Obasanjo, IBB Move To End Atiku'sPresidential Ambition

Party sources at Abuja disclosed on Friday that the hitherto strong man of Adamawa politics is facing the battle of his life but would likely make no breakthrough as the forces arraigned against him are impregnable.

Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, is alleged to have been instructed to truncate every move by Atiku to be re-enlisted as a member of the party as he may impede the chances of President Goodluck Jonathan's emergence as the PDP flag-bearer in 2011.

It was learnt that a combined but individualistic forces led by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, are mounting pressure on Nyako to block Atiku's re-entry into the party.

While Obasanjo fights for the emergence of Jonathan, Babangida is equally trying to clear the path for his personal presidential ambition. The only chance left for Atiku in the interim is to seek chances in another political party.

Sunday Independent was informed that the Adamawa Chapter of the party made no effort whatsoever to seek a waiver for Atiku, adding that "Nyako is successful in blocking Atiku because he is acting a script by the Villa."

Another source said after the NEC meeting in Abuja on Thursday, "the PDP door is blocked completely; it has been shut against Atiku. His case has been closed and he does not even know."

If this position is sustained, Atiku's political machine geared towards the Presidency in 2011 may have cranked to a premature halt even before it started.

Atiku had in anticipation of the elusive waiver, sent out invitations for the formal declaration of his presidential ambition at the prestigious Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, today.

He has also acquired dozens of campaign vehicles, including well-decorated buses, set up yet to be opened offices across the country and recruited campaign officers and other staff.

One of his former political associates said on Friday: "It is like being dead-set on a political suicide mission. He is prepared for the contest but has no political platform. He's ready for the horse contest but has no horse to mount.

"At the end of the PDP executive council meeting in Abuja on Thursday, Atiku's fate was sealed and his presidential ambition given a red card as the party was yet to be furnished with a waiver application by the Adamawa State PDP."

As things are now, Atiku is neither a member of the PDP which he dumped for Action Congress (AC) in 2006, now called Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) nor any other political party in Nigeria, a development that could hamper his desire to launch a presidential bid.

A party chieftain from Adamawa State told Sunday Independent on Friday evening that nobody in the state recognises Atiku as a member of the PDP "because he is yet to be accepted even in his ward."

He explained that forces beyond Atiku's comprehension have erected road-blocks on his ambition. "To the best of my knowledge and of course that of the state PDP, Atiku has not yet returned to the party.

"He has not yet been accepted even in his own local government area and the decision of state chapter not to seek a waiver for his return to the party indicates that he has lost out completely.

"He needs a waiver to be eligible to contest. All the other people who left the party with him for the then AC, including (Okwesilize) Nwodo, who is now the party's national chairman, have been granted waivers. He is the only one left," the source said.

But Atiku's spokesman, Garba Shehu said in a telephone interview that what happened on Thursday was merely ceremonial, as Atiku's name sat at the top of the list of those granted waiver by the party long before now.

"We don't have any problem as far as that (the granting of waiver by NEC) is concerned," he assured.

Why would they not do this?... when they have taken so much of our money into several foreign account.
Its money that is intoxicating them.Such money has a way of making people not knowing what to do. God have mercy!