₦airaland Forum

Backslider I absolutely agree with u. In fact you have been thinking what I have been thinking. During my service year (NYSC) I was told the very essence of that excersize was to integrate Nigeria and I wondered what a waste of time. How 20year olds and over who have learnt a particular way of life and religion all their life will drop their religion merely because they went for service one year only our leaders will know.

Then I was a Mathematics teacher at a primary school in Sokoto and my students where doing well only in Hausa Language, Arabic studies and Islamic Religous Studies; and I began to wonder that at the age 21 some of my students will go for service in christain south and people will expect them to integrate overnight, we are not a very serious nation was my conclusion.

If we seriously want to build a secular society, we have to abolish subjects like Christain Religous Knowledge, Islamic Religous studies, Hausa social studies or Igbo people and culture etc. from our our primary schools and secondary schools. Then replace them with History of Nigeria pre and post independence or courses like the Nigerian Dream where people are thought to put national interest first. People who want to learn about Religion should do those in Churches and Mosques and not in our schools.

Another vital thing you mentioned is putting priority on place of birth no matter the language you speak.

Though before this can be done there needs to be sincerety from those in power. People will not think Nigeria when the leaders are thinking of themselves.

As for me, I do not vote along individual lines first. I look first at what your party believes in and what it stand

Nigerian parties dont have values

Women has never been more than female in Nigeria so I believe the result was true.

not sure what you were getting at eddy

Make all this false prophets leave story, because e don hear say Yaradua no well. Why him no predict for August say Yaradua go be PDP flagbearer.

oh dear!!!!!!! heard pat utomi has proposed death penalty for whoever is caught in the act.

the nothern elites keep on blind folding and impoverishing the masses so that when election or census comes they will brainwaish them with religous sentiments to influence votes and other associated things. So as to have the upper hand in politics of Nigeria.
The pathetic side is that the poor masses have nothing to benefit from the whole process yet they refuse to stop listening to their deceptive leaders.

All this gra gra wey una dey make, no be Nigeria we dey? Lets see what the court will say though. Even if the courts say Atiku should remain VP and contest for presidency under AC the matter will not end there. He has issues of corruption that are unresolved before the court of Law. He will not pass screening.
It will be easier for the camel to pass the eye of a pin than for Atiku to take part in next years election or even become president.

Decamping to AC and wanting to retain the vice presidency in a PDP led government is not a laid down procedure either.
It is the duty of opposition parties whose members defected to PDP to petition INEC and not the PDP, That people got away with it in the past does not make it legal or constitutional. Atiku can not walk arround the constitution he claims to uphold simple.

He should act responsibly, heard he is calling on the Nigerian people and Military to overthrow OBJ. He is on his own and when he comes back from vacation he will learn to respect the constitution more.

Not even the National Assembly has the right to declare the VP's seat vacant if it is not vacant let alone the PDP. However if the seat is vacant going by events such as resignation, impeachment, death or incapacitation of the previous occupier the PDP or the President in shopping for another candidate can say it is vacant and needs to be filled up people come and lobby for it.

This whole issue boils down to the need for any leader to negotiate for their own people. If Saddam served his people he would not have faced this whether democracy or not.
I personally think America are only attempting to use the death of Saddam as certificate of success which I personally think is nonsense.

Well I hope that Nouri Al-Maliki and the Iraqi people will realise that they can only get America out of Iraq when they reconcile and begin to pursue their own National interest. America does not love Shiites nor Sunis nor Kurds they are in Iraq for their selfish end and they need to realise this.

I personally dont pity Saddam and wish others will realize. BigB1 your list is not complete it should include one Nigerian ex-leader.

Link to full copy of constitution

http://www.nigeria.gov.ng/Nigerian%20Constitution.pdf

This topic is wrong in the first place. OBJ has not removed Atiku form office, he is not even oblivious of the fact that he has no powers to do that because we have seen more damning confrontations between OBJ and Atiku without OBJ reacting in this manner.
If he has done this on this occassion we should ask ourselves why?

The point is that OBJ did not sack Atiku he rather declared Atiku's seat vacant because it is vacant. Going by section 142 of the constitution Atiku declaring for AC automatically suggests he has lost his seat. So OBJ was only announcing to Nigerians the latest developments in the presidency owing to events and has not in anyway assumed the powers of Legislator or Judiciary to sack his deputy.
See excerpts from the constitution below

142. (1) In any election to which the foregoing provisions of this Part of
this Chapter relate, a candidate for an election to the office of President
shall not be deemed to be validly nominated unless he nominates another
candidate as his associate from the same political party for his running for
the office of President, who is to occupy the office of Vice-President and
that candidate shall be deemed to have been duly elected to the office of
Vice-President if the candidate for an election to the office of President
who nominated him as such associate is duly elected as President in
accordance with the provisions aforesaid.
(2) The provisions of this Part of this Chapter relating to qualification
for election, tenure of office, disqualification, declaration of assets
and liabilities and oaths of President shall apply in relation to the
office of Vice-President as if references to President were references to
Vice-Presiden

146. (1) The Vice-President shall hold the office of President if the office
of President becomes vacant by reason of death or resignation, impeachment,
permanent incapacity or the removal of the President from office for any
other reason in accordance with section 143 of this Constitution.
(2) Where any vacancy occurs in the circumstances mentioned in subsection
(1) of this section during a period when the office of Vice-President is
also vacant, the President of the Senate shall hold the office of
President for a period of not more than three months, during which there
shall be an election of a new President, who shall hold office for the
unexpired term of office of the last holder of the office.
(3) Where the office of Vice-President becomes vacant:-
(a) by reason of death or resignation, impeachment, permanent
incapacity or removal in accordance with section 143 or 144 of this
Constitution;
(b) by his assumption of the office of President in accordance with
subsection (1) of this section; or
(c) for any other reason,
the President shall nominate and, with the approval of each House of
the National Assembly, appoint a new Vice-President

OBJ should even start shopping for a deputy who he should nominate for the approval of the National Assembly because Atiku's movement to the AC amounts to technical resignation.

maybe now women can have more husbands!

Dont rejoice in vain!!! the result is not very accurate. Have you wondered why its very difficult this days to find a husband. I heard in the 50s and 60s it was difficult not find a wife now its the other way round.

If that is why you think there is any myth left in IBB, then I will tell you that you have only succeeded in placing him in a class even below where I will ordinarily place him. Maybe I need to review my notion of him IBB. A lot of criminals out there are yet to be brought to book, ordinary local government chairmen kill their rivals and get away with it.

The same dele giwa case you are talking about was used to blackmail him to chicken out from PDP. The inability to send IBB to jail over the murder of giwa or vatsa is not just about the person IBB it is because during his era so many other people died mysteriously in other government and probing IBB will call for probing others and bringing them to book. And some of those people are still part of the current system.
But what a shame that you will refer to th fact that he has'nt been sent to jail as one of his myth. Meaning that you attest to the fact that he should be in jail
Why then are you guys wishing someone who you know should be in jail to rule this country.

Please Kituan what has Gani found out this past few years and tell us what you mean?

sorri non among that lot deserve my vote.

I will vote for Utomi even when its obvious he might not win

This letter to me is a sign of a true leader, a sign of loyalty, a sign of upstandingness, a sign of honor, a sign of dignity, a sign of high standard, a sign of high respect. Bravo to IBB.
I'm proud to commend IBB for exhibiting such a superior high class

It is obvious and confirmed by many that most Nigerian leaders are lacking any of these qualities.
And the dead heads wonder why 76% of the nation are utterly behind IBB.

Don't get it twisted folks; I can assure you that this is only the beginning; let's sit and watch.

I stand upright by my belief; My support for IBB remains incompressible.

May God bless Nigeria.

All trash!!!!!!!!!!!!! its only an exit strategy born out of good old fear.
BigB1 you will be doing us a favour if you could as well produce the letter writen by IBB to OBJ requesting his exemption from the screening process and when OBJ refused he now came up with this letter.
Sometime in August of this year this same IBB granted an interview with the sun, in one of his comments he alleged that "there is nothing wrong if a sitting minister is attempting to succed the President" By that he was insinuating that El-Rufai is attempting to succeed OBJ.
If he was very much in the know as you guys claim why did he not know as late as August this year who the Presidents choice actually is?


Lewa, Donzman and others, I will adivice you guys not to loose sleep over this talk of IBB. The wild hopes and dreams of IBB to return to power is a source of trade to some people and to such people they will become unemployed anyday IBB throws in the towel. They will rather device a means to keep on speculating that the man will return to power so as to keep their job secured. My advice for you guys is to seek an alternative job cos the man has accepted defeat.

I am happy that Saddam is going to the gallows not because of what US and UK makes of him but because of how he maltreated his people. Talking about his misdeeds somebody armed him.
It is like the case of charlse taylor where he is accused of attrocities in siera leone, yet people supplied the amunitions used by the rebels but nobody will checkmate such deals or bring the people in question to justice.
Leaders of the third world countries need to realise that US and UK are no friends.

me think the guy don cut out and will come back after may 2007

People are just talking, Obj has not impeached his VP nor Sacked him. He is not even oblivious of the fact that he lacks the powers to do that otherwise he would have done that long ago since they both had open confrontation.
Declaring the seat vacant is not so strange as it seems cos that is what the presidency would have done if Atiku was honourable enough to tender a resignation letter. But Atiku on the other hand as the No.2 citizen of the country knows the constitutional implication of moving to another party and thus if he has gone ahead to do that he has technically resigned. Which of course calls for the reaction the situation got from the presidency.

Howere there is only a single route out of this to restore sanity to system. The National Assembly will void the pronouncement by the presidency on the ground that there is no formal letter from the VP detailing his resignation. However it must mandate Atiku to either resign from office as VP and pursue his ambition or remain as VP and forget his ambition on another political party. Which if he refuses to do either of them he will face impeachment cos the act of being the VP in a PDP led government and yet the presidential flagbearer of the AC is in itself unconstitutional and threatening the National security which him the VP should be a stake holder.


the truth is that no need for long gramma the VP should just resign, decency demands that he does. He has brought disrepute to the office of the VP

Just like it happened in Oyo State where Governor Rashidi Ladoja’s impeachment by 18 lawmakers was nullified by the court, a Federal High Court in Awka this morning declared as null and void the purported impeachment of Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State by 14 of the 24 lawmakers of the state. Delivering his ruling this morning in the suit filed by Governor Obi against his removal, Justice Umegbolu Nri-Ezedi said the impeachment is unconstitutional, null and void. He ordered that Mr. Obi should be reinstated as governor of the state immediately.

Gov. Peter Obi was impeached at about 5.00 a.m. on Thursday, 2 November 2006, by 21 members of the State House of Assembly. His deputy, Virgy Etiaba who, earlier refused to succeed Obi was sworn in as governor a day after. Governor Obi’s impeachment took everybody in the state unawares as the lawmakers threw the governor out at dawn, even before the seven-man probe panel submitted its report. The legislators were believed to have impeached the governor for his alleged deliberate marginalisation of them, by not taking them into confidence in the running of the affairs of the state. The governor was impeached 48 hours after President Olusegun Obasanjo ended his state visit to Anambra, during which he bluntly told Governor Obi that he would not return to office in May 2007.

somebody said it is all a joke. he believes peter obi has made a deal with the powers that be. the deal? simple. he helps rig the elections for andy uba, since with AC fielding Ngige, there is no way PDP can win.

This talk of powers that be having a hand in everything is why we hardly fight for our rights in this country. Probably the powers that be also killed third term at the floor of national assembly. People wake up the judge that took part in the dubious removal of Obi was suspended last week. Was that facilitated by the powers that be tooo?

Uba's days in politics of Anambra and Nigeria are numbered period.

Kituan I don't like to abuse people but I am afraid to say that I personally think you are a waiste of space on this thread. The essence of Nairaland is not to tell us what Nigeria already is or how change is unachievable Otherwise this website is better closed.
Once upon a time we were in a military rule that never intended to come to an end but somehow democracy came, once upon a time the present administration sort a third term yet they were stopped and a transition is happening in 2007. Nothing is impossible.

Besides that I don't think this site was designed to discuss impossiblilities. If the powers that be block those specific numbers which might cut across different service providers like MTN, Glo, Vmobile and the rest it will now be obvious that there is conspiracy. I don't think any right thinking party will love to be identified with such conspiracy.

Our democracy will grow if we want to, Kituan if every other person in this country thinks like you IBB would have still been the Military head of state.

Kituan I dont like to abuse people but I am afraid to say that I personally think you are a waiste of space on this thread. The essence of Nairaland is not to tell us what Nigeria already is or how change is unachievable Otherwise this website is better closed.
Once upon a time we were in a military rule that never intended to come to an end but somehow democracy came, once upon a time the present administration sort a third term yet they were stopped and a transition is happening in 2007. Nothing is impossible.

Besides that I dont think this site was designed to discuss impossiblilities. If the powers that be block those specific numbers which might cut across different service providers like MTN, Glo, Vmobile and the rest it will now be obvious that there is conspiracy. I dont think any right thinking party will love to be identified with such conspiracy.

Our democracy will grow if we want to, Kituan if every other person in this country thinks like you IBB would have still been the Military head of state.

rigging in 2007

Civil rights groups and media houses can actually help checkmate rigging. In 2007 special phone numbers should be made available to the general public by media houses and Civil right groups such that after voting people can actually wait for INEC reperesentatives at the polling centre to count their votes, after which people can generally send records of voting stating the figures and name of their polling centres and send them to the special numbers set out by media houses and civil society groups like NLC. With that these media houses can actually have an estimate of the record of votes using the most popular results sent in earliest (Before any rigging number would have been agreed by criminals) such that if at the end of the day INEC starts producing bogus figures we will simply have our evidence to start up a revolution there and then.

Each state of the federation or even each LGA can have a particular mobile number; such that at the end the records will be collated. its not very dificult so that at least our votes will actually count in this country. These are some of the roles technology play in a society. When london metro was bombed video messaging from the general public played a very important role to investigating who was behind it. Let us learn to protect out future in this country.

Rigging in 2007

Civil rights groups and media houses can actually help checkmate rigging. In 2007 special phone numbers should be made available to the general public by media houses and Civil right groups such that after voting people can actually wait for INEC reperesentatives at the polling centre to count their votes, after which people can generally send records of voting stating the figures and name of their polling centres and send them to the special numbers set out by media houses and civil society groups like NLC. With that these media houses can actually have an estimate of the record of votes using the most popular results sent in earliest (Before any rigging number would have been agreed by criminals) such that if at the end of the day INEC starts producing bogus figures we will simply have our evidence to start up a revolution there and then.

Each state of the federation or even each LGA can have a particular mobile number; such that at the end the records will be collated. its not very dificult so that at least our votes will actually count in this country. These are some of the roles technology play in a society. When london metro was bombed video messaging from the general public played a very important role to investigating who was behind it. Let us learn to protect out future in this country.

why don't you vote for alhaji abubakar gaya, do you know his background?

How many past officials went on television to do a "show"
Obasanjo didnt do attend the debate with olu falaye did he?
Why don't all the candidate go on television

Are u now suggesting that is the most appropriate thing to do?
Are you suggesting that in 2007 Nigeria it is right for people who are TV shy to aspire to be president? Maybe thats why we are heading no where.

The Presidency was not zoned as some of you have erroneously mentioned. Rochas Okorocha still ran, and he is not a northerner. He ended up coming second. Duke realized that he would not win as the party bigwigs decided to support Yar Adua.

Kazaure, I am afraid that is not very accurate. The presidency was zoned to the north by the PDP. If the Presence of Rochas in the race meant it was not zoned how about in 1999 when Abubakar Rimi ran against OBJ.
Rochas was in the race just for fun of it and to position himself for political recognition, he is presently spearheading Yar'adua's campaign in the south-east.

Unfortunately Duke played like a sore loser and decided to remove his hat from the VP running, and went publicly to claim the presidency has been zoned

Respecting party wishes and explaining to your fans why you quit is not the act of a sore looser. I personally think he displayed maturity.
If what should be a party election primaries turns out to be a coronation ceremony, what is the point taking part in it when you know its mere formality. All the fans of Donald Duke are absolutely proud of him, no matter what. PDP should bury their head in shame for preventing the rare gem.
Like a leader who knows what he is doing, what was his next act after quiting the primaries? he went straight home to commision a metro rail line from magret ekpo international airport to tinapa bussiness resort.

Right now a serious carnival is taking place in calarbar where people both Nigerian and Foreigners are enjoying christmas. That is the quality of leadership we have just lost.

Nobody will care about whether the president is from North or South, all we want is quality leadership. The world is moving very fast and we are going backwards. Telling us some is a rebel or prudent with finacial resources and yet we will never see the person on national TV talking about the economy and how he plans to run it in this digital age is too huge a gamble for Nigeria to take. I am sorry to say it but I think Yar'adua is not the best choice for 2007 Nigeria.

There is hardly anywhere else in the world that a tarciturn presidential aspirant will be the front runner other than in Nigeria where leaders are imposed by the powers that be. Yaradua has nothing else going for him other than he is the crown prince and I feel so ashamed that a thing like this is still happening in 2007 Nigeria.

Bauchi State chairman of All Peoples Grand Alliance (APGA), AIhaji Abubakar Gaya, has challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), 2007 presidential candidate, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’Adua for a televised public debate on his stewardship as the governor of Katsina State for the past seven years to serve as a spring board for his presidential ambition.

Speaking as a guest speaker at a one-day workshop organised for se1ected politicians in opposition in the North-East sub-region, held at Sogiji Hotel, Bauchi, Abubakar Gaya said that it is on record that Yar’Adua before becoming the governor of Katsina State was entrusted with t he management of a poultry farm said to be owned by his late brother but could not even manage the farm not to talk of serving a complex country such as Nigeria that is in desperate need of a nationalist that has the vision, focus, energy and interest of the country at heart and determined to serve.

According to him, the PDP has truly lost touch with the feelings of the people and has mapped out plans of scuttling the democracy in 2007 by imposing unpopular and failed politicians on the people despite the need to elect credible personalities that would correct the mistakes committed against the people by the out-going Obasanjo administration, stressing that when the history of this country is to be written, the likes of Umar Yar’Adua would feature as those ones entrusted with leadership positions but abused the trust and enslaved the people for myopic reasons. “ For God’s sake, what has Umar achieved in Katsina state that convinced him to aspire to the nation’s presidency?”, he asked.

The out-spoken radical politician further opined that the PDP has today turned out to be an enclave of political adventurers that are determined to muzzle life out of the democracy for selfish reasons and have strategised to achieve that evil intention with the connivance of some security operatives and INEC officials in 2007, warning that, “ as politicians, we are equally prepared to defend our rights, the rights of the people and the democracy even at the point death because we cannot allow a selfish few to continue to hold the country to ransom without resistance”.

He noted that with the: ‘selection’ of Yar’Adua as the PDP 2007 presidential candidate against the wish of other members of the party, the game plan of the party has been discovered and is now left to Nigerians to resist all attempts of imposing the candidate on the people in 2007 as their president or ,the country may witness a period of complete under development with rampant cases of corruption and embezzlement of entrusted public funds. “Umar is yet to develop Katsina State despite the resources entrusted to him and yet he aspires to administer Nigeria as if the country was unfortunate in creation without the blessings of the Almighty”, he pointed out.

God forgive us, we don't even know anything about this man and are about to gamble away our next 4years at least (it could be 8 ). Why can't he come out on National TV and debate the economic future of this country with other candidates. This mob culture of "you don win" will get us nowhere.

The point is that you guys are not getting the gist. By Atiku declaring for AC recently he lacks the moral right to remain in office as VP going by section 146 of the constitution. However the consitution only provides three means for which Atiku could leave office (death, impeachment and resignation), in the civilized world what Atiku would have done is to resign but he has refused to do that. For this reason the PDP has declared his seat vacant striping him of his privilages (a move which is very controversial as PDP or Presidency has no right to do that).
So Atiku  for fear of posssibility of facing EFCC arrest goes on a strange holiday in the USA via london on board a commercial flight (BAA). Technically he has gone on exile because I personally don't see him returning to Nigeria until after may 2007.

See excerpts of the news,

The presidency this morning said that Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s seat would be declared vacant. This follows his decision to contest the 2007 presidential election under the platform of the Action Congress (AC). Abubakar Atiku was elected on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party. Speaking with P.M.News this morning, Alhaji Uba Sani, Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, said the Presidency is now shopping for a replacement for Atiku. He said all privileges attached to the office of the Veepee have been withdrawn. Sani, who said he pitied the Vice President for his action, which he took out of ignorance, added that there is no way he can continue to be the vice president of a PDP-led government.

“By his action, he has ceased to be the VP. He has resigned his position technically,” Sani said. According to Sani, the VP also breached Section 146 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by going to contest under another platform outside the platform that brought him to office. When reminded about the provisions of the constitution regarding the removal of the VP from office, the special assistant declared: “The constitution is very clear on that. Atiku was misinformed and misled as regards the provisions of the constitution. “At the moment, all necessary action would be taken to take away the office from him since he is no longer a member of the ruling PDP,” he stated.

Indications of the withdrawal of the privileges of the Vice President came yesterday when Atiku was denied the use of the presidential aircraft by the president for a trip to the United States. Atiku had to travel by a commercial flight. Some of the privileges enjoyed by the Vice President and now withdrawn include: Special Security, Presidential Aides, Use of Presidential Jets, Travel Allowances and other perquisites of office; Police Orderly, SSS Operatives, Official Protocol and recognition at public events. P.M.NEWS observed that the Vice President was not recognised yesterday during the presentation of national honours to some select Nigerians. The National Executive Committee of the PDP also condemned the action of the Vice President today. Short of announcing the expulsion of Atiku Abubakar from the party, the NEC asked the party’s chairman, Ahmadu Ali to apprise INEC and the National Assembly about the current status of the vice president and the governor of Abia State, Orji Kalu, both of whom picked the tickets of AC and PPA to pursue presidential ambitions this week.

As far as the party was concerned, the actions of the two politicians “have rendered nugatory the privileges of membership of the PDP”. It also said the action of Atiku contradicted his status as the Vice President of Nigeria. The NEC not only condemned the two men, but also empowered the president to pursue constitutional means to sanction both Atiku and Orji Kalu. Indications that Atiku will be declared a persona non grata in the PDP emerged this afternoon after a member of the National Executive Council came out and exclaimed: “Atiku is finished in PDP. He is a goner.” Meanwhile, following his public declaration for Action Congress on Wednesday in Lagos, intense pressures are reportedly being mounted on Atiku to resign. P.M.NEWS authoritatively gathered that pressures for Atiku to quit office are being mounted both by foes and friends alike for different reasons.

While the political foes of the Vice President are insisting that he must quit his position as the number two man, having violated section 142 (1) and (2) of the 1999 constitution as a result of his declaration for AC, his friends want him to quit on moral grounds. Some associates of the VP were said to have based their argument on the fact that he had suffered much humiliation from the President and it is time to stop the debasement of the number two position. They argued that instead of continuing to suffer humiliation, Atiku should resign and launch an all out campaign against the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In this way, the associates explained further, Atiku would be able to enlighten the people about his manifesto and why they should vote out PDP in the next elections. Also commenting on the imperative of Atiku quitting office, Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, said Atiku ceased to be the Vice President of Nigeria the moment he emerged as the presidential flagbearer of AC in the 2007 presidential elections.

He appealed to the veepee to vacate office and allow a new vice president to be appointed under section 142, sub-sections (1), (2) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, he must be of the same political party with the President for him to be elected with the president. “He has turned asunder that platform thereby violating section 142 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, by moving from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Action Congress (AC),” Chief Fawehinmi stated in a statement sent to P.M.NEWS. Meanwhile, the Action Congress has slammed the PDP-led federal government for denying Vice President Atiku Abubakar the use of the presidential jet to travel to the US on vacation, saying the development is a reflection of the scorched-earth and crude tactics being used by President Olusegun Obasanjo and the ruling party to further denigrate the office of the VP.

In a statement issued in Abuja Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Muhammad, AC said the development also confirms fears expressed by the VP during his acceptance speech Wednesday, after picking the presidential ticket of the AC in Lagos. The VP had said he was sure that the government will step up his persecution, after dumping the dying PDP for a party populated by proven democrats. AC said despite an earlier approval of the vacation by President Obasanjo, and an agreed schedule for the VP to travel out of Abuja on the presidential jet Wednesday night, the President informed the Airport Commandant not to release the plane for the VP’s use. The party said though the VP eventually travelled out of Abuja aboard a commercial airline Thursday, the President’s action smacks of intolerance.

For the records Yaradua is not old, people say he is sick though. He is in his 50s


Breaking News!!!!! the news of the moment is that ATIKU ABUBAKAR VICE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA HAS GONE ON EXILE.

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All Good Things,
Let me start with an apology for the long silence since the last post on Friday last week. You would agree with me that the manner in which things took a different turn over the weekend calls for a lot of introspection. But know this, that on Friday morning I was optimistic about the successful eventuality of picking the PDP ticket for the presidential elections. However, by Friday evening, I was no longer a candidate. The gap in between is best left for the PDP hierarchy to give details.
A lot of mixed emotions have greeted me since last Friday since the announcement of my withdrawal from the race to pick the party’s nomination for presidential office. Some of you have expressed anger, some disgust while others have expressed empathy. I understand the different dispositions which I believe stem from the information made available to you all.
Let me emphasise that in party politics, the party to which one belongs takes pre-eminence in the deciding of who goes for what office. If you had read my previous notes on this presidential journey, I had stated that I was going before my party to seek their consent to contest for the post of President. When I made my declaration on November 7, it was under this purview that I indicated my interest in the candidacy for the post of President. By doing so, I subjected myself to the supremacy of the party, in this case the PDP. As a serving governor of a state, belonging to the National Executive Committee, and being a prospective presidential candidate to be sponsored by the party, I am thus bound by any decision that the party’s top echelon may take before or after the primaries. The party’s decision last Friday to zone the presidency to the North, hard as it may be to accept, must be respected.
Does this in any way diminish the ideals which I stand for? By no means. The election to presidential office would have accelerated the achievement of our paradigm for a great Nigeria. However, the fact that one is not able to attain that office, therefore, only slows down the accomplishment of that dream. But we must still pursue that dream slowly but surely. In this regard I implore you to remain steadfast in the continued pursuit of achieving the great Nigeria of our dreams. We must have it in mind that the attainment of our dreams can be achieved, not only by the attainment of political office, but through the collective will of all. We all must unite to develop that will, to make it stronger and surer.
As a committed member of the PDP, I must invite you to lend your support to our party’s flagbearer, my friend and colleague, Alhaji Umar Yar’Adua, Governor of Katsina State as he marches towards the presidency in 2007. Before and after the nomination on Saturday last week, he had shown me tremendous friendship. This I shall cherish for a long time. Please join me in congratulating him on this significant assignment.
In deference to the presidential campaign of my friend and in order not to constitute an alter ego to the main agenda of the party to which I belong I regret to say we can no longer continue interaction at the level which we have done in the past few days until such a time that it would be practical to do so. I am most grateful for your unalloyed support – the time you all have taken to make one or two contributions on this blog. The comments have, for most of it, been very pleasant and useful. The camaraderie has been unprecedented. I shall definitely miss the interface. Please let the communications which you have developed among you, individually, continue. It would definitely help in building the hope that was begun. Thank you dearly.
I remain yours truly, Donald Duke.