Ribadu still undecided on presidential running mate

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) begins its national electioneering campaign today with a colloquium at the ThisDay Dome, Abuja. The party’s standard bearer, Nuhu Ribadu, yesterday said that he is still in consultation over who becomes his running mate for the April 2011 general elections. He said that since the party still has up to February 21 to submit names, the nomination of a presidential running mate is a non-issue for now.

Mr. Ribadu, who spoke yesterday through Ibrahim Modibbo, his director, media and communications, in a telephone interview with NEXT, also confirmed that the colloquium was an indication that the campaign had started in earnest.

“The issue of deputy does not come up now because that is not a problem. We still have up to 21st of February to submit the name, so, we are still consulting,” he responded.

Former governor of Anambra State, Chris Ngige, and former minister of finance under president Olusegun Obasanjo, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, are two possible candidates that Mr. Ribadu is rumoured to be looking at.

Party manifesto

Mr. Ribadu explained that today’s colloquium is to bring out the party’s manifesto to Nigerians. “It is symbolic because we are starting in an academic manner unlike the PDP,” he said.

The ACN’s national secretary, Lawal Shuaib, did not answer his phone and did not respond to a text message sent to him on the issue. Meanwhile, the ACN in a release over the weekend, by its national publicity secretary, Lai Mohammed, said the party chose to start its electioneering campaign for April’s poll with a colloquium to unveil the party’s manifesto and agenda for Nigeria. The topics to be discussed, according to the statement, include issues of governance, human rights, youth development, energy, managing a democratic government, regulatory functions of INEC, the Electoral Act 2010 as well as water and sanitation.

“These manifesto and agenda encompass our contract with Nigerians. Therefore, we intend to use the colloquium not only to present our programme but also to ensure that Nigerians own the programme,” it read.