2011: Babangida, Atiku selfish, says VP Sambo

VICE-PRESIDENT Namadi Sambo Monday took a swipe at ex-Military President Ibrahim Babangida and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over their insistence on the North producing the President in 2011.
Sambo said they were passionate about the zoning of the presidency to the North by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of their personal interest and aspirations.
Sambo, an architect and erstwhile Kaduna State Governor, also said the North would not lose anything, if it conceded political power to the South in next year’s election.
The Vice-President spoke on a wide range of issues in an interview –perhaps his first major outing since leaving Kaduna’s governorship for vice president – with select journalists in Abuja.
Both Babangida and Atiku have been threatening fire and brimstone, should the PDP fail to adhere to zoning which, in their estimation, cedes the presidency to the North.
They have also vowed to sink their differences and fight together to win the presidency for the North next year.
But Sambo said: "If the people that are talking do not have personal interests, then it will be a different matter. But when you see people that have interest, and they are the same people talking, then it becomes a kind of problem."
He said only President Goodluck Jonathan and his team were in the position to deliver Nigeria now, adding that it was time to refocus politics to issues rather than talking about North or South.
Said the VP: "Am I not part of the power? I think I am from the North and as the Vice-President, I have confidence that whatever a President from the North will do, I am in the best position to do it for the North.
"I remember in the 60s, when we were still children, these issues that have to do with religion, zoning and what have you were part of the issues that did not really exist.
"So, I am from the North; I’m part of power and everything that is needed to do for the North is being done. Look at what has been happening of recent.
"The major programmes that are being implemented for this part of the country, that is the northern part, there are evidence to show that we have a President that is patriotic, a President that does not have anything that is religious or sectional as part of his disposition or administration."
Asked why he is advocating a "back seat" for the North, Sambo said: "That is why we have chauffeur- driven cars. If you are chauffeur-driven, which will you prefer; will you sit in the front or at the back?"
Sambo added: "And today; we are 50 years old. The PDP has made it clear that the issue of its candidature will be in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and zoning is still an existing factor, it is part of the PDP constitution.
"We have gone up, we are just going to celebrate our 50th anniversary. And at the age of 50, we expect any state to have grown. This country has come a long way and, therefore, the issues that have to do with our development of effecting programmes of government that will rejuvenate the country and create a better standard of living for Nigerians are what we are looking for."
Sambo said "very soon" Jonathan would make public his intention to contest for the 2011 election, adding that Ramadan fasting accounted for the delay. "Very soon; there is no specific date yet but it will be very soon."
Sambo said Jonathan would not be breaching any law by contesting in 2011.
He added: "We have agreed that zoning is part and parcel of PDP; it has not removed zoning. But PDP has said that as far as its candidate is concerned, it respects the Federal Constitution. And in all previous elections of the PDP, despite the fact that there is zoning, all Nigerians that were interested participated in such elections.
"Just look at the last election, there were 15 candidates from the South, and about 12 or so from the North. Despite the fact that there was zoning in PDP, still the Constitution is still the prime factor that is considered in the candidature for PDP.
"Any interested candidate from any part of the country, as a Nigerian, has the right to contest, if he wishes, just like it has been proved in other PDP’s presidential primaries."
Responding to a question, the Vice-President said all the governors were backing the Jonathan ticket.
He said: "The Northern Governors, and in fact all the Governors of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, are being carried along and we have good relationship with them, we are moving this country together.
"And the positions of all the sections or the zones of this country have been made very clear. The governors of the Southsouth have made their statement; the governors from the Northern states have made their statement; members of the Nigerian Governors Forum have also made their statement. These statements are all in line with our position. So we are all together."
Sambo dismissed alleged threats to his office by some governors who wanted VP as a precondition for backing Jonathan.
Concerning purported threats from governors to hijack the primaries with the new Electoral Act, Sambo said: "How? Have you read the amendments? Who has read the amendments? The governors do not control as many official delegates as it used to be.
"Their concern is about who can deliver so that our society will change to a society we can all be proud of and so that our socio- economic status will improve. I think that is the major concern of Nigerians."
Regarding the new management of INEC, he said it would be able to deliver its target.
The Vice-President denied that his political influence had waned in his Kaduna home state.
He said: "I have not heard of that really and in practice I have not seen anything like that. In fact, just before you came in, I received a group of political friends from Kaduna and they said the government is doing everything in line with the programmes we have put in place together in Kaduna and all these politicians are from Kaduna.
"We are even always getting stronger and strengthening all issues with politics in Kaduna State. It is just the same thing. Like I said, it is the same story; people say a lot of things that may not be right.
"So, really as far as I know, Kaduna is still a strong PDP state and we are moving on as one family."