Date Published: 01/23/11

PDP Presidential Ticket: How Atiku spent N150 million daily
…The Atiku's Coup against IBB
…Ciroma, Yakassai, Keita angry with him

Ibrahim Babangida	Abubakar Atiku	Adamu Ciroma

There are new revelations as to how Abubakar Atiku out-maneuvered General Ibrahim Babangida at the Adamu Ciroma committee, allegedly spending a whooping N150 Million daily for lobbying and campaigning.

Atiku who is being accused of laundering over $40 Million to the United States was picked as the northern consensus candidate. He was however defeated in a landslide by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The new revelation is coming on the heels of feelers that his backers like Ciroma, Shettima Munguno, Tanko Yakassai and Lawal Keita are not happy with Atiku and his kitchen cabinet for sundry reasons.

Pointblanknews.com sources hinted in Abuja that before the Committee was put together there was a gentleman’s agreement between Babangida and Atiku to the effect that the latter would back Babangida for the ticket.

According to our source, the two men agreed before Bukola Saraki and Aliyu Gusau joined the race. But the issue of primary came up when they became four.

Babangida who had pushed for the inclusion of a decentralized presidential primary in the Electoral Act, agreed to Atiku’s demand of ‘protecting his boys’ and allocating some juicy ministries to his men, if he wins.

It was learnt that Atiku’s return to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and the problems he was having with his state chapter and Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, were some of the factors that informed the arrangement.

The decentralized primary format which would have ensured primaries were held in the states, Pointblanknews.com learnt, was one of the master strokes planned by Babangida to defeat President Goodluck Jonathan. It would have grossly reduced the influence of the Governors. The state by state counting worked in favor of Jonathan.

However, when Atiku knocked out Babangida he congratulated Atiku and stopped pushing the decentralized format, which was deleted in the amended version of the Act.

According to the highly placed source, Atiku took advantage of the fact that his property was used as the Ciroma secretariat, and also bankrolled their allowances including those of their staff.

It was learnt that when Saraki and Gusau joined the race, Atiku said there should be a primary to pick the consensus candidate. Unknown to Babangida the former Vice President was spending close to N150 million daily, lobbying and campaigning without his knowledge.

Said the source” Before Gusau joined both of them agreed Babangida would be supported by him. This was so because he had just returned to the party from ACN and did not even return with his men like Usman Bugaje, Musa Gwadabe, Yusuf Ali etc..They stayed back in AC. You also recall he was having problems with his Governor, Nyako. So because Babangida had the structure, and was pushing for the decentralized presidential primary, it was agreed Atiku would back him.”

The top source said further “Atiku told him, he should protect his boys and ensured some of his men got good positions including ministries. But unknown to him Atiku secretly nursed the ambition. He was spending close to a million dollars daily. He paid the committees allowances, paid for the property used as secretariat, including the staff. He was doing his campaign secretly unknown to Babangida”

Pointblanknews.com learnt, at one of the Babangida meetings with his men, Yomi Edu tried to warn him about how much Atiku was spending. Edu maintained that the way Atiku was spending was beyond working for a common cause.

At that meeting, it was learnt; former Niger Governor Abdulkadir Kure told Babangida and Edu that the rumor was unfounded, and that Atiku would not ditch the agreement.

According to our source” At that meeting, Yomi Edu raised the alarm. He told the gathering that the way Atiku was spending was alarming. He said it was beyond the ordinary. But Kure swiftly dismissed it. He said Atiku would never do that. Even those nominated by Babangida were compromised by Atiku, as you now know they didn’t even vote for Babangida. So when he was picked he told Babangida he did not lobby but that the Committee simply saw him as the one who could beat Jonathan. So Babangida congratulated him and sat back. He even stopped pushing for the decentralized voting system, which would not have favored Jonathan. We knew the PDP Governors would never back Atiku because of the state by state counting system, and to also save their political skin”

Meanwhile, the Ciroma camp is very unhappy because they feel he does not consider their opinions as worthy. According to our source, the Ciroma group had expressed doubt at the fairness of the state by state counting at Eagle Square.

Said the source” They told Atiku he stood no chance if he allowed the format to stand but he dismissed their fears. They told him to protest to the convention committee. Even one of his top aides Udenta Udenta made so much noise about it that morning but Atiku ignored him. Another issue that vexed the Ciroma flank is whether Atiku should go to court or nor to challenge the result. They want him to go to court but Atiku, his associates and aides think differently”