Date Published: 08/06/10

2011 Presidential Election: Zoning, rips North apart...

...IBB, Atiku, Buhari fight over endorsement, polarise the North

...More Northern Govs dump zoning

There are strong indications that the contentious issue of zoning has politically fragmented North beyond redemption, just as two front runners for the 2011 presidential elections, Ibrahim Babangida, Abubakar Atiku, and Muhammadu Buhari fight dirty over the north’s endorsement. The desperation of the trio has further widened the gulf and thrown the region into total confusion.

The fragmentation and confusion have brightened the chances of President Goodluck Jonathan in the election, by default. The president who is yet to publicly declare despite statements of his aides, had been endorsed by the south-south Governors, and a large slice of the northern governors. The governors in the east and south west are yet to take a stand.

Pointblank news. However learnt that Edo governor, Adams Oshiomole, Osun’s Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Ogun’s Gbenga Daniel may be disposed to a Babangida’s presidency.

To make matters worse for the proponents of zoning is the fact that the Okwesileze Nwodo led executive committee is no more disposed to the idea of zoning the presidency to any region.

The arrowheads of the pro-zoning flank are Tanko Yakassai, Bashir Dalhatu, Adamu Ciroma, Shettima Munguno, Waziri Kurfi, Kanti Bello, and Yahaya Kwande. Pointblanknews.com learnt that members of this group who are behind the Arewa Elders Assembly (AEA), are very worried concerning the split amongst the governors and the disagreement amongst IBB, Atiku and Buhari. They have relentlessly attacked the more liberal Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).

Pointblanknews.com also gathered that the Northern Governors Forum which split over the issue in Kaduna, still doesn’t have a cohesive agenda. The number of the governors who backed zoning at that meeting has depleted.

At that Kaduna meeting, 10 Governors wanted zoning to stay, while Yobe abstained and Bauch was absent. But few days later, Yobe Governor, Ibrahim Geidam described zoning as unconstitutional . Kano Governor, Usman Shekarau, who voted for zoning in Kaduna, has now described it as a PDP problem.

Atiku believes he is a better guy for the job, because he fought his ex boss, Olusegun Obasanjo over his third term plot. He has also consistently blamed Babangida for some of the nations woes, including the annulment of the June 12 election . But the Babangida has described Atiku as an Obasanjo lap dog, who keeps crossing carpets for selfish reasons.

Of the 10 who backed zoning in Kaduna, four are not eligible to run next year, making their relevance minimal.They are Gombe, Borno, Kano, Kwara, are not coming back.

Pointblanknews.com learnt that since the presidential primaries comes before the Governorship election, the first time Governors are prone to back Jonathan either by hook or crook. Even those gunning fro second term require the backing of the PDP in Abuja.

Sources told Pointblanknews.com that it was desperation that led Adamu Ciroma to drag Atiku and IBB to Nwodo, to prevail on him to have a rethink on the PDP’s top brass’ disdain for zoning. Sources at that meeting said Nwodo was non-committal.

Interestingly Yobe Governor, has no respect for Ciroma, while Adamawa’s Sule Lamido, sees Atiku, the homeboy as a non-issue, and a political prostitute.

Pointblanknews.com also learnt that the northern ministers are disposed to Jonathan running for obvious reasons. While some want to remain as ministers, others believe they have nothing to lose back home, considering the fact that they would not have go back home to ask for votes for now. Some of the hold key ministries like National planning, Police, FCT, Mines and Steel, Sports, Science and Technology, and Works.

The Jonathan’s flank also has solid allies in the National Assembly. Senate President, David Mark, has consistently rebuffed moves by some northern elders to prevail on his foot soldiers to back zoning, while Speaker Dimeji Bankole has not hidden his disdain for the policy. Ciroma confirmed recently that Mark has been avoiding his group, while Bankole’s position are too caustic to be printed.

The Ciroma camp took a punch recently from Umaru Shinkafi, who described the zoning formula as unfair and unconstitutional.