The man who ruled Nigeria with iron hands for eight years and damaged his own democratic experiment, former ruler General Ibrahim Babangida is now caught up in political quagmire as he fruitlessly seaches for a platform in the unfolding drama of his political comeback.
Strong indication emerged that, unsure of his chances of picking the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on December 16, when the party is scheduled to hold its national convention, the former ruler is considering moving over to the newly registered Democratic Peoples Party (DPP).
National chairman of the party, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, on Thursday confirmed that such plans were in the offing, describing as discomforting the number of aspirants which rose to 23, Thursday.
Major political associates of former President Ibrahim Babangida are said to have initiated panicky move to help secure an alternative platform for him in the event the PDP deny him presidential ticket on December 16.
Already, the former president is said to have reached an accord with the leadership of the Democratic Peoples Party as a fallback platform to actualize his presidential ambition in 2007.
The group allegedly being founded by Governor Attahiru Bafarawa of Sokoto State, was said to have also infiltrated other opposition parties to drum support for the Minna-born general.
Impeccable source told Saturday Champion that the move, which reached feverish state early in the week followed alleged gang-up against IBB by some PDP governors.
The governors are said to be working for a prominent colleague to succeed President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007.
According to the source, the governors have piled pressure on President Olusegun Obasanjo to give his blessing to one of them in the spirit of continuity.
Governor James Ibori, whso is said to be a leading figure in the on-slaught had recently declared that the governors would prefer one of their colleagues already in the race to succeed President Obasanjo.
Source further said the governors, though few of them, had, in a meeting, Tuesday night, insisted that only a President of their extraction would protect their interest.
According to him, the governors resolve may have jolted the IBB camp.
The group is also said to be worried about unfolding development at Wadata House, national secretariat of PDP.
Meanwhile, Saturday Champion reliably gathered that governors who have declared intention to contest for the number one office are now lobbying the leadership of the party.
An official of the party at the National Secretariate, Abuja, who pleaded anonymity said the governors, afraid of being asked to drop their ambitions are out-doing one another in lobbying the party’s chairman and officials.
"What I can tell you authoritively is that our governors who want to succceed our great President, are worried about plans to weed them off the race. They are almost sleeping here (National Secretariat) and homes of our leaders. They are sending emissaries, they are doing everything within their power to forestall a situation where they would be stopped," the source told Saturday Champion.
The pressure, he said, is not mounted only on the party leadership. He disclosed that the governors who are close to the presidency are making efforts to get the presidency accept their pleas.
The source said "they know the presidency is behind the arrangement, some of them who know how to get the presidency’s ear are going to him to beg him to allow all of them contest the party’s primaries."
Ali had on Thursday, expressed dissatisfaction with the growing number of presidential aspirants in the PDP fold. He particuarly faulted a situation where virtually all the party’s governors serving their second tenures are declaring for president.
Ali told the aspirants to work for a consensus candidate ahead of the PDP national convention.
The PDP chairman declared that the aspirant, so far, are too many and that the best thing for them is to work for a consensus candidate.
The party has already threatened to disqualify any apirant associated with the thuggery or violence even when he has emerged as the party’s presidential candidate.
Source alleged that those said to be working against IBB have infiltrated the ranks of PDP.
