2007: ANPP Governors in Crucial Meeting
From Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) governors and the Board of Trustees members met all night to strategise on the party's life ahead of the 2007 presidential elections against different permutations by many of the stakeholders.
The meeting which, as at press time early this morning, was still on at the Abuja residence of former Chief of General Staff and the party's BOT chairman, Admiral Augustus Aikhomu (rtd) was described as "very, very crucial."
Although party officials would not speak on the agenda for discussion, THISDAY checks revealed that top on the issues being discussed was how to resolve the leadership crisis in the party between National Working Committee led by Chief Don Etiebet and another parallel faction led by Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Attahiru Bafawara and former FCT Minister, General Jerry Useni.
Sources within the party also disclosed that the fate of the party's presidential candidate in the last election, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) might also be discussed.
This, according to sources, is because there are some governors believed to either have presidential ambitions of their own or rooting for an "external candidate" and one of the names being touted is that of General Ibrahim Babangida.
A top ANPP official however told THISDAY early this morning that "we have not come to the point of discussing names of aspirants, we just want to put our house in order first", he said.
He said further that all they did all night was to discuss the need to maintain the status quo under Etiebet "as a prelude to allowing the North to present the presidential candidate in 2007."
Aikhomu, at the meeting, was said to have stressed the need for unity within the party, saying there is no basis for crisis in the party. He assured that the only way ANPP could progress is to allow for the maintenance of status quo and that there would be a level playing ground for all in 2007. Though it was not categorically stated that the presidential ticket of the party would go to the North, with the resolution of the crisis and Etiebet retaining his seat, it is generally believed that the North would present the party's presidential ticket in 2007.
Again, sources contend, this would go a long way to remove the doubt and fears that Etiebet is working for a Southern presidential candidate.
A top official explained that another reason that necessitated the South to concede the ticket to the North is as a result of the electoral reflection in the party. The source said "it is on record that the seven governors of the party, 99 per cent of members of the National Assembly of the party are from the North."
Before yesterday's meeting, the source said both Babangida and Aikhomu had held a private meeting in Aikhomu's residence, Maitama, Abuja. At the meeting, IBB allegedly claimed ignorance of the crisis rocking ANPP. He was however prevailed upon to speak to Bafarawa for a change of "tactics."
Also, Gen. Halilu Akilu, former DMI Chief (though of UNPP) had another round of meeting in Abuja with Aikhomu on the need to allow status quo to remain.
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