|
The struggle for political power in Nigeria is taking a new twist with former President General Ibrahim Babangida throwing his hat into the ring to become PDP presidential candidate in 2011.
Under the leading Nigerian political party’s complicated ‘zoning’ agreement, the ‘North’ should hold the presidential mantle until 2015. After that the South-South (i.e oil producing regions where acting President Goodluck hails from) is due to ‘inherit’ power.
However powerful forces are urging Goodluck to run in 2011, saying the so-called ‘zoning’ system lacks any constitutional legitimacy.
The chairman of the Benue State Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, Baba Agan told Nigeria’s Vanguard that Nigerians must not be denied purposeful leadership on the basis of the zoning arrangement describing the zoning plot as the bane of Nigeria's political experiment.
He added that the zoning formula being propagated by the parties to deny quality candidates from contesting elections in the country was not recognized by the constitution hence should be discarded.
He urged all Nigerians to support the acting President.
"Dr. Goodluk Jonathan has so far not disappointed Nigerians; things are beginning to take shape again in the country and he has shown utmost sincerity in the running of the government hence he should be allowed to contest the next general elections in order to enable him continue with his good works".
Meanwhile Babangida is reported to be lobbying former President Obasanjo to support I.B.B.’s presidential ambitions.
However it is unlikely that many Nigerians will support a man who unilaterally scrapped the 1993 polls which were generally accepted to have been won by late Yoruba businessman Moshood Abiola and indirectly caused another six years of military rule when late General Sani Abacha made a coup to topple his ‘interim’ arrangement.
|
Editorials 
