped the Jigawa PDP in preference for the opposition ACN, just as former Governor George Akume, a serving Senator, has also fallen out with the Benue PDP in protest of the situation there.

Senator Joel Danlami now stands at variance with Taraba PDP, and a number of Gombe cabinet members have also taken a walk.

There are dozen other PDP chieftains who may quit the party this week unless urgent reconciliation is made, especially in Enugu State where all the Assembly members may follow Governor Sullivan Chime to a new political party because of irreconcilable differences with the powers that be in Enugu PDP, including with the National Chairman of the party, Okwesilieze Nwodo as well as in Ebonyi where, at least, 16 lawmakers aged out in the Thursday primaries are also planning a revolt against Governor Martin Elechi and Jonathan.

Sources said the Ebonyi lawmakers are planning to sabotage Elechi, South East Coordinator of the Goodluck/Sambo Campaign. Other defectors from Ebonyi PDP are Senator Julius Ucha, Lawrence Nwuruku and most of the members of the National Assembly in the state.

Former Governor Sam Egwu is also not on the same page as Elechi.

Winds of revolt may also be seen in Imo where up to 17 state lawmakers, including the Deputy Speaker, lost their return bids, prompting speculations that they may also take a walk or wait and do the bidding of the former vice president at the presidential primaries.

Defection is certain to be recorded in Ogun PDP, with the G15 said to have concluded their plan to move to the ACN shortly after voting against Jonathan at the presidential primaries.

Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello looks certain to lose her return bid and is also considering crossing over to another political platform, preferable the  ACN as Sunday Independent exclusively reported late last year.

Her father, former President Olusegun Obasanjo stormed Wadata Plaza last week, alleging widespread irregularities at the Ogun PDP congress and threatening to quit the party – in what signals a resounding victory for Governor Gbenga Daniel who has been in cold war with Obasanjo and his political offspring, including Commerce Minister, Jubril Martins-Kuye.

Regardless, there are indications that Governors Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo) and Chime would lose their bid to clinch the PDP tickets. Uncertainty is also trailing other governors who Sunday Independent Wadata Plaza sources declined to disclose.

Four of the 27 PDP governors nationwide are two-termers and are not eligible for another term: Mohammed Danjuma Goje (Gombe), Ibrahim Idris (Kogi), Bukola Saraki (Kwara) and Gbenga Daniel (Ogun).

Chime and Akala are unable to agree with both the National Working Committee of PDP and the various stakeholders in their state over the process of achieving a congruous house before today’s primaries.

Reports from state capitals indicate that 21 out of the remaining 23 governors seeking re-election have fortified their positions and are clearly in charge in their respective states.

Of the 36 states of the federation, the PDP controls 27 states.

Sources from the PDP headquarters say Enugu  and Oyo may have new governorship candidates after the exercise today.

Evidence that the present leadership of the party in Enugu and Oyo states have lost the battle became obvious on Friday when the PDP published the list of Special Congresses and National convention Electoral Panels for the election of National Delegates with both states and Anambra clearly missing in the line.

On Thursday, Chime and Alao- Akala besieged the Wadata House with retinue of their supporters and officials in a trouble-shooting venture over what inside sources dubbed “irredeemable situation” in their states. That visit yielded no peace as both embattled governors left with mission unaccomplished.

What appeared like a major crisis within the Anambra PDP was averted on Wednesday during the National working Committee (NWC) meeting where the National Vice Chairman, South East, Olisa Metuh, challenged the National Chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo, over his role in ceding Anambra state to Senator Annie Okonkwo, who, sources said, decides all the primaries in the state.

The face-off, according to our sources, brought about the non-inclusion of Anambra state in the list of Special Congresses and National convention Electoral Panels for the election of national delegates as the state is now seen as controversy prone.

A survey of other states shows that Theodore Orji has himself to beat in the congress in Abia as the other aspirants have either stepped down for him or have been forced out of the system.

In Adamawa, Governor Murtala Nyako has successfully kept at bay all the notable aspirants, including Marwa.

Governors Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), Gabriel Suswan (Benue) and Liyel Imoke (Cross Rivers) have very little or no opposition to their return bid although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) voided all the primaries so far held in Cross River on Friday over fraudulent activities. INEC said the Cross River state government did not hold congresses to elect party delegates for all the primaries.

Other governors who have little challenge today at the primaries include: Ikedi Ohakim (Imo); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); Usman Saidu Dakingari (Kebbi); Aliyu Doma (Nasarawa); Muazu Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Aliyu Wamako (Sokoto); Danbaba Suntai (Taraba); and Mahmud Shinkafi (Zamfara).

There may be another problem in Imo if feelers from the state regarding the on going National Assembly congresses are anything to go by.

Ohakim was said to have scuttled all the existing arrangements with the intent to handpick those he wants to give the ticket, including former avitation minister, Kema Chikwe whom the governor wants to substitute Senator Chris Anyanwu with, against the wish of the people. On Saturday, Owerri was literally turned into a battle field because of the crisis believed to have been orchestrated by the government. Sources said the development would definitely affect today’s governorship primaries in Imo.

The situation in Kaduna is a bit dicey with pockets of opposition to Patrick Yakowa, the first Christian governor from the Southern part of the state.

The predominantly Muslim North is still not comfortable about letting Yakowa have a smooth sail.

Timipre Sylva is also not entirely sure of what today holds, with five strong jostlers in the race against the incumbent who does not have the backing of the Presidency.

Sylva nonetheless holds the ace in the oil-rich state as underlined by the defection recently of Timi Alaibe, Jonathan’s right-hand man, to the Labour Party.

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who won a rerun ballot in his Delta State, is expected to return back to seek a clearance by his party to seek a re-election. It is expected to be an easy task as no other aspirant has indicated interest to run for the seat in April.

Sunday Independent gathered that high politicking has intensified in states such as Kwara, Gombe, Kogi and Ogun where the incumbent will not be returning as most aspirants have cried out over the spate of imposition of cronies by the out-going governors.

A governorship aspirant in Kogi said the governor has anointed his choice from among the 10 people vying for the seat.

From all indications, the race for the Ogun East senatorial district would be contested between Daniel and Bisi Adegbuyi juof the ACN.

Incumbent senator Bode Mustapha, who is rumoured to have threatened to defect to the ACN if denied the ticket by the PDP, has already been persuaded to step down for Daniel with a promise of a ministerial slot if the party wins the presidency in April.

Aha!!!! what a soothing relief.








[size=56pt]THE END OF PDP![/size]

Rhino.5dm:

Aha!!!! what a soothing relief.








[size=56pt]THE END OF PDP![/size]

I wonder if Alao-Akala has any options at all if he loses the PDP Guber ticket. At least Chime , as per his decent performance as Governor , is being courted by ACN and APGA .

i have recently seen the graet work chime is doing in Enugu. the guy have virtually transform the state, but i still want him to extend his good work to other part of the state. Big ups!

Alao-Akala is as rotten as the city of Ibadan (the dirtiest city in the whole world IMO) how i wish he was shot together with that thug eleomode. the guy stinks! lol

Gbawe:


I wonder if Alao-Akala has any options at all if he loses the PDP Guber ticket. At least Chime , as per his decent performance as Governor , is being courted by ACN and APGA .

PDP is a weird party. It is like they are intentionally sabotaging themselves. I don't really get what they are trying to do.

Rhino.5dm:

i have recently seen the graet work chime is doing in Enugu. the guy have virtually transform the state, but i still want him to extend his good work to other part of the state. Big ups!

Alao-Akala is as rotten as the city of Ibadan (the dirtiest city in the whole world IMO) how i wish he was shot together with that thug eleomode. the guy stinks! lol

My impression is that , like Fashola, Chime deserves a second term . Nwodo , as per his newfound relevance - courtesy of GEJ's desperation, is determined to crush Chime . I don't see any option for Chime other than a move to another Party because Jonathan , not even for the sake of doing the what is right , will never move against anyone , however unfairly they behave, that can help his unpopular ambition.

As for Alao-Akala , it is an embarrassment to Nigeria that we can parade folks like him as State Governors . Truly pathetic . Blame OBJ, Adedibu and their fellow disciples of "do or die" amala politics.

What is the big deal in this issues? I can best regard this as a bit of good information. I don't even know when our politicians will get it right this bit of information is the same as the pre- 1979, 1983, 2007, and even the1999 elections where politicians because of their greed for power shifted their camps to any political group that can make their goal realizable the same way some ladies change their partners (igi da eye fo-if three breaks, birds will fly away to another). And the effect of this can seen in our way of living even in our religion. We have to continue praying to God to give us people that will be true representative of the mass that will make us to benefit from our democracy not people that lack focus that are calling themselves politicians. AD - ACN - ACCORD PARTY, PDP(8YRS) - APGA, ANPP - LP, PDP - ACN etc. They are all Lionel Merci (dribblers). Any party that present a candidate of your choice, do vote for him just for d sake of your civil rights.

What is the big deal in this issues? I can best regard this as a bit of good information. I don't even know when our politicians will get it right this bit of information is the same as the pre- 1979, 1983, 2007, and even the1999 elections where politicians because of their greed for power shifted their camps to any political group that can make their goal realizable the same way some ladies change their partners (igi da eye fo-if three breaks, birds will fly away to another). And the effect of this can seen in our way of living even in our religion. We have to continue praying to God to give us people that will be true representative of the mass that will make us to benefit from our democracy not people that lack focus that are calling themselves politicians. AD - ACN - ACCORD PARTY, PDP(8YRS) - APGA, ANPP - LP, PDP - ACN etc. They are all Lionel Merci (dribblers). Any party that present a candidate of your choice, do vote for him just for d sake of your civil rights.

Seems like everything start to fall apart for the so-called largest party in Africa.

GEJ, OBJ, and Nwodo will rig Akala in, mark my words. There is nothing democratic about the PDP primaries and that is why many prominnent PDP members are looking elsewhere. Mind you, this party and its members have no ideological glue, access to the loot is all that matters. This is the case with just about any political party in Nigeria, sadly.

thats the only place an having issues with GEJ and extension PDP. they are ready to trade anything for power an its sake only even at the detriment of the masses. i hope we get the change we deserved. Ameachi has been doing well also in rivers i so much like the guy, but majority of the locals prefer odilli just fir sharing money only.

but how do you explane the likes of Uduaghan, timipreye silver(another apology, i hope timi alaibe capture the government next election. even though much may not be expected from timi alaibe apart from the change for its sake), ohakim, theodore orji??

Apkabio can only be giving half mark. . . just for bringing Jelius barger (he refused me royalty cos that was my singular idea ) to the state and near completion of International air port. ibom power plant has been neglected like victor Attah.
he has been doing well in the areas of constructions at an astronomical price..

Gbawe:

My impression is that , like Fashola, Chime deserves a second term . Nwodo , as per his newfound relevance - courtesy of GEJ's desperation, is determined to crush Chime . I don't see any option for Chime other than a move to another Party because Jonathan , not even for the sake of doing the what is right , will never move against anyone , however unfairly they behave, that can help his unpopular ambition.

As for Alao-Akala , it is an embarrassment to Nigeria that we can parade folks like him as State Governors . Truly pathetic . Blame OBJ, Adedibu and their fellow disciples of "do or die" amala politics.

like father like son. this time around am predicting total destruction of PDP.

1. if GEJ win the primaries the northerner's will surely work against him.(he may not loose at the poll but PDP is going to suffer mortal wound)


2. if GEJ lost at the primaries(though very difficult) he will work against PDP or possibly it go down.

. . . . . . . . . . more reasom why i keep on laughing .

ndu_chucks:

GEJ, OBJ, and Nwodo will rig Akala in, mark my words. There is nothing democratic about the PDP primaries and that is why many prominnent PDP members are looking elsewhere. Mind you, this party and its members have no ideological glue, access to the loot is all that matters. This is the case with just about any political party in Nigeria, sadly.

GEJ = Godfather of Gangsters

ndu_chucks:

GEJ, OBJ, and Nwodo will rig Akala in, mark my words. There is nothing democratic about the PDP primaries and that is why many prominnent PDP members are looking elsewhere. Mind you, this party and its members have no ideological glue, access to the loot is all that matters. This is the case with just about any political party in Nigeria, sadly.

Yes , this is a possibility . It is extremely dissapointing , more so for the fans of GEJ, that our President has offered nothing different , in confirmation of his cluelessness , to what obtains already at a time when many observers have concurred that Nigeria will probably not survive a situation where indolent looters and misrulers , as in 2007 , are returned to power en masse. Accidental leadership (Shagari, Yar Adua and now GEJ)  leads to national regression, wasted years and the march of Nigeria toward disintegration.