jmaine: Gbawe came in with his "shakabula" . . . . Okay . .i drop Aliyu name then . . . .

"Epistle" don make you surrender?

On a serious note, I am not against your position because you don't discountenance all Northerners as being inferior to Fashola as Ekt Bear surmises. I just don't agree with your choice of Aliyu. I think he is vacuous even if well-meaning and moderate. Scour Nairaland and you will see I was also once a supporter of Aliyu. events have since shown that Aliyu cannot walk the walk to match his populist talk.

Overall, compromises will emerge that will mean the right balance must be achieved to produce the ticket that, for our current situation, optimally secures the chance for the best Nigeria has to offer, from all corners, to deliver under an atmosphere of relative peace and unity. The PDP will never work towards this because they are ready to kill to keep the central gravy train going.

It is left to a sincere opposition, aware of its role as perhaps Nigeria's last saviour, to behave responsibly, make sacrifices and shun the sort of individual egotistic selfishness that obfuscate focus away from what really matters for the rebirth of Nigeria to begin i.e a defeat of the "nest of killers" at the Presidential level.

kettykin: the spell that usman and ahmadu bello cast over nigeria has expired, the yorubas need not be told whom they will back, i see the core north becoming a political minority soon. The mistake yorubas made in 1966 and 1979 is responsible for their stagnation today, they should rather do a deal with gej than enslave themselves with the north

I do not think Yoruba needed to support Goodluck or North.
Yoruba has the ability to also stand on its own.
My suggestion is that both Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and other minorities who feels they are good enough for presidency should field their candidates.
And each should mobilize its people to strictly vote for their regional candidates.
By this, non of them will win 1/3 of vote across 2/3 of nigerian states.
If the above mark is not met, there can't be declaration of any winner.
At this, we will be closer to declaring that each region go its way.
Disintegration is the only solution to Nigeria's problems.

emiye: Buhari got over 10 million of his 12 million votes at the 2011 polls from the North alone, if the PDP fails to present a Northern extraction candidate, i am almost certain he would have a better performance in the North this time around, he could go as high as[b] 15 million votes[/b] ,

A fashola candidature as the Vice president would sway in the southern votes,nothing less than 5 million votes [/b]though many from the south west, and part of the fraction from the south-south and south east. I wont be surpised if the cliche from the southern voters then wont be [b]"we voted for Fashola not buhari" [/b]replacing the 2011 cliche of [b]" we voted for Jonathan not PDP". Some of these southern voters would also perceive Fashola to be the "active one" in the event they clinch power.

The Buhari / Fashola ticket would do a lot in appeasing the "foolishness" of the average Nigerian voter, and might just be the magic bullet needed to wrestle power from the PDP.

I now have a firm figure for your IQ, bro.
Quality like Fashola as Vice to the dog and baboon? No permutation for 1/3's votes in 2/3 of states? Clever stuff!

Why are people even so bothered about 2015 which is so far away?
I pity those making these silly calculations to nowhere. A few months is a very short time in politics, talkless of 3 damn years.

Beaf: Why are people even so bothered about 2015 which is so far away?
I pity those making these silly calculations to nowhere. A few months is a very short time in politics, talkless of 3 damn years.

It is because your benefactor kicked it off.
You would not see anything wrong with that.
But all can be wrong with what others do.
Goodzoologist can go rule south-south after 2015.
Nigeria should be no more so that each new countries will have a better future.

Olaolufred:

It is because your benefactor kicked it off.
You would not see anything wrong with that.
But all can be wrong with what others do.
Good can go rule south-south after 2015.
Nigeria should be no more so that each new countries will have a better future.

Please try not to be silly with your "benefactor" gibberish, that joke is a bit old and weathered now.
GEJ never kicked anything off. No need to lie, bro.

There are too many red-eyed, desperate dans running around in Nigeria. All are desperate awuf luv'n phucks whose only creative thought is sitting on top of the awuf mountain in 2015. Buncha lazy toads.

Gbawe,

I read your response on page 9. Part of the recipe for forging ahead in progress is to wean the North of it's birthright mentality. They do not have a birthright to rulership or to bloodshed. If as you suggested West should compromise for peace by putting Fashola for VP to a Northerner on top of the ticket, then it is a position of yielding. The West must not yield, even in the face of terror and carnage.

In fact, I am in support of humbling the Northerners by denying them rulership for the next 20yrs. Let the Presidency rotate in the South and the Middle Belt and let the North learn to get along peacefully with everyone, instead of everyone else compromising to get along with the North.

Frankly, anyone who does not understand that only a President from the Northern part of Nigeria can succeed GEJ is naive and completely out of touch with the realities on ground.

Some of the analysis on this thread, primarily by voluntary exiles, are so very absurd that I don’t even know where to begin deconstructing their gibberish. Some of you people need to come and spend a minimum of 1 year at home to appreciate the Nigerian condition.

Chucks,

The reality on ground can be changed if there is enough awareness to demystify the myth that Hausa/Fulani will bring out its slaughtering dagger when offended.

The reality on ground is that people still have fear of the "mythical Hausa/Fulani dagger" and they do not want to be slaughtered by it.

Once people understand that they have access and right to own a dagger and to slaughter an offending Hausa/Fulani, then they will know how to bring the Northerner under control and manipulation.

^^^^ This is quite simplistic and naive.

The usual over confidence of the North that will force them scurrying for last minute alliance that will lead to no where . . .You shall be presented with the bitter truth once more . .

ndu_chucks: Frankly, anyone who does not understand that only a President from the Northern part of Nigeria can succeed GEJ is naive and completely out of touch with the realities on ground.

Some of the analysis on this thread, primarily by voluntary exiles, are so very absurd that I don’t even know where to begin deconstructing their gibberish. Some of you people need to come and spend a minimum of 1 year at home to appreciate the Nigerian condition.

Thank gods for internet. The whole world can now witness the manifestation of cowardice in these Yoruba people.

Logic Mind:

Thank gods for internet. The whole world can now witness the manifestation of cowardice in these Yoruba people.

Why do you people like ruining threads with your mindless bigotry? By your reasoning, Ken Nnamani is a 'coward' also. Some of you are so fond of shamelessly revising history in your attempt to fraudulently indict Yorubas alone of'wrong-doing'. Many SE politicians supported zoning you are just not smart enough or honest enough to see it let alone ever admit it. Keep fooling yourself.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/zoning-don%E2%80%99t-push-us-to-the-wall-violence-may-be-inevitable-atiku-warns/

Zoning: Don’t push us to the wall, Violence may be inevitable -Atiku warns
On December 15, 2010 · In News


By Henry Umoru
A Presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Wednesday warned that if the leadership of the Party and that of the country jettison the already existing zoning arrangement, it would amount to making violence change inevitable.

Speaking Wednesday at National Stakeholders’ Conference, 2010 at the Thisday Dome, Abuja, the former Vice President who noted that he was not praying that the political situation of the party and that of the country should get to the level of applying violent means to address the nation’s problems, also stressed that if the PDP fails to embrace reforms, it stands the risk of making itself irrelevant.

Meanwhile, Former Senate President, Iyorchia Ayu has called on Nigerians especially those from the South to put behind them those eras in the 1960s which produced coups and counter coups in the country, just as northerners became Heads of State during the periods.

According to Ayu, “North is not set out to dominate anybody. I want you to ignore the Nigerian history of 60’s that produced coups and counter coups with its leaders as northerners. It was not conspiratorial on the part of the Northern political leaders, it was accidental.

“When we had opportunity we, not only brought out President Obasanjo who was in prison for treason out, but the north made him President even when his immediate community rejected him. It was the highest show of solidarity by the North. The least our brothers from the south can do is to demonstrate and reciprocate the goodwill.”

Ayu who admitted that the task ahead them is ensuring that the Consensus Candidate for the north, Atiku Abubakar gets the party’s ticket as well as become the President of the country come next year, said, “we are trying to tell you that we have difficult task ahead of us. If you are not present here today, the consensus effort would have been a failure. But with your presence here today, Atiku ceases to be the Northern Consensus Candidate but the Consensus Candidate of Nigeria.”

The Conference which had as its theme, “Building Consensus for National Unity”, was convened by the Northern Political Leaders Forum, NPLF, the Igbo Political Forum, the Yoruba Redemption group and the South South Unity Forum.

Speaking further, Atiku said, “Our coming here is not about Atiku, it is about the peace, the unity and stability of Nigeria as exemplified by all the speakers who spoke to this audience today. Today is about building consensus for national unity. We have some elder statesmen on consensus building. It is about the rule of law, due process and standing for what is right.

“I am an instrument for realizing these value. I promise that by the grace of almighty God, we shall bring this country back to the part of honour. Before I end this short address let me send a message to our great party the PDP: if the PDP does not reform, it stands the risk of making itself irrelevant. Let me again send another message to the leadership of PDP that those who make peaceful change impossible, make violent change inevitable.”

[size=14pt]Also in his remarks, former Senate President Ken Nnamani who warned that some leaders of the country were planning to put national unity to the burner, stressed that rotation and zoning which has become part of the nation’s history, was beyond the north, the PDP, adding that it has become a national challenge.

Nnamani who noted that Nigeria has a lot to learn from the process that brought out Atiku Abubakar, stressed that it showed high sense of humility and patriotism, just as he said that if the choice was from some parts of the country, there would have been series of court litigations now, adding that zoning must be adhered to against the backdrop that all political office holders were beneficiary of same process.[/size]

[size=14pt]The former Senate President who called for the externalization of the Consensus candidate process, also called on Nigerians to disregard comments by the President General of Ohanenze Ndigbo, Ralph Uwachue, adding that as a country, we lack political will to implement agreements, adding that some politicians were over heating the polity for their gains, even as he said that there was tension in PDP because of plans to circumvent the rules.
[/size]
Roll call

General Ibrahim Babangida, General Mohammed Aliyu Gusua, Atiku Abubakar, Former Chairman, Police Affairs Commission, Chief Simon Okeke, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; Lawal Kaita; AVM Hamza Abdullahi; Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Ajia Chinyere Ogugua Agagbo; Funke Adedoyin; Professor Babalola Borishade; Alhaji Isa Ozi Salami, Professor A.T. Abubakar, Professor Sam Oyovbaire; Lawal Batagarawa; Saleh Hassan; Haruna Adamu and Saleh Hassan.

Others were former Deputy governor of Kogi, Patrick Adaba, Air Commodore Ibrahim Alkali, Farouk Bibi Farouk; Udenta Udenta; Professor Chukwuma Soludo, Professor Osita Ogbu; Mrs Titi Ajanaku, Chief Peter Biakpana; Oyewale Fashawe; Hassan Mohammed; Aboki Shuluwa; Saleh Jambo; Dr. Sam Egwu, Professor Chinwe Obaje, Professor A.B.C Nwosu; Kalu Idika Kalu; Ibrahim Kazuare; Senator Yushua Anka, Senator Hamman Bello, Dubem Onyia, Representative of Israeli Ambassador, among others

Negro_Ntns: Gbawe,

I read your response on page 9. Part of the recipe for forging ahead in progress is to wean the North of it's birthright mentality. They do not have a birthright to rulership or to bloodshed. If as you suggested West should compromise for peace by putting Fashola for VP to a Northerner on top of the ticket, then it is a position of yielding. The West must not yield, even in the face of terror and carnage.

In fact, I am in support of humbling the Northerners by denying them rulership for the next 20yrs. Let the Presidency rotate in the South and the Middle Belt and let the North learn to get along peacefully with everyone, instead of everyone else compromising to get along with the North.

This is not about any "birthright mentality" and I daresay most making noise, as Ndu Chucks surmise above, are those not in any way threatened by the terrible situation on the ground turning Nigeria into Somalia. My brother, being relatively well-insulated from the madness of Nigeria does not mean we insensitively engage in the sabre-rattling that only makes life worse for our people .

Do you think our diasporan members, with them and their family firmly ensconced in the USA, will come and fight when all-out chaos ensues? Nothing ruins a Nation faster than vacuous egotistic pontifications by those backing confrontation yet will be unaffected by any chaos their utterances will cause.

Look at the thread below and see I chillingly predicted all we see today only to be insulted by the kids who are cursed to always deploy sentiments when maturity and pragmatisim serves us far better. We need to put ego aside and make the relevant compromise to ensure peace returns. Then proactive leadership must begin. Like the one below, I am making another prediction as per 2015. Some of you will see how easily the kingmaking system will unite to rubbish all the "denying them rulership for the next 20yrs" type of utterances folks are making out of sentiments rather than from a pragmatic acceptance of what the system is likely to settle for.

I am an active 'user' of Nigeria and do not have time for chest-thumping we-are-giving-born-to-rule-North-a-bloodly-nose pontifications from afar while Nigerians continue to die with our nation sliding towards becoming Somalia. If they are appeasing MEND and are now willing to negotiate with terrorists on bended knees just to gain the peace that keeps them looting undisturbed, what is terrible with appeasing the politcal system, to save lives and our Nation, if not that egotistic ethnic grandstanding has now totally blinded some Nigerians?

Note below also that the positions of Ekt Bear and myself has not really changed even after a year. They remain defined along the lines of those safely away from the chaos being glibly insensitive while those who actually use the Nation, want her to develop quickly as other Nations, and of course will be directly affected by Nigeria becoming Iraq, urge caution.

By the way, appeasing the political system is not at all the same as appeasing Northerners. Just ask the many ultra-intelligent Southerners who supported Atiku and IBB in the last election plus produced Party candidates (ACN, CPC, ANPP) that paid homage to what the system had "agreed" upon.

https://www.nairaland.com/586801/gej-still-long-way-go

April is beset with unpredictable scenarios . I have stated it many time that abolishing zoning , with a GEJ win , may not happen , without serious reppercussion, when it is the most clannish region in Nigeria that loses out. The ACN , CPC and ANPP are all showing tacit acquiescence with zoning with how they are all fielding Northern candidates in their Presidential slot. Some of us educated folks , in our high-handedness, simply do not understand the sheer number of malleable illiterates running around joblessly and aimlessly. We think things can happen and consequences be damned , simply because we want it to , when in reality our Nation may not be ready for such events.

IMO, Jonathan will find it difficult to lead Nigeria if indeed , like many claim , he signed up for zoning only to now dump it for his own gain. Part of being a good and effective Politician is knowing the limit you can push the populace to with actions that may be irresponsible. You must understand those you lead very well also . I hope the Nigerian polity , in general , is mature enough for a Jonathan win in April given the prevailing scenario of bitter rancour caused by the zoning issue.

Ekt Bear wrote:

@Gbawe: Rampaging almajiris, sharia aren't enough for me to support zoning. And I suspect if this was all there was to it, you'd not give a damn about zoning either. So what do you fear? Coup?

If it is coup, then I'll agree that there is some cause for concern. But almost anything less than that, and I'm inclined to support GEJs (probably selfish) effort to destroy zoning.

Gbawe responded:

you still don't get my point. I dislike zoning as much as everyone else . Where we differ is that I feel , in a very divided nation where distrust is high , we must move cautiously at all times by judging the mood of the polity to ascertain when it is possible to press forward and when it is not. Nigerian leaders are fond of trying to bully their way forward without considering the fallouts from their selfish actions. The article Jarus supplied shows that it may only take some radical utterances from some Imam about "usurpers" for Nigeria to experience serious chaos. The Americans have expressed their theory of chaos many times .

I believe in fighting for what is right but I cannot fight for the self-centred ambition of visionless and selfish leaders . It is what Nigerian leaders do . They make very selfish decisions and expect the expendable Nigerians to go into the streets and die for their own selfish choices . There are several ways to skin a cat. That adage should make sense to selfless leaders who really care about Nigeria.

LOL wasn't election just last year?

It's as if we have no president lmao!!!

ndu_chucks: ^^^^ This is quite simplistic and naive.

. . .taken in background with the dog and baboon threat, would you say it is far from the reality on the ground? Truth is bitter!

Buhari took the liberty to make that threat because he believes in the effect of that myth to scare the South. It's not about rigging. . . he could care less one way or another how the Presidency is won as long it's a Northerner, the birthright owner, that wins it, otherwise there will be bloodletting. Whose blood I dare ask, the Northerner's or the Southerner's?

simplistic and naive is overused. . . find some other dimsissive word to shut me up.

LMAO!! This has to be the worst president ever..

People are already looking for ways to get rid of him before the end of his first year in office.

I laugh at the myopic/selfish calculation that shamelessly seeks to enthrone mediocrity over competence in the name of appeasement. More so, when this position is coming from those whose daily criticism of the incumbent as mediocre, and incompetent has become a matter of personal devotion. Stranger yet, that these proponents have failed to see the hypocrisy of their volte-face! Perhaps, such hypocrisy, is urged on by the greater bigoted plan to position their tribesman [/b]for potential presidency when the 'mediocre, but popular' core northern politician mandate runs it's full course!

These arm-chair cyber political analysts were the same who predicted Buhari/Bakare's victory in the last poll despite the overwhelming odds, and popular sentiments against the duo. Today, unable to learn from the previous experience, they are rooting for another mediocre (hausa/fulani man) to lord it over the competent, despite the general feeling that core north will take the back burner for a while.

In case these fellows don't feel pulse of the people, let me remind them - in 2015, power will remain in the SE/SS block, or go to the middle belt. And to the name dropper, perhaps Nnamani, Soludo (who in your opinion are the SE power broker/leaders) should enthrone your 'popular nothernern politician.'

In any case, 2015 is three years away, enough time for any permutation to be confronted with rude reality! And when 2015 comes, [b]WE know exactly what to do, and how to achieve whatever we set to achieve! In the mean time, keep rambling, and keep yearning for an Atiku over a Rochas, Duke, Fashola, and co.

We are enjoying this O-rambling!

Gbawe,

You don't believe that people will sit here and just watch their kins at home be slaughtered off by the Northerner, do you? Boko haram has survived JTF and all other Governmental security strategies to wipe them off thus far because the backbone of their operation and support is outside and far away from Nigeria. The strategy of defense has morphed. . . you will need us and we will need you, so do not discount what we say as irrelevant because our feet are not with you on the ground.

Hausa/Fulani are bragging and playing on the psyche of the South to yield to threat of bloodshed knowing it has always worked effortlessly for securing concessions from the Southerners. They are not that s t u p i d to make the coastal peoples their enemies, that will choke off their supply chain and accessibility to the market stream. They know this and is reason they are now looking for support in West in case they loose friendliness with East and South. If West, East and South block them off that will be the end of the Emirates! I must ask you, what will the South loose by doing just that?

Negro_Ntns: Gbawe,

You don't believe that people will sit here and just watch their kins at home be slaughtered off by the Northerner, do you? Boko haram has survived JTF and all other Governmental security strategies to wipe them off thus far because the backbone of their operation and support is outside and far away from Nigeria. The strategy of defense has morphed. . . you will need us and we will need you, so do not discount what we say as irrelevant because our feet are not with you on the ground.

Hausa/Fulani are bragging and playing on the psyche of the South to yield to threat of bloodshed knowing it has always worked effortlessly for securing concessions from the Southerners. They are not that s t u p i d to make the coastal peoples their enemies, that will choke off their supply chain and accessibility to the market stream. They know this and is reason they are now looking for support in West in case they loose friendliness with East and South. If West, East and South block them off that will be the end of the Emirates! I must ask you, what will the South loose by doing just that?

@ negro-ntns,am really liking your opinion/side of this debate.the entire people of south,SW,SE,SS need to inscribe the words COWARD and EEDIOT on their fore heads if they go along with those judases within the south promoting so called ''appeasement of the north''.what justification is their for such appeasement?if they feel they need appeasement,they should appease themselves.are they the ones most in need of appeasement in this country?why should someone use religious/terror groups to kill your children and you now reward him with the presidency?that is stupidity.we in the south must not allow the judases and esaus in our midst to make decisions for us.

Negro_Ntns: Gbawe,

You don't believe that people will sit here and just watch their kins at home be slaughtered off by the Northerner, do you? Boko haram has survived JTF and all other Governmental security strategies to wipe them off thus far because the backbone of their operation and support is outside and far away from Nigeria. The strategy of defense has morphed. . . you will need us and we will need you, so do not discount what we say as irrelevant because our feet are not with you on the ground.

Hausa/Fulani are bragging and playing on the psyche of the South to yield to threat of bloodshed knowing it has always worked effortlessly for securing concessions from the Southerners. They are not that s t u p i d to make the coastal peoples their enemies, that will choke off their supply chain and accessibility to the market stream. They know this and is reason they are now looking for support in West in case they loose friendliness with East and South. If West, East and South block them off that will be the end of the Emirates! I must ask you, what will the South loose by doing just that?

even though i think that you are a complete iidiiot sometimes, you talk sense here

Negro_Ntns: Gbawe,

You don't believe that people will sit here and just watch their kins at home be slaughtered off by the Northerner, do you? Boko haram has survived JTF and all other Governmental security strategies to wipe them off thus far because the backbone of their operation and support is outside and far away from Nigeria. The strategy of defense has morphed. . . you will need us and we will need you, so do not discount what we say as irrelevant because our feet are not with you on the ground.

Hausa/Fulani are bragging and playing on the psyche of the South to yield to threat of bloodshed knowing it has always worked effortlessly for securing concessions from the Southerners. They are not that s t u p i d to make the coastal peoples their enemies, that will choke off their supply chain and accessibility to the market stream. They know this and is reason they are now looking for support in West in case they loose friendliness with East and South. If West, East and South block them off that will be the end of the Emirates! I must ask you, what will the South loose by doing just that?

If only your brothers actually reason like this, then we wouldn't have been in this mess to start with.
The worst thing to happen in 2015 is giving northerners the presidency. I would rather vote a baboon or even a dog.
They need to wait 20 years after the last BH bomb has detonated before competing for anything.

Gbawe, I think this is just one of those things where we'll have to agree to disagree.

It is my fervent hope that most Yoruba people think as I do on this matter.

Negro_Ntns: Gbawe,

I read your response on page 9. Part of the recipe for forging ahead in progress is to wean the North of it's birthright mentality. They do not have a birthright to rulership or to bloodshed. If as you suggested West should compromise for peace by putting Fashola for VP to a Northerner on top of the ticket, then it is a position of yielding. The West must not yield, even in the face of terror and carnage.

In fact, I am in support of humbling the Northerners by denying them rulership for the next 20yrs. Let the Presidency rotate in the South and the Middle Belt and let the North learn to get along peacefully with everyone, instead of everyone else compromising to get along with the North.

cooooooosign!

@Akanbi_edu
Elrufai is one strong,coherent figure.

I don't care who comes in as long as he's a significant one up from president ? but definitely the alliance will be throwing up a northern candidate.The permutation works well for a notherner cos this man will run and Pdp will rig most of the deep south states and the south east heavily anyways,in the sw I don't think folks care about one of them being president at the moment because of 1 anti-mainstream preaching of the Acn.
2. Sw conventional political thinking
3.The little difference Obj made.
The north like I said earlier feels strongly that its their turn-they want it more
And lastly I want pdp dead and buried njae.

Be careful that you don't destroy the PDP and replace it with something worse.

I think that the PDP should be weakened, attacked on multiple fronts. But i am not sure that destroying it and handing over the power vacuum that remains to the North is a wise idea.

Actually, let me be less circumspect...I think it is an insane idea.

ekt_bear: Be careful that you don't destroy the PDP and replace it with something worse.

I think that the PDP should be weakened, attacked on multiple fronts. But i am not sure that destroying it and handing over the power vacuum that remains to the North is a wise idea.

Actually, let me be less circumspect...I think it is an insane idea.

Pdp is gone from bad to worse and the current happenings is a pointer it's going to get more soggy.
You see the Northerners as powerful, nope they are not at least not anymore.
Pdp is irredeemable and we cannot continue like this.
No flipping way like!

Gbawe: @Jmaine.

Aliyu is an empty Barrel pure and simple. He is given to political pontification and populist talk that do not amount to anything tangible.

That said, Ekt Bears "Fashola or nothing" position is disappointingly naive. No doubt Fashola has done well in Lagos but if you ask the Governor himself, he will probably , as a keen and very astute social observer, be happy to make certain 'concessions' because he appreciates the on-ground dynamics Ekt Bear cannot see and feel let alone account for.

No need for endless debate on Fashola. Let upcoming events prove our cases. I am willing to bet money with any nairalander that Fashola, if involved, will be VP to a popular Northerner in 2015. I stake my analytical reputation on this. The system , which me and you cannot influence for now, is what it is. Best to recognise that as the beginning of any debate.

Nothing makes this personal helplessness of me and you , to influence the system, more succinctly clear than the killings, rancor and divisiveness we are seeing today. No man , however gifted, can lead Nigeria well without peace. We have all seen our Nation become Somalia overnight while those safe and disconnected from the problems, in their diasporan bases, make insensitive suggestions that worsens things for the "pawns" on the ground. Those who kingmake will always, even if selfishly, seek to make 'reparation' that secures peace ,ala june 12 Olive branch, to enable things move along 'nicely' while internet warriors will focus on ethnic superiority bragging rights.

The ACN is not full of fools even as folks like Ekt Bear fancy themselves as uber strategist from their American base. Has anyone thought of a scenario where a Fashola Presidential ticket defeats a "nest of killers" Northern PDP ticket? Fashola simply becomes GEJ part 2 !!!! Who would want that for him?

Whereas if a Popular Opposition Northerner , with broad support, defeats the Northern candidate of the "nest of killers" , the PDP losers will certainly not find support using terrorism to forment problems for a fellow northerner - perhaps a very influential one for that matter. This is why it should be clear that the opposition has to watch the PDP rather than Ekt Bear's naive opinion that the opposition can do as they please. This is Nigeria where politics is totally 'unique' and , currently, unlike anything practised elsewhere.

Ekt Bear remains naive to the very, very important aspect of what happens after 'victory day' as many, including myself, warned GEJ supporters over in 2010-2011. "Fashola wins Nigeria lives happily ever after" is a fantasy and indicative, given all what we have seen and are seeing, of a rather severe disconnection with the balances in Nigerian politics you cannot just trample over like Bush entering Iraq simplistically, on a mission of "democracy", or America showing disdain for others because of an inflexible know-it-all arrogance that is actually ignorance.

Political systems , even with extreme flaws, are what they are. Compromising pragmatically is not weakness and even the strongest nations on Earth compromise. The end justifies the means. Fashola, a good politician, will be the first person to appreciate that concept. Let us face it. Fashola is no Sankara or Lumumba type revolutionary/hardliner.


Fashola, unlike others, would not foolishly wish to accept a 'poisoned chalice' that would mire his Presidency, unproductively, in challenges that will commit millions to misery when he can be VP, in peace, contributing massively to Nigeria's development perhaps with supervision of a critical sector like electricity (as Sambo is currently nominated) plus get a clear shot at positioning himself to be President at 56 or 60 !!! Those who genuinely want to make a change will not accept leadership under circumstances that would render the chance to make a change virtually impossible !!! This is what bears GEJ out as a vacuous leader who sought power for the sake of it alone. Responsible leaders would first seek to 'balance' issues.

Anyone with a 'living' stake in Nigeria , like Fashola himself for example, will appreciate this aspect of the debate. The ACN will not give Fashola a platform that may prolong the horror we are seeing currently and Fashola himself , committed to the unity of Nigeria, would not insist on an ambition that may prolong the misery of the nation and move us further towards disintegration that only seccesionist foolishly drool about. Simple.

One of the strenghts of being a good leader is understanding the limitation of your people, accounting for this limitation and even proactively making personal sacrifices so as to not put them in harm's way. Sometimes, the best display of leadership and intelligence is making pragmatic/sacrificial choices because of an innate understanding of prevailing conditions. I trust that Yoruba folks will show the wisdom we are reknowned for to 'steady' the ship and bring about the peace and unity that will see all the good guys ,[b] under peaceful conditions and from every corner of Nigeria, being drafted in to deliver for the Nation. Far too many folks want the progress of Nigeria to be tied to a touted greatness of their ethnic group while balanced folks who just want to get on with it [/b]will appreciate the concept of "all hands on deck".

Gbawe, I think I have to disagree with you on this matter. I just don't follow your line of reasoning here.

I believe GEJ will contest and get PDP's ticket. It is too early to predict what merger talks will present but presenting a candidate of northern extraction, by the opposition, is an automatic fail, even with Fashola as VP. All GEJ needs to do is play a Boko haram towards the election and SW is gone or at best DIVIDED, I am sure you know the implication of that. A divided SW is enough to get GEJ back on the throne. Is that what you want? At the same time, an unstable north will be easier to manipulate just like what happened in Jos and Kaduna. Crisis situation will help the incumbent.

Now consider the other option of say Fashola as the president. You are an ACN man I suppose, the minimum guarantee for this choice is PDP can not even try to rig in SW(well I like this personally, anything to kill PDP where I stand is welcome). Well that's a good point to start. Having a strong VP from the north makes it a balanced game. We shouldn't be afraid of losing if the northerners go with GEJ. Afterall, we have been in the opposition from the beginning. Look at the prospect of KILLING PDP totally in the SW, this should be of particular interest to you as a party supporter. Let me tell you, I can not over-emphasize this point, if ACN merger talks produces a candidate of northen extraction, GEJ WILL DO ANYTHING TO WIN THE ELECTION NO MATTER WHAT. Signals emanating from Osun saga should tell you we are in a DO-OR-DIE situation already. They will RIG SW election even if heaven will fall.

May be it's the way I reason, I am particularly not interested in noise of rigging after elections. I prefer others going to court to challenge election results than me doing it.

The other lines about how SW leaders need to make sacrifices to keep the unity is a VERY WEAK position to take. The SW has been in opposition from time, the SW has indeed sacrificed too much to keep Nigeria one. Keeping Nigeria one should be a task for every part of Nigeria, not a section. If the northerners want one and united country, they should be willing to make as much sacrifice as others. Anything else is totally unacceptable.

Power is not given in any part of the world and Yoruba people especially should not succumb to intimidation and threats of violence. Power arrangements should be of mutual respect and trying to avoid violence by all means is not the way to go.

Ufeolorun: @Akanbi_edu
Elrufai is one strong,coherent figure.

I don't care who comes in as long as he's a significant one up from president ? but definitely the alliance will be throwing up a northern candidate.The permutation works well for a notherner cos this man will run and Pdp will rig most of the deep south states and the south east heavily anyways,in the sw I don't think folks care about one of them being president at the moment because of 1 anti-mainstream preaching of the Acn.
2. Sw conventional political thinking
3.The little difference Obj made.
The north like I said earlier feels strongly that its their turn-they want it more
And lastly I want pdp dead and buried njae.

I must admit El-rufai is one person I respect a lot. He is got brains and courage and would make a great president. But for the reasons I mentioned before, i don't think he would win against the incumbent.

Akanbi_edu:
The other lines about how SW leaders need to make sacrifices to keep the unity is a VERY WEAK position to take. The SW has been in opposition from time, the SW has indeed sacrificed too much to keep Nigeria one. Keeping Nigeria one should be a task for every part of Nigeria, not a section. If the northerners want one and united country, they should be willing to make as much sacrifice as others. Anything else is totally unacceptable.

+10,000

Beaf:

I now have a firm figure for your IQ, bro.
Quality like Fashola as Vice to the dog and baboon? No permutation for 1/3's votes in 2/3 of states? Clever stuff!

STFU what is the need for permutation on 19 northern states and 6 south western states= 25 states, isnt'it?