FORMER military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, was said to have shocked top political leaders of the North, especially those in the vanguard of consensus presidential candidate
from the area, over his decision to congratulate President Goodluck Jonathan, on his victory at the January 12 presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Sources informed the Nigerian Tribune that Babangida’s decision to congratulate Jonathan was seen as an endorsement of the president and an indication that the former military leader had abandoned the zoning agenda. It was gathered that the decision came as a rude shock to leaders of the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF).
At separate meetings held after the PDP convention, sources confirmed that the pro-zoning leaders expressed surprise about Babangida’s action.
A source at one of the meetings hosted by NPLF’s leader, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, said that Ciroma and others were in shock when they were told that Babangida might have jettisoned zoning to back Jonathan.
General Babangida had promptly congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan upon his victory at the PDP national convention on January 12, in a move seen by many as statesmanly.
But some supporters of the former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar saw the move as a sell-out and that it might have underscored the series of betrayals suffered by Abubakar’s presidential bid.
Those who defended Babangida, however, said that he influenced Abubakar’s victory in Niger and Zamfara states, even while Abubakar could not deliver his home state, Adamawa.
Ciroma, was, however, said to have risen in defence of Babangida at one of the meetings, saying that Babangida would not betray the North.
Meanwhile, crisis seems to have broken out at the campaign headquarters of former Vice-President Abubakar over the control of campaign vehicles and equipment shortly after the conclusion of the presidential primary.
Sources confirmed that some chief campaigners of former Vice-President Abubakar were engaged in a bitter feud over the control of campaign vehicles immediately after the presidential primary.
It was gathered that days before Abubakar announced he was winding down activities of his campaign, some youth leaders in the campaign organisation had started withdrawing vehicles allocated to top campaign chiefs.
Six members of the campaign organisation were said to be involved in the forceful seizure before Atiku announced a stop to the exercise.
It could not be confirmed whether Atiku gave the orders, but sources said that the vehicles and other campaign equipment were forcefully withdrawn in many circumstances.
Complaints were, however, said to have reached the former number two man just before he wound down his campaign last week.
Atiku, at a meeting called to quell the growing battle among his chief strategists, was said to have asked that cars already forcefully withdrawn should be returned and that he was hopeful of working with the campaign chiefs in the future.
“The former vice- president said in a meeting that he had heard of the forceful seizure of some vehicles from top campaign officials. He also told the gathering he had heard complaints of stoppage of allowances due to those from amalgamated campaign body and that issues should be resolved amicably.
He asked the six officials involved in the unauthorised seizure of vehicles and other equipment to put a stop to the act immediately,” a source said.
Source: The Tribune
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