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(A Case of Putting the Cart Before the Horse) 2011 Presidential battle: Yar’Adua pays PR firm N.5bn
• Anenih heads presidential think-tank • Plans to checkmate Obasanjo, opposition • Turai, family back project

By BEN OBI JR.

AFTER some months of vacillating, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has finally bowed to the whims of his family and political associates who had mounted an unrelenting pressure on him to run for a second term in office. The introverted 56-year-old former university lecturer is now poking fun at his gloating traducers and screaming booboo.

National Daily’s impeccable sources revealed that Yar’Adua has perfected plans to formerly implement strategies to retain the People Democratic Party, PDP, nomination as the party’s candidate for the 2011 presidential election.
Inside sources said Yar’Adua has conclusively shunned the advice of his predecessor and sponsor, former President Olusegun Obasanjo against his aspiring to continue in office beyond the expiration date of his first term.
National Daily reliable sources revealed that Yar’Adua and his strategic PDP team has engaged the services of an Ikeja, Lagos State based Public Relations company to launder the President’s image and also suggest strategies on how the president will secure the support of his party, the electorate and the international community.
The PR firm sources said was also mandated to recommend strategies that will enable Yar’Adua outwit his main opponent General Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar.

Obasanjo and his obdurate group have been against Yar’Adua’s continuation in office based on political consideration. Obasanjo is furious that Yar’Adua deviated from their ‘gentlemen agreement’ before his ascension to power and even proceeded now to hijack the PDP structures from him.

“Yar’Adua proved that he is cleverer than the General and his cronies. He deceived him that he would do his wish after he took over from him but pursued his own programmes afterwards.”

Obasanjo is sad that Yar’Adua refused to endorse his choice, former Rivers State governor, Dr. Peter Odili as Vice-President, rejection of Alhaji Nasir El-Rufai as Minister for Energy and his ongoing probe of his tenure as Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT. The demotion and removal of Malam Nuhu Ribadu as Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the trial of former Chairman of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Bode George whom he replaced with his new ally, former PDP Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman, Tony Anenih.

Obasanjo is also furious about Yar’Adua’s role in the emergence of Chief Vincent Ogbulafor as PDP National Chairman.
“He was thoroughly rankled and lamented that “this Umaru is not like his brother Shehu, he cannot be trusted,” an inside source quoted Obasanjo.

National Daily sources said Yar’Adua was not initially susceptible to the idea of presenting himself as a candidate for the 2011 presidential election but capitulated to pressure from his wife, Hajia Turai Umaru Yar’Adua and siblings of his late elder brother, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.

“You know political power is alluring. Turai and other members of the family have tasted the honey, why should they remove the bee?”, queried an informed source, adding that the family believes that Yar’Adua needs a second term to polish his image and consolidate his programmes.

On the other hand, the president’s associates want to prevent Obasanjo’s group from taking over the presidency in 2011 and also to make members of the Yar’Adua group politically relevant.

Inside sources confided in our reporter that Yar’Adua as soon as he agreed to vie for a second term in the office constituted a think tank to help him fine-tune his tactics and strategy.
The team, sources said, is headed by former Minister for Works and Chairman PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih.

Yar’Adua’s choice of Anenih is deliberately hinged on several concomitant factors:
“The president wanted an experienced politician who knows all the tricks of the game, someone who is widely respected by party members and also has enormous contacts outside the party, one source said, adding: “Yar’Adua intends to meet Obasanjo and his group tit for tat in their own political turf. Anenih knows everything about Obasanjo’s political secret since he was even the one who taught him the tricks of the game. Anenih has the capacity to checkmate Yar’Adua’s opponents especially Obasanjo”

National Daily learned that Yar ‘Adua decided to spite Obasanjo with the appointment of his former man-Friday as the leader of his re-election strategy team.

Anenih is said to be excited by his newest appointment and has reportedly vowed to once again justify his rating as the Mr. Fix It of Nigerian politics.

Obasanjo enjoyed a chummy relationship with Yar’Adua until ambition tore them apart.
Anenih felt betrayed when Obasanjo influenced his removal as PDP BOT Chairman despite his unalloyed loyalty to his administration.

When the relationship between Obasanjo and Yar’Adua became frosty, Anenih seized the stage by pitching his tent with the incumbent president.
Inside sources disclosed that Anenih has been seriously lobbying PDP national and state executive members on behalf of Yar’Adua.

He is said to have also reached out to the BOT members and other stake holders like former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, Abubakar Rimi, Jim Nwobodo, Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel and others.
Anenih is said to be the brain behind the recently constituted PDP 14-man Elders Committee led by Senator Ike Nwachukwu. Some members of the committee are former Delta State Governor James Ibori, Gombe State governor Danjuma Goje, Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam, former Information Minister, Professor Jerry Gana, former Transport Minister, Ebenezer Babatope and former Deputy National Chairman South of PDP, Chief Shuaibu Oyedokun.

Our sources disclosed that in order to diversify strategies for maximum options and effect, the Anenih team has also employed the services of public relations experts outside PDP to map out effective strategies in respect of the 2011 re-election project.

To this end, agreement has been reached with an A class Public Relations company located in Ikeja, Lagos, to launder Yar’Adua’s declining public image – to burnish his perception among Nigerians and the international community. The PR firm working with selected media and political support groups will publicise materials explaining some of Yar’Adua’s misunderstood policies and highlight his achievements.

National Daily sources said the PR contract sum is between N500 million and N700 million.
However, Obasanjo, the old fox who is a master of approbation and reprobation, pretended that he bore no grudges against Yar’Adua. He was waiting for the appropriate time to take his pound of flesh, a source said.
“You know Baba can be very ruthless if he chooses to fight. Yar’Adua did not initially reckon with the General’s capacity for vengeance which is better served cool” said one knowledgeable source.
National Daily further learned that Obasanjo is disappointed that his original calculation about the Yar’Adua candidacy has proved to be disappointing.

Sources said Obasanjo knew the details of Yar’Adua’s health and even asked the then Katsina State governor who confirmed his findings as he declined politely Obasanjo’s request that he contest the 2007 presidential election on the platform of the PDP.

Obasanjo persuaded by fear of his personal security after handing over on May 29, 2007 and desperation to block the chances of his enemies, Buhari and Atiku, insisted on the choice of the lanky leftist politician who is a known adherent of the late Talakawa (peasants) leader, Malam Aminu Kano.

National Daily learned that based on what he gathered about Yar’Adua’s health history, Obasanjo was frightened that he may not serve out his first tenure in office.

“That is why he lobbied Yar’Adua to choose Odili as his running mate. You know OBJ likes Odili very much. He was confident that Odili will protect his interest and use his charisma and financial means to resolve the Niger Delta crisis.”

However Yar’Adua has proved to be the proverbial cat with nine lives. He has shocked moon shiners who expected the undertakers to knock at Aso Rock gates to the bone and marrows.

Though, he has been flown abroad many times for medicals, the actor in a movie, it is said, never dies.
Those itching to hear the ding dong bells of presidential obituary must now realize that they are waiting for Godot.
President Yar’Adua is not only hale and hearty, he now holds regular meetings with his Tony Anenih-led 2011 presidential strategy team tinkering how to pull the rug under the clay feet of his opponents.
Obasanjo and his minions in the PDP are working assiduously to determine who wins the party’s presidential ticket in the next elections

“Obasanjo has realized that he cannot pull the string without a solid base so he is consolidating his strength in the South West” sources said.
A united South-West will give Obasanjo the bargaining power to negotiate with other five political zones when the chips are down in 2011.

“This is the unknown reason behind Obasanjo’s shuttle to some states to reconcile feuding party chieftains. Remember he recently reconciled former Oyo State governor, Rasheed Ladoja with his successor, Adebayo Alao-Akala”, a source said.

Obasanjo and his group, according to sources, have listed Bauchi State governor, Isa Yuguda and his Jigawa State colleague Sule Lamido. Sources said Obasanjo is also seriously lobbying the Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, to decamp from the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to the PDP so that he will be considered as the party’s flag-bearer in 2011 presidential election.

Yar’Adua will also contend with the formidable challenge of former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, the Action Congress candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the potential candidate of the much speculated mega party, Muhammadu Buhari.

Nigerians are waiting for the auspicious moment to know who wins the dog fight.