Atiku, IBB, Saraki, Gusau Seal 2011 Deal
Sunday, 28 November 2010 00:00 Theophilus Abbah & Muideen Olaniyi
From left: General Aliyu Gusau, General Ibrahim Babangida and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, at Atiku’s residence in Asokoro, Abuja ...yesterday. Pic: Muideen Olaniyi
- Ben - Obi now Atiku’s Campaign DG
- Jonathan warns against money politics
- Pray for Nigeria -Nwodo
The four presidential aspirants from the North under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who have declared support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, yesterday sealed their deal toward the 2011 elections and announced the fusion of their campaign structures.
The four, General Ibrahim Babangida, Governor Bukola Saraki, General Aliyu Gusau and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, met for several hours at Atiku’s residence in Asokoro, Abuja, after which they came out to inform journalists of their decision to work towards Atiku’s success. They announced that Senator Ben Obi had been appointed as the new Director General of the Atiku Campaign Organisation.
Senator Obi, who was Atiku’s running mate in the 2007 Presidential election under the banner of the Action Congress (AC), was the Director General of General Aliyu’s campaign organization, until the Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) last Monday picked Atiku as consensus candidate put forward by the group.
The appointment of Senator Obi dispelled rumours of serious in-fighting among the members of the consensus group, capped with speculations that some of those who had declared their commitment to the arrangement may back out and seek presidential tickets under other political parties or decamp to join President Jonathan’s team.
Unconfirmed reports said, apart from the fusion of the campaign organizations, the four may have agreed on power-sharing if Atiku wins in 2011, but this was not made known to journalists by former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, who spoke after their closed door meeting. Babangida, however, disclosed that all the other aspirants will accompany Atiku to campaign for him.
Fielding questions from journalists on the outcome of the meeting, Babangida said the appointment of Senator Ben Obi as the Director General of Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation had been endorsed.
Babangida’s interactions with journalists after the meeting went thus:
Reporters: Why are you here?
Babangida: We have come for consensus. Immediately after the announcement of the consensus candidate, we have not been able to formally meet as a body and that is why we are here.
Reporters: Can you give an insight into some of the issues discussed?
Babangida: We approved the appointment of His Excellency, Senator Ben Obi as the Director General of the Campaign.
Reporters: Have you agreed on a unified campaign platform?
Babangida: Yes, sir, we have.
Reporters: Did you also discuss the issue of running mate to Atiku?
Babangida: No, not yet.
Reporters: Will you be accompanying him to campaigns?
Babangida: Yes, sir.
Reporters: Did you discuss the issue of running mate?
Chorus: They have asked him now.
Babangida: The answer is no. I repeat it. You are a good man.
Reporters: You were quoted yesterday (Friday) that you will soon address the nation about the next line of action.
Babangida: You can go and read what I said. I never mentioned any plan to address the nation.
Reporters: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo attempted to ridicule the consensus candidate, what is your opinion on his comments, which I am laughing?
Babangida: I am a junior officer. By tradition, I’m not supposed to comment on what a senior officer said.
Reporters: Democratically, sir, Obasanjo spoke as a democrat. Now you are in a democratic setting, what is your comment?
Babangida: He is still a General.
Reporters: Are you laughing, sir?
Babangida: About what?
Reporters: General Obasanjo said he dey laugh.
Babangida: No, I’m talking to all of you.
Meanwhile, Senator Obi, the former Director General of Aliyu Gusau Campaign Organisation, whose appointment was ratified yesterday said that the whole campaign team will be meeting in the next 24 hours to give detailed information on their activities.
When asked to mention his Deputy, Obi replied, “I have just been told about the appointment. So we will let you know. You know it is the whole campaign organizations that have been collapsed into one. You will probably get information because we will be meeting in the next 24 hours”.
In the meantime, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, has urged the church and the clergy to pray for Nigeria for the success of the forthcoming general election in 2011.
Dr Nwodo told a gathering of Catholic Church leadership in Port Harcourt, Rivers State after being conferred with the Pontifical Honours at the 6th Convocation ceremony of the Catholic Institute of West Africa last Thursday that more than ever before Nigeria needed all the prayers to get it right through 2011 elections.
A statement by Nwodo’s media aide, Ike Abonyi, quoted him as pleading with the Church to hand over the next year’s general election to God through their prayers because without that, democratic development would suffer great setback.
He said that the body language of President Goodluck Jonathan, his actions through the appointment of Prof. Attahiru Jega and swift release of funds to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) among others shows government’s determination to put things right.
But Nwodo said that even with the Presidential determination, the entire process still need prayer for God to frustrate the efforts of those who would want to torpedo it.
The National Chairman said that his party being the ruling and the biggest are aware of the importance of their getting it right hence the National Working Committee (NWC) resolved to carry out some reform in the party that would imbibe internal democracy, level playing ground for all contestants and zero tolerance for all forms of electoral offences.
Dr Nwodo, a Knight of St. John International of the Catholic Church got the award along with some other prominent Nigerians following a recommendation from the Catholic Bishops of Anglophone countries of West Africa.
From left: General Aliyu Gusau, General Ibrahim Babangida and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, at Atiku’s residence in Asokoro, Abuja ...yesterday. Pic: Muideen Olaniyi
- Ben - Obi now Atiku’s Campaign DG
- Jonathan warns against money politics
- Pray for Nigeria -Nwodo
The four presidential aspirants from the North under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who have declared support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, yesterday sealed their deal toward the 2011 elections and announced the fusion of their campaign structures.
The four, General Ibrahim Babangida, Governor Bukola Saraki, General Aliyu Gusau and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, met for several hours at Atiku’s residence in Asokoro, Abuja, after which they came out to inform journalists of their decision to work towards Atiku’s success. They announced that Senator Ben Obi had been appointed as the new Director General of the Atiku Campaign Organisation.
Senator Obi, who was Atiku’s running mate in the 2007 Presidential election under the banner of the Action Congress (AC), was the Director General of General Aliyu’s campaign organization, until the Adamu Ciroma-led Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) last Monday picked Atiku as consensus candidate put forward by the group.
The appointment of Senator Obi dispelled rumours of serious in-fighting among the members of the consensus group, capped with speculations that some of those who had declared their commitment to the arrangement may back out and seek presidential tickets under other political parties or decamp to join President Jonathan’s team.
Unconfirmed reports said, apart from the fusion of the campaign organizations, the four may have agreed on power-sharing if Atiku wins in 2011, but this was not made known to journalists by former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, who spoke after their closed door meeting. Babangida, however, disclosed that all the other aspirants will accompany Atiku to campaign for him.
Fielding questions from journalists on the outcome of the meeting, Babangida said the appointment of Senator Ben Obi as the Director General of Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation had been endorsed.
Babangida’s interactions with journalists after the meeting went thus:
Reporters: Why are you here?
Babangida: We have come for consensus. Immediately after the announcement of the consensus candidate, we have not been able to formally meet as a body and that is why we are here.
Reporters: Can you give an insight into some of the issues discussed?
Babangida: We approved the appointment of His Excellency, Senator Ben Obi as the Director General of the Campaign.
Reporters: Have you agreed on a unified campaign platform?
Babangida: Yes, sir, we have.
Reporters: Did you also discuss the issue of running mate to Atiku?
Babangida: No, not yet.
Reporters: Will you be accompanying him to campaigns?
Babangida: Yes, sir.
Reporters: Did you discuss the issue of running mate?
Chorus: They have asked him now.
Babangida: The answer is no. I repeat it. You are a good man.
Reporters: You were quoted yesterday (Friday) that you will soon address the nation about the next line of action.
Babangida: You can go and read what I said. I never mentioned any plan to address the nation.
Reporters: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo attempted to ridicule the consensus candidate, what is your opinion on his comments, which I am laughing?
Babangida: I am a junior officer. By tradition, I’m not supposed to comment on what a senior officer said.
Reporters: Democratically, sir, Obasanjo spoke as a democrat. Now you are in a democratic setting, what is your comment?
Babangida: He is still a General.
Reporters: Are you laughing, sir?
Babangida: About what?
Reporters: General Obasanjo said he dey laugh.
Babangida: No, I’m talking to all of you.
Meanwhile, Senator Obi, the former Director General of Aliyu Gusau Campaign Organisation, whose appointment was ratified yesterday said that the whole campaign team will be meeting in the next 24 hours to give detailed information on their activities.
When asked to mention his Deputy, Obi replied, “I have just been told about the appointment. So we will let you know. You know it is the whole campaign organizations that have been collapsed into one. You will probably get information because we will be meeting in the next 24 hours”.
In the meantime, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, has urged the church and the clergy to pray for Nigeria for the success of the forthcoming general election in 2011.
Dr Nwodo told a gathering of Catholic Church leadership in Port Harcourt, Rivers State after being conferred with the Pontifical Honours at the 6th Convocation ceremony of the Catholic Institute of West Africa last Thursday that more than ever before Nigeria needed all the prayers to get it right through 2011 elections.
A statement by Nwodo’s media aide, Ike Abonyi, quoted him as pleading with the Church to hand over the next year’s general election to God through their prayers because without that, democratic development would suffer great setback.
He said that the body language of President Goodluck Jonathan, his actions through the appointment of Prof. Attahiru Jega and swift release of funds to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) among others shows government’s determination to put things right.
But Nwodo said that even with the Presidential determination, the entire process still need prayer for God to frustrate the efforts of those who would want to torpedo it.
The National Chairman said that his party being the ruling and the biggest are aware of the importance of their getting it right hence the National Working Committee (NWC) resolved to carry out some reform in the party that would imbibe internal democracy, level playing ground for all contestants and zero tolerance for all forms of electoral offences.
Dr Nwodo, a Knight of St. John International of the Catholic Church got the award along with some other prominent Nigerians following a recommendation from the Catholic Bishops of Anglophone countries of West Africa.
what exactly did people like atiku want again in this nation? well only time will tell. New Nigeria is evolving we shall defend our vote. it will count this time around.Political barawo beware!!!!!!!!!
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