*To resolve differences
*As AC is poised to join ‘mega party’
By Jide Ajani, Deputy Editor
FORMER Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the immediate past governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu are now poised to reconcile following a break in their relationship which, at several points, threatened the continued existence of the Action Congress (AC).
The duo are scheduled to iron out their differences sparked, in the main, by the petition filed by Alhaji Atiku challenging the April 2007 election of President Umaru Yar’Adua. Asiwaju Tinubu had failed to convince the former V-P to drop the petition.
He was of the view that since the President had promised electoral reforms, he ought to be given the benefit of the doubt. But Alhaji Atiku thought otherwise. He lost the case even at the Supreme Court.
However, both men, Sunday Vanguard can reveal, are now shifting grounds on the need to collaborate and work together to, as a source putit, “salvage Nigeria from impending doom”.
Tomorrow’s proposed meeting is the first between the otherwise close friends in a very long while.
Last Tuesday, the leadership of the AC met in Abuja to discuss the propriety of moving en-bloc into the proposed mega party which has the trio of Atiku, Muhammadu Buhari and Atahiru Bafarawa as main conveners.
The presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, All Peoples Party, APP alliance in the 1999 presidential election, Chief Olu Falae, is also involved in the movement which is for now tagged National Democratic Movement, NDM.
Emerging philosophy
Some leaders of the mega party had expressed doubts over the possibility of AC joining because of the emerging philosophy in the party which a source described as “simply too narrow.”
A source close to the mega party movement told Sunday Vanguard that “the agenda being pursued by AC would not take it too far. It can not hope to be a national political party and be content with just operating in the South West. The pact signed by the three men is a sign that things are going to be done differently this time, learning from the mistakes of the AC in 2006/2007.
“The reason why AC did not win many states in Nigeria was simply because some of those who had dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for AC simply found out late in the day that the AC itself did not believe in the principle of party primaries and, therefore, became even more disillusioned”, the source said, adding, “In Ekiti, for instance, the likes of Segun Oni and Dare Babarinsa were all in AC until they discovered that the leaders were going to and did impose candidates.
“It was with a view to reversing this trend that the trio of Atiku, General Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atahiru Bafarawa signed a pact that whoever emerges as the presidential candidate of the party would receive the unconditional backing of the others – and included in the pact signed by the three men is the agreement that anybody who would emerge as the candidate of the party for any elective office in the country shall emerge through the process of a free and fair party primary – and this includes election into any of the party offices”.
As a sign of good faith, the meeting of the mega party held last Wednesday in Abuja had Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora representing Bola Tinubu.
I hope that I will be stand to be corrected in future – this stems from my feeling that the mega party, to be known as NDM may not work for now.
It may work in future. Strange bed fellows do not start a meaningful romance until after they go through the process of having a proper relationship. Alliances and Collation is not new in politics, but under-developed political structures such as what is obtanaible in our Country at this momemnt will not allow for it to work. I commend the fact that the coveners of a pact such as the three musketeers have agreed to (Atiku, Buahri, Bafarawa) work together. but if I were to go by what is reported by the mass media, then I have some questions for them 1/under who’s ageis did they sign this pact. 2/ Are they saying that other people within the so called proposed party are will not be interested in becoming the Presidential flag bearer of the party 3/ Who would be their coalative partners.
4/ I WONDER WHY THEY ARE SO ARROGANT.
5/ Another question is this, has the mega party alloted the Presidential position to a particular zone, 6/ where did they get the idea that they will be the leading aspirant(s)
This is a case of putiing the cart before the horse.
We are in a serious state of political disenchantment and frustration in dis counrty.It’s apparent dat pple can no more see hope in our leaders again. Dis where 10 yrs of PDP misgovern has led us & dis is exactly wat dey are working at.But must we now become so enraged dat we allow dis vagabonds in power to conti to leave us in darkness,kill our families on bad roads,kill our mothers in their ill equipped hospitals,close down our universities 4 months,pollute our waters and take away our homes wout adequate remedies,steal our votes and impose crooks on us.We nid a change frm PDP’s nest of assasins.We nid men of proven track records who ve succeeded in biz & in govenance like Tinubu,Pat Utomi,Ayo opadokun & us.
We need leaders who are sincerely passionate about the good of this nation. Can the NDM be different? We’re still watching, but why should they hurriedly zone the ticket? We’re still watching.(Remember that right now as you read thousands of teenagers and youths are suffering terrible economic oppression in factories across this nation,oppressed by foreigners with no working right in their own motherland. Many are having their limbs amputated by machines. This must change.) Saint Andrew of Lagos (SAOL)
It is easier said than done. The PDP will through to type, penetrate your so called mega party and end of show. The DPD is hell bent, on not allowing any person or group to get involved in ruling Nigeria. The only thing that will dislodge, them is a military coup, but this is no longer fashionable. The other posible and accepted fashionable option, is people’s power without any violence and this is a prime duty, that every well meaning Nigerian should adopt and seriously encourage.
We do not have leaders in Nigeria all we have are dealers. Ruling Nigeria has been turned, into big business and as we all know, big business attracts the mafia and serious crimes. The leadership or rather daelership, in Nigeria is cash and carry, that is why criminality, the mafia and the cabal have taken over. The only remedy now is that, the people should stand up very tall and take over Nigeria with people’s power, otherwise Nigeria is permanently finished and doomed. Nigerians should and must borrow a leaf from what obtained in other countries that expirienced what we are witnessing now.