BerylPubaf '2011' Ticker, Nig.
By Gabriel O. Omowaye
As measures continue in the ruling party over who should be the next candidate, no one seems to care about the primary election and everyone cares ahead of the primaries. And as explained in previous blog-post, opposition parties remain in the shadow of who knows what. The calculation for the president’s intention continues, and other major contestants in the ruling party are subject's' of the media. Where are the opposition parties? Anyone would wonder when it appears the opposition party is within the ruling party itself and as a subject of discussion in recent times.
Let us at this point focus on the main party – President Jonathan’s caucus and the oppositions – General Babangida (rtd) and Alhaji Abubakar. Intensity continues to accumulate on the President to declare his intention and oppositions have even waded into the matter for Mr President. Not even the loyalists know as President Jonathan has kept his intention to himself, at least for the moment.
Just recently, one of the numerous campaign groups for the President and that was in Kaduna State has its office shut down by the police; and report also had it that the President had refused the on-going monetary support to the various groups. In that order, each group would have to seek for private funding to run its individual campaign. It would have left a spectator as to what was going on.
But then, famous baron and former convicted (acquitted?) governor of oil-rich Bayelsa State, Chief Alamieyeseigha is reported to be heading a major arc of the Goodluck Campaign Organization known as the Goodluck Grassroot Movement. The movement has a PDP stalwart as a Board of Trustees member, the NICON magnate Mr Jimoh Ibrahim whom has reportedly promised to donate 800 vehicles to the campaign movement. The temptation raises, Mr President. The bid is getting way high. Where is Chief Ibori?
Meanwhile, Alhaji Atiku continues on his insistence in legal means for his inclusion as a Presidential flag-bearer of the ruling party, PDP. He believes his stand against the third term bid of former President Obasanjo guarantees him another stamp to his credentials.
General Babaginda (rtd) also intensifies his strategizing and re-strategizing; he knows he has image to cleanse as the ghost of June 12 starts to haunt him ahead of the 2011 election. His experience and knowledge can never be ignored in the process.
Power plays mightily and perhaps arrogantly among the old fore ‘politicians’ and the newly undeniable Mr President. The governors and states and probably, frank to say, regions have divided over the ambitions of mainly the three PDP contestants. Their power and influence is undeniably heavy and it swings across the nation. But first and foremost, if opposition parties are up to the task, then the influence is limited to the ruling party where the heavyweights are ‘deliberating’.
If that be, the ruling party within itself has been looking forward and focusing on the possible presidential primaries. Vice President Sambo and PDP’s ‘Mr fix it’ Chief Tony Anenih are reported to be heading President Jonathan’s campaign in the event he declares as they all hope at the early start of the coming month. Former President Obasanjo has also reportedly met with the South West governors to have their support for the president’s bid. Meanwhile, reports have it that the South-South governors have recalled their stance of support for the president and have decided to stay in the neutral for the time being.
Either way it goes, IBB and Alhaji Abubakar have a high stake of support among bigwigs and members of the PDP political party across the nation and even outside of their own party. Zoning (Northern) arrangement remains another fundamental issue confronting the ruling party as at the moment.
On a side note, DPP and ACN merger?
© Beryl Group Public Affairs
No comments:
Post a Comment