₦airaland Forum

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This is like probing the National Assembly, It is impossible to probe the National Assembly in this country. I have always said the only way to sanitize this economy is t kill everyone that is over 10years old, 'cos everyone else understands corruption! Naija , I hail thee ooo , .

Now let the game begin, Its getting more and more interesting

[b][color=Black]President Goodluck Jonathan has met with ex-military president Ibrahim Babangida over the 2011 elections and his plan to bid for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket.

But the meeting ended as soon as it started because the President’s intention to sound out Babangida on the possibility of getting him to step down failed.

Babangida, according to sources close to the meeting, stuck to his guns, vowing to contest the election.

The meeting was held in Minna at the home of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, former Head of State, who handed over power to President Olusegun Obasanjo at the outset of the return to civil rule in 1999. Gen. Abubakar brokered the meeting.Jonathan reportedly told Babangida of his intention to run, stressing that the pressure from the Southsouth to contest for president "is too much to resist."

A source said: "The President said he decided to meet with Babangida to inform him of his intention to seek a fresh term in office.

"He said courtesy demanded that he should put Babangida in confidence and solicit his support."

But Babangida reportedly explained that there was no going back on his ambition to contest. He was quoted as saying that he had nothing against President Jonathan but added: "I have also been under pressure from my people since 2007 to run for this office."

He then wished the president well in his electoral pursuit. The source added: "The two leaders will now meet on the battlefield."

It was learnt that with Babangida’s comments, the parties knew it was time to call it a day. The meeting lasted only 10 minutes.

Although the Director (Media and Communications) of the Babangida Presidential Campaign Organisation, Kassim Afegbua, declined comments on the meeting last night, top brass in the two leaders’ camps confirmed the meeting.

There are strong indications that the President and his strategists are targeting 10 of the 29 PDP states as their stronghold for the PDP primaries. They met on Wednesday night to review their plans. There are fears that governors may not back him.

The President’s camp is targeting 100 per cent in those 10 states. It will join the scramble for 40 to 50 per cent of the votes with other presidential aspirants in other states.

It was gathered that the review meeting with the President was attended by the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo.

Another source said: "At the meeting, it was agreed that Jonathan camp’s target is to get 100 per cent support from 10 governors and fight its way through the primaries in other states."

A statement by the Babangida campaign organization spokesman Kassim Afegbua criticized the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Southwest Zone for endorsing Jonathan for 2011.

"The reported endorsement of the undeclared intention of President Jonathan by the Southwest PDP does not reflect the actual permutations on ground.[/color]"[/b]