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The political machinery allegedly set up by President Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy, Atiku Abubakar, for their re-election has suffered a terrible blow due to power tussle and crisis of confidence among key players in the political association that has the trappings of a political party.
Hallmark gathered that the group, The Democracy-Watch Movement, TDM, which was established as a Non-Governmental Organiz-ation (NGO), has official support from the president and his deputy who have been financing their activities.
TDM, our source revealed, was also building structures for a possible transformation into a political party in case the plot of these two leaders to get a second mandate from the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, fails to materialize.
The Democracy-watch Movement, which has established structures in different states of the federation, has enlisted the support of major political heavyweights from different parts of the country, including a former president and a second republic governor from the South-East geo-political zone of the country who were approached to be members of the Board of Trustee. Others approached were former INEC deputy chairman, Shehu Musa, Chief Afolabi and a brother to the secretary of the government of the federation, Ufot Ekaete.
The group, formed immediately the re-nomination of the two leaders in PDP became doubtful due to the opposition among different factions in the party, initially bears the name Obasanjo/Atiku Success.
However, the name was changed to TDM when some of the pioneer members who felt it was too early to start a re-election campaign for the president and his deputy argued that such a direct reference would give the organization the resemblance of those praise singing and image laundering groups formed during the Babangida and Abacha periods. A situation, which they argued, would be a minus in attracting grassroot support.
The group, which held its initial meetings at the 8th floor of Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, has Alhaji Aminu Tijani, alleged represen-tating the vice-president, as its pioneer chairman. The choice of Alhaji Tijani was proposed by one Barrister Oladosu who argued that Tijani’s age and political influence in the North would be an asset to them in mobilizing for support.
During the group’s second meeting at the same venue, zonal co-ordinators were appointed for the various zones. However, the appointment of the zonal co-ordinators and the change of name irked some members who prefer the use of the old name. To this group, there was nothing wrong with the name Obasanjo/Atiku Success group, afterall, some did it under Abacha.
As crisis started to brew in the group, its meeting venue was shifted from Sheraton Hotels to Women Department Centre, WDC, and later Tamara Hotel, Wuse Zone 3, while its president was accommodated at WDC guest house. The meeting place was later moved to Alhaji Tijani’s house at 28 Udi Street, Aso Drive.
Then, the members started accusing the chairman of running the association like his private business and could not account for the money often released by Aso Rock to the group.
As the confidence in Tijani waned, another member, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu volunteered an office at Sultan Abubakar way for a period of six months if only to break the monopoly and domination of Tijani.
Members who attended the January 16 meeting include Aminu Goronye, Chief Dan Eze, Dr. Ibrahim Sada, Mohammed Sani Isa, Adamu Umar, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Prince Tunji Adeoye, Prince Ayo Balogun and Alhaji Nuhu Audu.
Others were Wale Adeyemo, Mrs. Grace Ogba, Alhaji S.A. Oyawole, Hon. Oladosu Oladipo, Prince Godwin Atibile, Bello Ibrahim and Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu.
Chief Sergeant Awuse sent his apology while the following were absent, Alhaji Umar Mustapha, Dr. Ladi Hamalai, Alhaji Umaru Ahmed, Hon. Jerry Manwe, Alhaji Umar Shettien, Aisha Abdul-Qadir, Alhaji Abdullahi Osanga and Chief Ason Bur. Also absent were Chief Gbazuagu Nweke Gbazuagu, Dr. Alex Obi, Dr Chidi P.C.J McJossy, Oluwafemi Bashorun, Chief Agboola Alausa, Bode Ajewole, Hon. Chief Oladimeji, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, Dr. Ejiofor and Mr. John Okpa.
At the meeting which began at 2.30p.m, the facilitator, Dr. Usman Bugaje, informed members of the steering committee present that the vice-president was highly impressed with the spread of the committee, promising that any “threat to the co-operate existence and subversion of democracy should be alerted and effective mobilization made to avert it.”
As the crisis of confidence continued, other members accused Tijani of not getting them involved in the series of meetings he held with Aso Rock and the amount earmarked for mobilization of members.
The aggrieved members, led by Oladosu Oladipo, on making enquiry at the seat of power discovered that the chairman, in his solo moves, had collected money running into millions of naira for the running of the organization despite his claims that the presidency had been starving him of fund.
Informed of this discovery, Alhaji Tijani went and acquired an office block (three bedroom flat) at Area 11, Garki, where he moved with some of the members while the aggrieved group acquired another office at 6 Samora Machel Street, Asokoro District.
Because of the allegations leveled against Tijani, Aso Rock ignored him and his group and transferred their patronage to the Asokoro faction. This group has the personal assistant to the vice-president, Dr. Usman Bugaje, and Aminu Goronye as the protem chairman and secretary respectively.
However, its meetings held on Tuesday, January 16, 2001, at its corporate headquarters was chaired by Chief Mark Okoye, an Anambra born politician, since Bugaje could not stay till the end of the meeting.
Hallmark source also said that the vee-pee implored the committee to give him time to think over the vacant seat in the steering committee from his zone (the North East). After reading the address from the vice-president, Dr. Bugaje took his leave while Prince Ayo Balogun informed the committee of the apology sent in by Chief Sergeant Awuse.
Issues discussed at the meeting include alternative source of funding. The members agreed that rather than relying on government, contacts should be made to “our friends in government and contractors sympathetic to TDM cause” to seek their financial assistance.
Also discussed is the budget for secretariat development. This was estimated to cost N6.624 million while salaries of the directors should be elevated to GL16 instead of GL15.
The issue of imperso-nation by breakaway factions was raised. A member brought out a TDM constitution and alleged he got it from some, young men parading themselves as leaders of TDM at Gusau, Zamfara State.
Another member who collaborated this said that some people at Abuja had even been parading themselves as leaders of the group. He gave an example of one Chika whom he argued parades himself as TDM secretary. At this point, another member said that some of the pioneer members who had abandoned the group may be responsible for that.
On this, the group wondered whether the name and logo could still be presented for registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission since the public could hardly recognize the genuine and fake TDM.
After further deliberation, the committee resolved that there was the need for the steering committee to meet the vice-president to thrash out the question of trustees, the name and other relevant issues.
Already, the steering committee has started mobilization for grassroot support. In Port Harcourt, it held its meeting at an obscure hotel across Railway line, Woji Road, early this month. Membership forms are also in circulation, while new members are expected to register with N200.00.
But, the question in the lips of most Nigerians are: What manner of NGO since most of the members are known to be staunch military apologists?