By  JIDE AJANI, Editor, Northern Operations, EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor & UMORU HENRY
ABUJA—IT was war of words, yesterday, as President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, battled for votes of  delegates at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  at its 2011 Special National Convention amidst very tight security.

Not only was gaining entrance to Eagle Square very difficult, but also all major roads from the central district area of the territory were blocked.

The busy Sultan Abubakar Road to Herbert Macaulay way; Kashim Ibrahim way which links the popular Wuse Market at Tafawa Balewa Road, by the inter-section of Nicon Luxury Hotel, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, headquarters; Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission, International Women Centre, among others were sealed.  There were police check points at Muhammadu Buhari Way where the Defence headquarters is situated; Agura Hotel, Ahmadu Bello way that links Area one; Ladoke Akintola way, where the old Central Bank premises is located, along with the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company; just as the highway from the Airport Road to Area One was not left out as motorists were stopped by the police.

Against the backdrop of October 1, 2010 bomb explosions in Abuja, roads like Shehu Shagari Way and Ahmadu Bello Way were blocked as no one was allowed to park around there.

People were forced to trek from Ministry of Finance, National Mosque – nearly two kilometres – to Eagle Square. Food vendors and sachet water sellers who hitherto stormed the venue of past national conventions were not allowed in front of the Bullet House as well as in and around the Eagle Square.

The roads were manned by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety, Police, Army, VIO, just as there were sniffer dogs brought in by the security agencies. As at 1.55pm, delegates from the states and even the special guests were yet to arrive as seats arranged for them were empty.

Security checks

There were five security check points located within the Eagle Square proper.  Apart from the President and Vice President, every individual who came into Eagle Square went through a three dimensional search process:

The first was the bomb scan. The second was the security scan. The third phase was the direct body search.
The security check was so tough, thorough and comprehensive that the only thing left for the delegates to be asked to remove their clothing.

The event which was slated to take off at 10.00 a.m, according to the programme, did not take off until some minutes to 6.00 p.m.  President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan arrived the convention venue at about 5:30pm. Of all three presidential aspirants, only Mrs Sarah Jubril arrived at 11.58am.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar arrived at about 4:15pm. Local drummers and praise singers that usually add fun to conventions were left out at the venue as they could not gain entrance to the venue because of the tight security.

At 11.04 a.m, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Chairman of the Electoral Panel arrived with his members.
They were seen changing sitting arrangements meant for one of the states to brainstorm before they finally settled down to their original seats. Other members of the panel are Magnus Abbe, Mr. Emmanuel Ibeshi, Engr. Bassey Ekefre, Julius O. Ihonvbere, Barrister Sam Osasa, Chief Golden Bozimo, Sen. Gbenga Aluko.

Others are Otunba Omolade Oluwateru, Mrs. Bashirif Sabaloju, Mrs. Lola Otegbola, Chief Lanre Rasaki, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Sen. Fidelis Okoro, Dr. Ekuma Orji-Uzor, Chief Okwudili Uzorka, Prof. Onyeoziri Fred, Dame Julie Nwariaku, Dr. Dogara Mato, Aminu Labaran Baba.

Others are Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure, Amb. Isa Mohammed Argungu, Hon. Salisu Yusuf Majigiri,  Bala Bello Maru, Arc. Philip Iorlyer,  Alhaji Huseni Akwanga, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, Senator Wash Pam, Alhaji Shaba Lafiagi, Engr. Mustapha Bello, Hajia Nana Abdul Quadri, Maj. Gen. Haladu Hananiya (rtd, Ibrahim Umaru, Alh. Isa Tafida Mafindi, Ambassador Mohammed Adamu Jumba, Alhaji Alhassan Giadam;Arc. Ibrahim Bunu Otunba Funsho Owoyemi, Alhaji Bello Alkali and Mallam Abba Dabo. The Master of Ceremony only came out at 2.13pm to kick start the event.

Slight mix-up

When proceedings kicked off at about 6.00 p.m, it was Alhaji Shettima Mustapha, National Convention Planning Committee, who kicked it off after opening prayers from a Christian and Muslim leader, respectively. But there was a slight mix_up. Deputy National Chairman, Alhaji Haliru Bello was called to deliver his speech.

At that point, it was thought that the Enugu High Court judgment declaring that Okwesilieze Nwodo, erstwhile national chairman of the PDP should stop parading himself as such. But after Bello spent a better part of 10 minutes acknowledging presence, Nwodo surfaced to read his prepared chairman’s speech.

National Secretary, Kawu Baraje, took his turn to read out his own speech. After Baraje, the national auditor presented the expenditure and what the PDP was worth as a political party in financial terms.

Senator Ndoma Egba and Hajia Zainab Maina, member, Board of Trustees, BoT of the party moved for the adoption of the audit report. The lateness in the commencement of the programme had to do with the late accreditation of delegates.

Just as it happened in the instance of accreditation for journalists which was so late, delegates’ accreditation did not start until the very early hours of yesterday. Late afternoon, delegates were still being accredited. It was not until after their accreditation that an idea of when the programme would start became manifest.

Shortly after, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Chairman, Electoral Panel Committee outlined the electoral processes. He said the process would usher in free and fair elections and urged all delegates to be peaceful and disciplined.

All delegates, he said, would come out to the voting area according to their state in alphabetical order.

When states are called delegates would be expected to queue behind the polling booth at which they would cast their vote. Each delegate would get a ballot paper.

Each delegate would vote in the privacy of polling booth. Those not literate would seek help of colleagues on the queue. Each delegate would write the name of the preferred aspirant legibly. Each delegate would then proceed to drop ballot paper.

Each delegate could choose to leave the Eagle Square or go to his or her state stand. After voting, there’ll be sorting of the ballot papers. Then there’ll be the counting. Adeniran said he was counting on the full cooperation of all. He said the panel would not accept any attempt to violate the process.