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May contest
presidential election on APA ticket
May contest
presidential election on APA ticket
As the 2015 presidential election draws near, former Vice-President Atiku
Abubakar has opened up consultations with eminent stakeholders, including 11
governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as well
as the Northern Elders group to decide whether to contest the presidential
election on the platform of his party or seek another party to realise his
dream.
THISDAY reliably
learnt that the former vice-president has also met with a group of
intellectuals to advise him on the viability of him contesting the 2015
presidential election.
learnt that the former vice-president has also met with a group of
intellectuals to advise him on the viability of him contesting the 2015
presidential election.
According to a source
close to the former vice-president, the 11 PDP governors who are feeling
disenchanted with the ruling party and are eager to defect to another party,
had initially met the former vice-president to convince him to contest to which
Atiku objected.
close to the former vice-president, the 11 PDP governors who are feeling
disenchanted with the ruling party and are eager to defect to another party,
had initially met the former vice-president to convince him to contest to which
Atiku objected.
He reminded them that
in the run up to the 2011 PDP presidential primary election, they had asked him
to join the race, only for them to abandon him midway and threw their support
behind the eventual winner of the primary and the subsequent presidential
election, President Goodluck Jonathan.
in the run up to the 2011 PDP presidential primary election, they had asked him
to join the race, only for them to abandon him midway and threw their support
behind the eventual winner of the primary and the subsequent presidential
election, President Goodluck Jonathan.
The source said that the governors who are now convincing Atiku to contest in
2015 asked him to forget what had happened in the past, as the circumstances of
the moment dictate that he should contest the forthcoming presidential
election.
It was gathered that
though Atiku is very keen on the 2015 contest, during the meeting with the PDP
governors he feigned a lack of interest, in order to determine the seriousness
of the governors.
though Atiku is very keen on the 2015 contest, during the meeting with the PDP
governors he feigned a lack of interest, in order to determine the seriousness
of the governors.
After the meeting, the
former vice-president received another delegation comprising senior members of
the Northern Elders group, asking him to contest the 2015 presidential
election.
former vice-president received another delegation comprising senior members of
the Northern Elders group, asking him to contest the 2015 presidential
election.
It was at this stage
that he met with a group of intellectuals to also seek their opinions on
whether to contest or not.
that he met with a group of intellectuals to also seek their opinions on
whether to contest or not.
THISDAY gathered that
the opinions of the intellectuals that the former vice-president sought were
divided, though with the majority urging him to contest.
the opinions of the intellectuals that the former vice-president sought were
divided, though with the majority urging him to contest.
The minority view of
the intellectuals asked the former vice-president what he stood to lose if he
did not contest, bearing in mind the uphill task it takes to defeat an
incumbent.
the intellectuals asked the former vice-president what he stood to lose if he
did not contest, bearing in mind the uphill task it takes to defeat an
incumbent.
When asked to name the
zones where the 11 governors came from, the source said: “For obvious reasons,
the zones where these governors represent will not matter at the moment, but
suffice it to say that those at the meeting persuading the former
vice-president to contest were all PDP governors.
zones where the 11 governors came from, the source said: “For obvious reasons,
the zones where these governors represent will not matter at the moment, but
suffice it to say that those at the meeting persuading the former
vice-president to contest were all PDP governors.
“Don’t worry about the
11 governors and the Northern Elders, just be assured that the former
vice-president is in consultations with the said governors and the Northern
Elders and very soon, you will hear the official position.”
11 governors and the Northern Elders, just be assured that the former
vice-president is in consultations with the said governors and the Northern
Elders and very soon, you will hear the official position.”
According to him, “The problem with Atiku contesting is which political party
he would use as a platform to realise this task, as from the look of things,
his party, the PDP, will not give him the ticket as the presidential candidate.
“The spectre of right
of first refusal being considered for President Goodluck Jonathan seems to be
getting more support in the party and the National Working Committee (NWC) of
the PDP, as presently constituted, is not willing to give the ticket to any
other person other than the president.”
of first refusal being considered for President Goodluck Jonathan seems to be
getting more support in the party and the National Working Committee (NWC) of
the PDP, as presently constituted, is not willing to give the ticket to any
other person other than the president.”
Atiku however assured
the governors and the Northern Elders that the PDP constitution allows for a
presidential primary election to choose its standard bearer for the
presidential election and that the 2015 presidential election would be not be
different.
the governors and the Northern Elders that the PDP constitution allows for a
presidential primary election to choose its standard bearer for the
presidential election and that the 2015 presidential election would be not be
different.
But it was against
this backdrop that the meeting asked the former vice-president in which of the
political parties he intends to contest the 2015 presidential election, should
the PDP insist on the right of first refusal option used to nominate Jonathan.
this backdrop that the meeting asked the former vice-president in which of the
political parties he intends to contest the 2015 presidential election, should
the PDP insist on the right of first refusal option used to nominate Jonathan.
The source said Atiku
assured the governors, Northern Elders and the Special Intelligent Committee
that was set up that the issue of platform would pose no problem.
assured the governors, Northern Elders and the Special Intelligent Committee
that was set up that the issue of platform would pose no problem.
The source added: “The
former vice-president ruled out any association with the Bola Tinubu-led Action
Congress of Nigeria (ACN) because of his experience with Tinubu during the 2007
presidential election.”
former vice-president ruled out any association with the Bola Tinubu-led Action
Congress of Nigeria (ACN) because of his experience with Tinubu during the 2007
presidential election.”
He said Atiku gave
some insights into how Bola Tinubu cut a deal with the late President Umaru
Musa Yar’Adua and even donated money to the late president’s campaign
organisation, despite the fact that he (Atiku) was the Action Congress (AC)
presidential candidate.
some insights into how Bola Tinubu cut a deal with the late President Umaru
Musa Yar’Adua and even donated money to the late president’s campaign
organisation, despite the fact that he (Atiku) was the Action Congress (AC)
presidential candidate.
THISDAY gathered that
the issue of determining the platform on which Atiku might contest the
presidential election is already a settled issue, as he will contest on the
newly registered All Peoples Alliance (APA).
the issue of determining the platform on which Atiku might contest the
presidential election is already a settled issue, as he will contest on the
newly registered All Peoples Alliance (APA).
APA was registered by
INEC on December 20, 2012, the same day the United Progressive Party (UPP)
fronted by Chekwas Okorie was registered.
INEC on December 20, 2012, the same day the United Progressive Party (UPP)
fronted by Chekwas Okorie was registered.
A source told THISDAY
that if the PDP gives its ticket to the president, Atiku would move to APA to
contest against him.
that if the PDP gives its ticket to the president, Atiku would move to APA to
contest against him.
THISDAY had
exclusively reported yesterday that eight PDP governors had resolved to leave
the PDP en masse.
exclusively reported yesterday that eight PDP governors had resolved to leave
the PDP en masse.
Should this happen,
PDP will lose its dominance in the number of states it controls.
PDP will lose its dominance in the number of states it controls.
Source: Thisday
