Plateau prepares for Industrial take off

Investors to exploit mineral resources State provides incentives
THE Plateau State government has prepared the grounds for a full exploitation of its mineral resources to speed up its industrial growth.
The state is endowed with mineral deposits, one of which is tin for which Jos, the state capital, is sometimes called the tin city.
“Government is now ready to commence the industrialisation of the state which it has promised…by embarking on measures aimed at handing over its mineral sector to private investors that are coming to establish various industries here,” said the state commissioner for Mineral Development, Alhaji Ibrahim Sale.
The commissioner said this at an investors’ forum held at Hill Station Hotel, Jos.
He said, “Processing of minerals is a business and the whole world has realised that business is better managed by the private sector to avoid bureaucratic bottlenecks and transparency in the business transactions.
“My dear investors, you are invited here today because Plateau needs your expertise, capital and entrepreneurship to effectively harness its rich solid mineral endowment. This is to mark the take-off of the industrialisation process in the state”
Alhaji Sale said, “To kick-start this viable tool for the rapid industrialisation and economic development of Plateau State, government has put in place incentives like road networks in urban and rural areas, improved power supply and enhanced peace and security. Also there is no multiple taxation and levies. The government has also provided industrial layouts, tax holiday for three years and issuance of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) within one month.”
Sale noted that in the past, government was in charge of the exploration and exploitation of mineral deposits.
“To reverse this trend, Governor  Jonah Jang created a separate ministry for it and set up an advisory committee on government involvement in solid mineral related activities,” he said.
Sale spoke further: “Based on the recommendations of the committee, government agreed that it would not involve itself in direct upstream mining activities any more.
“Government has resolved therefore to promote the establishment of enterprises that would bring the state mineral endowment into finished products.
The state is aiming to have industries that will process kaolin, gypsum processing, limestone, mineral water, among others.
The Miners Association of Nigeria said it is keen on the partnership with government.
 Miners from China, South Korea, US, Japan and Nigeria were in attendance in the investor’s forum.

Ex-Minister Aondoakaa Suspended for two Years

Former AG/Justice Minister, Aondoakaa

FORMER Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice Michael Aondoakaa Monday lost his battle to reclaim his Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) suspended him from using the rank for two years.

A statement by the Chief Registrar and Secretary of the committee, Sunday Olorundahunsi, said the decision was reached at a meeting in Abuja Monday. 

A petition was written against Aondoaka by the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR).

Chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, LPPC is responsibile for selecting lawyers that are eligible for SAN.

The rank gives a lawyer the privilege to sit at the first row in courts and to wear a silk gown. His case would also be heard first.

LPPC had, on October 7, suspended Aondoakaa, pending the outcome of investigation by a sub-committee, which submitted its report yesterday.

The initial suspension was based on Aondoakaa’s response to the petition.

The statement from Olorundahunsi reads: "The former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, has finally bagged a two-year suspension from the use of the rank of SAN, after a meeting of the LPPC held Monday at the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Abuja.

"The decision to suspend the erstwhile AGF was reached after due consideration of the report of the sub-committee set up to review the petition of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights and the judgment of the Federal High Court in Calabar on June 1, declaring among others that he is unfit to hold the office of Attorney-General or any public office in Nigeria; and the declaration of his person as persona non grata for offences relating to corruption and the consequent revocation of his entry visa by the American government earlier in the year.”

In a 13-page petition by CDHR President Olasupo Ojo, Aondoakaa was accused of “gross professional misconduct, ethical shamelessness, corruption, incompetence and abuse of office, desecration of the office of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and bringing the legal profession and the rank of SAN to disrepute and ridicule.”

Aondoakaa reportedly defended former Benue State Governor George Akume in a case involving allegations of corruption.

He was said to have asked the Supreme Court to nullify the Act establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and dissolve the commission.

"After the appointment of Aondoakaa as the AGF and contrary to the ethics of the legal profession, he failed to withdraw the case or his representation in the case from the Supreme Court, hence the case stood as being prosecuted by the AGF against himself as the respondent. The AGF allowed this incongruous situation to continue for his selfish reasons until the Supreme Court, in its wisdom, struck out the case,” the petition stated.

PTDF Funds:I'm ready to face EFCC,says ex-VP President

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North consensus candidate: Atiku Abubakar

FORMER Vice-President and presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar Monday said he is not afraid of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)  institutiing any case against him. .

A group, the National Vanguard for Democracy and Development (NVDD) is asking the Federal Government to re-visit the report of the Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba-led ad hoc committee, which indicted Atiku for allegedly diverting $145 million from the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Emeka Obinagwu, the NVDD said though the Obasanjo administration failed to act on the Ndoma-Egba report, the onus now lies on the Goodluck Jonathan administration to revisit the case and apply the appropriate sanctions if Atiku is found liable.  

"Nigerians are not satisfied that no action has been taken after the Senator Umaru Tsauri-led Review Committee which reappraised the Ndoma-Egba-led ad hoc committee report former President Olusegun Obasanjo but found Atiku wanting”, Obinagwu  said.  

On Atiku’s denial of any financial wrongdoing in the US reported last weekend, the group said: “Atiku should explain to Nigerians the motive behind the reported sudden relocation of members of his immediate family from the US if he insists that he has no case to answer in that country.”

Atiku, who returned to Abuja from London, told reporters at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, that he is ready for the primaries and confident of winning.

According to a statement by his campaign organisation, the current smear campaigns are intended to distract him from his mission to tackle weak infrastructure, collapsed industries, unemployment, poverty and hunger.

The statement reads: "Reacting to the re-worked allegations of sleaze against him, the PDP presidential aspirant maintained that he is ready for anybody wanting to investigate him.

“He said if he could survive the most intensive and ferocious allegations in the past under the most vindictive president, he couldn’t be perturbed this time around when his political opponents are trying the same dirty tricks.

“He said he is the most investigated politician and he came out clean. The former vice -president said he is ready for the EFCC and that if their past efforts to bring him down didn’t succeed, criminal wrongdoing would not be found against him this time.

“According to him, the timing of the current smear campaigns suggests that his opponents are scared of his competence and the quality of his programmes to tackle the basic challenges facing Nigeria such as deficient infrastructure, unemployment, hunger, declining quality of education and other social crises.”

ASUU Flays National Assembly Over Sanusi

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Lamido Sanusi

ACADEMIC Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said the revelation by the CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi on the remuneration of federal legislators confirmed its fears on the quality and intention of political office holders.

It said the revelation has exposed a fundamental flaw in the structure of the nation’s reward/remuneration system and the attendant implications to economic growth. 

National President of ASUU Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie spoke in Benin Monday after a meting of the Union’s National Executive Council (NEC). 

Prof. Awuzie who described the performance of the National Assembly as dismal said, "This is unacceptable. ASUU will cooperate with all trade unions and other civil society organisations and all patriotic citizens of Nigeria to struggle and redress this tragic situation.

"The idea of assigning to a Nigerian senator an emolument estimated to be almost four times the salary of the President of the United States is insensitive and scandalous. Such a situation is intolerable in a country where an estimated 70 per cent of the population lives in abject poverty and squalor."

The ASUU President described the attempt by the National Assembly to muzzle the CBN Governor into retracting his revelation and apologise to the lawmakers as “vulgar".

Fani-Kayode,Agbekoya tackle Fayose over Obasanjo

Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister

FORMER Minister of Aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode Monday said former President Olusegun Obasanjo does not deserve insult from former Governor Ayo Fayose.

Fani-Kayode spoke in Abuja.

He said: “What this country needs at this point in time is for wise men to proffer practical solutions that will take us to the next level and to recover whatever losses we may have incurred as a nation over the last few years.

“What we do not need is for anyone to unleash an unprofitable and unprovoked assault on such a great achiever. There comes a time when you have to look at the person that is insulting you and you opt not to bother to respond because there are certain types of people that you just can’t reason with.

“The truth is that when it comes to government no single person has a magic wand to wave and can make everything perfect in one sweep. No human being is perfect and no individual has all the solutions to the world’s problems.”

Fani-Kayode added: “We all admit that some mistakes were made but that does not derogate from the fact that there were many solid achievements as well. Some people seem to have forgotten the state in which this country was when Obasanjo took over in 1999.”

The Hunters and Farmers Union, aka Agbekoya, also, in a statement Monday, asked Fayose to apologise to Obasanjo.

The union said Fayose ought not to have abused Obasanjo who is old enough to be his father.

No Going Back on Crusade for Just Society,Says Tinubu

Tinubu

Former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu yesterday said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) cannot be used to deter him from crusading for a just society.   
Tinubu spoke while fielding questions from reporters at the Lagos State House of Assembly Complex in Alausa, Ikeja.
Reacting to a recent alarm raised  by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) that there is a plan to use the EFCC to intimidate him, Tinubu said the commission cannot manufacture a case where there is none.
Yesterday,the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB)  said it would reopen the case against Tinubu.
Its Chairman Mr. Sam Saba said: “Only yesterday (Monday), the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and I were discussing the issue. I told her that it is the responsibility of the bureau to prosecute him. His case is still with us. I will meet the EFCC Chairman and the Attorney-General of the Federation to get  the case file. The case against the former governor and his family is not closed yet.”
The CCB chair was reacting to a question at the end of his briefing on the  Bureau’s activities.
Tinubu said: “I don’t believe the EFCC is an institution meant to harass, intimidate and embarrass opponents. Till date, I am not worried about the shenanigans of these people. I don’t believe the releases of the EFCC and whoever is making them.
“They might be under political pressure to do what is not right, but they ought to be careful. The President must be truthful to his commitment to this country about the rule of law.
“But a threat to my life as was published, I am not worried about that. This is not the first time I am facing such a threat. I have been facing it since 1991, 1993 and 1994. That was during the military dictatorship and our crusade to bring democracy to the country. 
“God Almighty is the security for every one of us. I will never be afraid. I will continue my struggle in pursuit of liberty; for right to life; right to justice; right to what is the right of all of us in a democratic dispensation.
“If those so-called opponents are becoming a danger and we all become afraid to lead the crusade for full democratisation, for true federalism, for justice in our society, then we are finished as a nation. I am not afraid about that. Whether it is a rumour or real, I don’t even pay attention to it.” 
Tinubu denied claims that he has anointed the next governor of the state. He said: “I am not into that. I am not a pastor. I don’t have the anointing oil or the spiritual power. I am just a party leader and leadership is about collective decision.
“We will take our time and you will know through the democratic process. You have the right for endorsement; you have the right to be in position of influence. I am just one of the people who will look at all aspects of governance and if you want to provoke a hint, you can’t get that one from me.”

Babangida asks Nwodo to Implement Verdict on Zoning

Babangida

Barely a week after the judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, former military Gen. Ibrahim Babangida yesterday wrote the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, to apply the judgment.
The Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Lawal Gumi last Wednesday ruled that although zoning policy exists and it is binding on the PDP, the court will not stop President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2011 poll because it is an internal issue of the party.
Gen. Babangida, in his letter to Nwodo, said the judgment had placed a moral burden on the PDP to comply with it, especially the portion that says “zoning is binding”.
He said whatever doubt the National Executive Committee had on zoning had been removed by the judgment.
The letter reads: “As you are well aware, some controversies have, for sometime now, arisen over the decision to jettison the principle of zoning as enshrined in the constitution of the party. 
“It is my view, and that, I believe, is the view of many public spirited, patriotic and responsible members of our Party that to do so would violate the provisions of section 7.2(c) of the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, which provides as follows: 
“In pursuance of the principles of equity, justice and fairness, the party shall adhere to the policy of rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices and it shall be enforced by the appropriate executive committee at all levels.” 
 “And so I urge the National Executive Committee of the Party to enforce the constitution of the party in its totality in the forthcoming election. To do otherwise is to condone this attempt at a gross and deliberate violation of the constitution of the party. To do otherwise is tantamount to a declaration that the National Executive Committee of the Party reject the principles of equity, justice and fairness enshrined in the PDP constitution. 
“It means that they reject the policy of rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices and that they are not prepared to enforce it in so far as it relates to the office of President. It means that they are opposed to the creation of socio-political conditions conducive to natural peace and unity by ensuring fair and equitable distribution of resources and opportunities. 
“It simply means that they reject and are therefore not prepared to conform to the principles of power shift and power sharing by rotating key political offices amongst the diverse peoples of our country and devolving powers equitably between the Federal, State and Local Governments in the spirit of federation. 
“If the Party has become so helpless in the face of these gross violations of its own constitution by its officers and its highest elected representative, then many of us shall have no alternative but to reconsider our continued membership of the Party”, Babangida said

EFCC Files 16-count charge against ex-US VP Cheney

EFCC Boss

A 16-count charge has been filed against former United States Vice-President Dick Cheney at the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). 
Eight others were also charged to court over alleged conspiracy in the $132million Halliburton scam.
The others are Halliburton Incorporated, Halliburton Nigeria Limited; Kellogg, Brown and Root Incorporated (KBR); Richard “Dick” Cheney; Albert “Jack” Stanley; William Utt; David Lesar; TSKJ Nigeria Limited and TSKJ Consortium.
Cheney, immediate past Vice President of the United States, was the chief executive of Halliburton in the 1990s when the bribe was allegedly given.
A four-man legal team has been raised to prosecute the case on behalf of the Federal Government. It is made up of the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. J. B. Daudu (SAN); E.C. Ukala (SAN); Damian D. Dodo (SAN); and Godwin Obla.
The bribery scandal involves the former Halliburton subsidiary, Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR) in respect of the nation’s Liquefied Natural Gas plant in Bonny.
One of the accused persons, Albert J. Stanley, admitted before a Houston, United States court on September 4, 2008 that he orchestrated more than $180million in bribe to senior government officials.

Stanley alleged that the bribe was channelled through a UK based lawyer, Mr. Jeffery Tessler, in four instalments of $60million; $32.5million; $51million and $23million.
The bribe was allegedly facilitated between 1995 and 2005 in London.
The countries where the bribe money was allegedly stashed by some top government officials and their accomplices are France, Britain, Switzerland, Portugal and Seychelles.
According to the charge sheet, the accused persons are to face trial for felony, conspiracy, abetting of crime, and misdemeanour.
No date has been fixed for the formal arraignment of all the accused persons before the court.
But as at last night, it was learnt that the Federal Government is exploring diplomatic ties with the United States on how to handle the trial of Dick Cheney.
Some of  the charges are as follows: “That  you, (Cheney and eight others) sometimes between 1994 and 2005 conspired with Snamprogetti Netherland B.V., Technip S.A., Japan Gasoline Corp of Japan to commit a felony to wit: giving the sum of $132million to one Jeffery Tessler (now at large), Wojciech J. Chodan (now at large) and Tri-Star Investment  Limited for the purpose of gratification of public officials concerned with the award of Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Project in Nigeria (Bonny LNG) and thereby committed an offence under Section 96(1)(a) of the penal Code CAP LFN (Abuja) 1990 and punishable under Section 118 of the Penal Code CAP LFN (Abuja) 1990.
“That you (the accused persons) within the Abuja Judicial Division of the High Court of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria sometime between 1994 and 2005 together with Snamprogetti Netherland B.V., Technip S.A., Japan Gasoline Corp of Japan committed a felony to wit: giving the sum of $132million to one Jeffery Tessler (now at large), Wojciech J. Chodan (now at large) and Tri-Star Investment  Limited for the purpose of gratification of public officials concerned with the award of Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Project in Nigeria(Bonny LNG) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 118 of the Penal Code CAP LFN (Abuja) 1990.

Ondo REC Adebayo Quits

Adebayo Ayoka

Former Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State Mrs. Ayoka Adebayo bowed yesterday to public pressure: she quit her job.
Mrs Ayoka served a notice of resignation on the management of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
It was learnt that the notice was submitted personally by Mrs. Adebayo at the office of the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega.
The resignation of Mrs. Adebayo, who is now the outgoing REC in Ondo State, will however take effect from January 1, next year.
Investigation by The Nation showed that Mrs Adebayo threw in the towel, following talks with Jega, her role model, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, and her relatives.
It was learnt that based on the outcome of the talks, Mrs. Adebayo last Thursday directed her staff in Ondo State to start preparing her handover notes.
The sudden directive was said to have caught most of her staff unawares.
It was gathered that the staff later discovered that Mrs. Adebayo had written a draft of her resignation letter, which was eventually submitted to INEC yesterday.
A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Mrs. Adebayo came to INEC headquarters yesterday with some of her aides. I think she came to submit the notice of disengagement.
“But all top officials of the commission kept the information under wraps. She will certainly leave by January.
“Since Mrs. Adebayo had talks with Jega about two weeks ago, there had been pressure on her to quit because there is no way INEC could conduct election in 2011 with a controversial REC.
“We learnt that during interaction with Mrs. Adebayo, the INEC chairman also persuaded her to step aside as ‘a matter of sacrifice for the nation and its electoral process, not as a result of any indictment’. Jega knew that INEC could only advise the REC because the commission has no power to remove her.
“At a point, Jega told Mrs Ayoka that there is only one year age gap between the woman and his mother. So, he asked Mrs. Adebayo to see his advice as a “son-to-mother type.”
It was also gathered that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is Mrs. Adebayo’s role model and godfather, advised her to “quit since she is not being appreciated despite her sacrifice during the April 2009 Ekiti governorship poll re-run”.
The source added: “I can assure you that she is leaving for good. Going by the tone of her draft resignation letter, she might quit from January 1, 2011.”
All INEC, who could confirm Mrs Ayoka’s resignation notice, switched off their telephones last night.

Sanusi insists Lawmakers take 25% of N536.26b

Sanusi Lamido

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi yesterday stood his ground that the National Assembly spends 25 per cent of the Federal Government’s overhead expenditure. 
But the House of Representatives panels before whom he appeared said the CBN governor had been feeding Nigerians with misleading figures, probably to spite the lawmakers.
The CBN boss appeared before the House of Representatives Joint Committees on Appropriation, Finance, Banking and Currency; and Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes. He was invited to clarify his comment on the spending of the National Assembly. 
Sanusi made the comment during a Convocation Lecture at the Igbinedion University in Okada, Edo State. The CBN governor also appeared before four Committees of the Senate over the same issue last week. 
Yesterday, Sanusi expressed disgust over the heat his comment has generated saying, “it is distressing the extent the matter has gone.” 
He said the controversy is neither in the interest of the CBN nor the National Assembly. 
He explained that the thrust of his lecture was to emphasise the fact that “as a country, we cannot continue to spend our money on recurrent and overheads if we want to develop.” 
The panels led by Minority Leader Hon. Mohammed Ali Ndume said contrary to what Sanusi presented at the lecture, Federal Government’s total recurrent expenditure as contained in the 2010 budget was N1.3 trillion against the N536 billion quoted by Sanusi. 
Ndume said the National Assembly’s overhead cost which is N136 billion is only 8.9 per cent of Federal Government’s N1.38 trillion total overheads.
He said the investigative committee could not understand why Sanusi failed to use the total of N814.60 billion he (Sanusi) provided for the committee, for his calculation. 
But Sanusi said he relied on the Federal Government’s 2011 to 2013 Medium Term Expenditure Framework which the National Assembly approved to arrive at his own calculations. 
He insisted that N136.25 billion total overhead of the National Assembly is 25.41 per cent of  Federal Government’s total overhead of N536.26 billion.
Sanusi said he had no other motive than to point out the danger of consistent high recurrent and overhead expenditure of government.
The CBN governor was asked what his motive was and whether he regretted his comment. 
Sanusi said, “I do not want to be involved in a never ending saga. I have the banking reform I’m looking at and you have election you are looking at.
“If I answer everything, tomorrow, we create new headlines. It was not correct to say that I went and said that the problem of the country is because 25 per cent overhead goes to the National Assembly. 
“I never deny motives but it cannot be said that my motive was to malign the National Assembly. I cannot sit here and convince you that I was not mischievous. 
“Whether I regret what I said, I earlier said that it is distressing how these things have developed. If mistakes were made, they were mistakes. But if the figures were right as I used them, yes.” 
The CBN governor who said he would continue to point out financial issues he considered were against the economy no matter how unpleasant, insisted that there was no intention to malign the National Assembly.
To those who accuse him of speaking too much, he noted that as CBN Governor, “I should speak about government spending and finances even if the truth is bitter, but my comment should not be taken as an attack on the National Assembly or any arm of government.” 
Ndume expressed the committee’s concern over the absence of the Director-General of the Budget Office, Dr. Bright Okogwu at the meeting.
Although Ndume explained that the meeting was only meant to obtain necessary clarification from the CBN boss, it turned out to be a war of figures between the CBN Governor and members of the committee.
The committee said the N536 billion quoted by Sanusi as Federal Government’s overhead was in conflict with the N814 billion contained in the CBN document presented to the Committee.
Sanusi attempted to clarify the figure but Ndume declared that the intention of the session was not to drag the issues. 
Ndume said Sanusi might choose to issue a statement to clarify the alleged misleading figure.

2011:North's Leaders in new Plot to stop Jonathan

Northern Leaders

Still committed to their bid for the retention of power in the North next year, about 12 leaders of the North have held a secret meeting in Abuja on the legal options to stop President Goodluck Jonathan.
Besides, the elders have floated a “Plan B”, should former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is technically disqualified by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Three other presidential aspirants on consensus platform have been placed on standby, should Atiku is disqualified. 
They are ex-President Ibrahim Babangida; Governor Bukola Saraki; and a former National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau.
Investigation by The Nation revealed that the Northern power brokers met under the aegis of the Northern Elders Assembly in Maitama District in Abuja.
On the agenda were how Atiku was chosen; the forthcoming presidential primaries of the PDP; and the need for a conclusive legal action to stop Jonathan from contesting the 2011 poll.
It was learnt that they had already engaged some retired jurists from the North on the implications of last Wednesday’s judgment by the Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Lawal Gumi and how to manage the appeal arising from it.
Mr Justice Gumi said although zoning exists and it is binding on PDP, the court would not stop President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2011 poll.
But since the verdict was given, some Northern leaders have been meeting on how to stop Jonathan through the court.
At the Maitama meeting, one of the leaders admitted that he had contacted a source who said “the case can be won against Mr. President”, if it is pursued up to higher courts.
Buoyed by the assurance, it was gathered that the leaders asked a former Minister to “along with his legal team revisit the case and come out with plausible prayers to present to the Court of Appeal”.
Those at the meeting were not immediately known last night, but a source said Dalhatu Bashir Dalhatu, Fatima Balla and Bello Kurfi, one of the “nine wise men” Ciroma Committee that picked Atiku as the consensus candidate.
Another source claimed that Isa Salami and Aminu Aliyu Datsima were there. They could not be reached for confirmation last night.
A source at the meeting said: “The North is ready for a fresh legal battle against Jonathan. It is going to be a fight to the finish up to the Supreme Court on this zoning matter.
“These elders have briefed their counsel to appeal against the judgment as there was no clear sanction against the PDP.
“Some influential Northerners have also advised the leaders to consult with retired Justices from the zone for ‘informed assessment and advice’ on any area deserving amendment to make the appeal stronger.
“We may actually be heading for a political stalemate, if either the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court makes any landmark pronouncement on this zoning issue.”
Security agencies have got wind of plans to use the court to scuttle the presidential primaries in the PDP, The Nation learnt.
“I think the Presidency is aware of the latest plot and it is on top of the situation. We cannot afford to go back to June 12, 1993 era,” a government official said.
It was learnt that the leaders plan to discuss with Atiku “on the legal option and the possibility of going to court for the interpretation of the PDP constitution on zoning as the elders were earlier advised.
“This will be different from the litigation over the same issue being handled by Sani Dutsinma, a chieftain of the PDP in Katsina State.
On Plan B, one of the leaders said: “The recent decision by the committee after the announcement of Atiku as the consensus presidential choice was for them to work on other alternative but viable options.
“The leaders wanted other presidential aspirants to be on stand-by, should Atiku, by whatever reasons, be disqualified from contesting in the PDP primaries/National Convention and should there not be enough time for litigation over it; one or two of the other aspirants would continue the contest.”
But despite the Plan B, the leader said the meeting agreed that Northern leaders would go ahead to promote Atiku’s candidacy.
The source added: “As a matter of fact, a mass rally is being planned for the North’s Consensus Candidate in Bauchi to underscore Northern leaders’ commitment to retain power in 2011.
On the choice of the consensus candidate, a member of the Search Committee was said to have briefed the Maitama session on why Atiku was chosen by the NPLF leaders.
The source quoted the member as saying: “Contrary to the feeling that ex-President Ibrahim Babangida would have been a better northern consensus presidential choice, the members had looked at the controversies that would have followed had IBB been picked.
“The committee looked at the challenges which Babangida’s candidacy would have posed to the North in the Southwest, Southsouth and some parts of the North.”