POLITICS UPDATE

 

LAGOS — The decision of the major northern presidential aspirants to spend only four years in office and hand over to someone from the South-East has inevitably placed focus on that region on the probable running mate to Atiku if he emerges as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
However, the choice may not necessarily be limited to the South-East as the South-South could also be in the picture for a choice. Among the leading possibilities are Senator Ben Obi who was Atiku’s running mate in the 2007 presidential election, erstwhile Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani and possibly former Governor Peter Odili.
Senator Ben Obi
Former Senator Ben Obi, one of the nation’s leading political strategists, is also well connected in the nation’s security apparatus and ably served as the Director-General of the Aliyu Gusau Campaign Organisation. He was between 1999 and 2003 the Political Adviser to Gen. Gusau while the later was National Security Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo.
It was from that position that he contested to represent Anambra Central Senatorial District in the Senate.
Senator Obi is well regarded for his political tenacity as he demonstrated in his struggle to reclaim his senatorial seat in the period between 2003 and 2005 when he eevntually took his seat in the Senate.
He was with Senator Uche Chukwumerije the inspiration for many Senators in the opposition to the third term agenda of former President Obasanjo.
He was chosen by Atiku Abubakar to be his running mate in the 2007 presidential election on the banner of the Action Congress.
Senator Ken Nnamani
Senator Ken Nnamani has been on the wings for a vice-presidential slot since his heroic supervision of the defeat of the third term constitutional proposal in 2006. At an end of year interaction with Senate correspondents in 2006, he confessed as much that he was approached for the position of a running mate to one of the presidential aspirants (not Yar’Adua) but he was apparently held back by what some considered as indecision.
His acceptance would have meant him surrendering the office of Senate President as he was elected the Senate’s presiding officer on the ticket of the PDP.
His surprise endorsement of the presidential bid by Gen. Babangida again re-ignited speculations of his possible role as a running mate.