2011: Jonathan, IBB take battle to London

THE battle for the soul of Nigeria’s Presidency come 2011 has become more intense as both President Goodluck Jonathan and former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida drafted their field workers to London to continue their subtle campaigns towards the next general election.

Under the guise of Nigeria’s 50th independence anniversary celebration, President Jonathan’s foot soldiers stormed the Queen’s City of London last week for a two-day jamboree, which discerning minds understood to be in furtherance of his campaign for the next general election as a way of marketing their principal to the international community.

However, Babangida would not be deceived either as he also promptly drafted his ‘boys’ to London almost at the same time.

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, had led 18 PDP governors and other bigwigs of the party to London to showcase Nigeria’s achievements of 50 years of self government, where he featured on some television and radio programmes and spoke on the many gains of Jonathan presidency for Nigeria.

The programme was held at the Groovesnor Hotel, Park Lane, London.

Dr Nwodo also explained the irrelevance of zoning in the polity, arguing that the country could not afford to sacrifice merit on the altar of zoning.

The London trip, according to sources, was more of international political campaign than the anniversary celebration which the ordinary man was made to believe it was meant for.

On Babangida’s side, sources close to his Minna Hill Top Mansion told Sunday Tribune on condition of anonymity that the ex-military ruler could not buy such a simple dummy, hence he directed his men to proceed on a trip to London and counter whatever negative campaign the pro-Jonathan group might be selling to the outside world about his ambition.

It was also learnt that the barrage of criticisms trailing the N10 billion set aside for the anniversary celebration was being orchestrated by anti-Jonathan elements, who felt that the allocation was nothing but a campaign fund for President Jonathan.

The source, who attempted to debunk any impression that IBB ‘boys’ were in London on a counter mission, said there was nothing to counter as each group was there to market its ‘product’.

Since the emergence of President Jonathan and the possibility of his contesting the 2011 presidency, opinion had been divided along North/South divide, with many northern groups rooting for the retention of the zoning arrangement to allow one of their own to emerge in 2011 as president.

Within a spate of one week, two groups had staged rallies in Bauchi in support of Jonathan and the other to counter his ambition.

While the North East Progressive Forum would want the PDP zoning arrangement to remain, another group by the name, Goodluck Jonathan Movement (GJM), held its own rally to canvass support for President Jonathan.By Wale Adele