Abuja/Minna — The 2011 presidential race, criticised for being too dull because of lack of activities, may soon burst into life as more aspirants join the fray, with Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki expected to declare his intention to run this week.

But he may have given up his chairmanship of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) as the intrigues to replace him intensify.

In his declaration, expected to be made in Abuja, according to a source, Saraki will say his 11-year experience in politics, which he joined as a fresher when he was appointed former President Olusegun Obasanjo's honorary budget adviser, has prepared him for the No. 1 job in the land.

"He will cite his tenure as Kwara State governor in the last seven years, which has seen to the modernisation of agriculture and infrastructural development, in addition to his youthfulness, as his selling points," the source told THISDAY.

He met with former military president and another Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, yesterday in Minna, Niger State, for about one hour.

The Kwara governor arrived the Minna Airport in a chartered flight and went straight to the retired general's residence.

Babangida is due to launch his bid on Wednesday.

Saraki, who also met with the governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, simply said "no comment" when he was questioned by journalists.

Vanguard

President Goodluck Jonathan, right.

Saraki, 47, will also argue for new thinking in the country, citing the examples of how young politicians are taking over the leadership of big countries across the world.

"Mr. Barack Obama became US President at 48. The Prime Minister of UK, David Cameron, is 44. His deputy, Nick Clegg, is 43. The President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, is 44," he will argue, calling on Nigerians to join the global trend as Nigeria seeks its place of pride in the comity of nations.Saraki is thus seen as a "unifying force" who can appeal to both Southerners and Northerners.

He is expected to base his candidacy on "merit", arguing that while he agrees with the zoning policy of the PDP, the principal qualification for the presidency is the ability to deliver the goods and lead Nigeria to the Promised Land.

"Saraki enjoys the support of key Northern leaders who believe that the campaign for power shift to the North in 2011 should not be limited to the so-called core Northerners alone. Wherever you come from, as long as you're a Northerner, you should not be excluded. That was the political credo of the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello," the source, who is conversant with Saraki's campaign plans, told THISDAY.

Saraki's father unsuccessfully made two attempts to be presidential candidate, first in 1979 on the platform of National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and also in 1999 via the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).

Babangida and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar have both announced plans to declare, while President Goodluck Jonathan is also set to declare on Saturday.

National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau, is also expected to throw his hat into the ring in the coming weeks.

In the ANPP, Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano and former presidential candidate in the June 12, 1993 election, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, have both declared their intensions.

While former head of state, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, is set to run on the ticket of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman Mallam Nuhu Ribadu is also getting set to run, presumably on the ticket of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Publisher and celebrated columnist, Mr. Dele Momodu, has also announced his decision to bid for the job.In the meantime, THISDAY has gathered that the move against Saraki as NGF chairman is not unconnected with his presidential ambition but he has served notice to quit.

According to one of the PDP governors, the indication that there is no unity among the PDP governors came at their last meeting where some of them asked Saraki pointedly if he had an interest in contesting.

Saraki was said to have refused to answer the question. Both NGF and PDP governors' forum are said to be polarised over the issue.

Presidency and PDP sources told THISDAY yesterday that they were not happy over the role played by the Saraki-led governors when late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was ill before he eventually died, alleging that the governors were instrumental to the delay in declaring Jonathan the acting president.

"We are aware that the party is not happy over the leadership role played by the Saraki-led governors' forum then. We have heard about the move against him and we know where it is coming from, but one thing is that we are united under his leadership," the source, a governor, told THISDAY.

The governors may use the age factor to shop for a replacement for Saraki, with the governor of Ebonyi State, Martin Elechi, and his counterpart from Adamawa State, Admiral Murtala Nyako, being tipped.

Governor Danjuma Goje of Gombe State, initially rumoured to be interested in the presidential race, is however heavily favoured to take over as the NGF chairman.

Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP will today meet to take a final position on the guidelines and timetable for the nomination of its candidates for the general election.

According to a source within the NWC, "we were unable to take a final position because most members of the NWC were out in Mecca for the lesser hajj and now INEC has released the election timetable and almost all members of the NWC are back."

The source further said that whatever position reached would be communicated to an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to hold either this week Thursday or next week.

The governors who are to coordinate President Jonathan's campaigns in the geo-political zones are expected to meet today. This is their first meeting since their appointment. Those expected to attend the meeting are Governors Ibrahim Shema of Katsina (North-west), Isa Yuguda of Bauchi (North-east), Gabriel Suswam of Benue (North-central), Gbenga Daniel of Ogun (South-west), Elechi of Ebonyi (South-east) and Liyel Imoke (South-south).