Posted by The PHC Telegraph on
Chief A.K Horsfall, master spy and one-time Chairman of the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission is officially in the race for the presidency of the country.
Chief A.K Horsfall, master spy and one-time Chairman of the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission is officially in the race for the presidency of the country.
Until last week, the issue of Horsfall's interest in the presidency in 2007 was like a mere rumour even after he had been urged in Abuja by a group to join the race.
Last week, his posters, which carried no particular message of what he, intends to do should Nigerians decide to give him the mandate appeared on the streets of Port Harcourt.
The posters carry the inscription, "Chief A.K. Horsfall for President Federal Republic of Nigeria"
Accordingly, Horsfall becomes the first Rivers personality and politician since the search for President Olusegun Obasanjo's replacement began to declare his intention to govern Nigeria.
Horsfall, an Ijaw who led the Rivers delegation to the constitutional reform talks in Abuja may be the first to step into the roped square from Rivers State, but he is certainly not the first Ijaw to signify interest in the race.
Chief Pere Ajuwa who has already commenced his bid for the presidency has been touring the country.
Ajuwa reportedly has the backing of the Ijaw National Congress and this would mean that the two men would go head to head for the support of the Ijaw nation as the race opens and Nigerians look towards the South-South which insists this time, it is its turn to produce the next presidency of Nigeria.
Horsfall has the pedigree, those close to him say and they reason who could make a good president if Nigerians decide to vote for him.
But typical politicians wonder how he would run his campaign, saying that in strict political terms, Horsfall has no known political machinery upon which to actualize his aspiration to govern Nigeria.
A source reached said the former spymaster has been carefully putting his act together.
In his words, "Horsfall has powerful friends who are accomplished politicians within and outside the military establishment that are running Nigeria. To come out openly to declare his intention to be president, he must have done his home work."
"Do not forget that as chairman of OMPADEC, Horsfall made several Ijaws and other Nigerians millionaires", the source added, "and given his excellent relations with those he has come across at various levels, he can really spring a surprise when the race opens."
Another source however expressed a different view of Horsfall's entry into the presidential race.
"I think Horsfall is being sponsored possibly by the IBB group. In any case, events would soon play out", he declared.
The thinking in some circles is that the IBB group suspects that Odili might have the backing of outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo to run for the 2007 elections as the candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
In the calculation of this group, the IBB campaign organization is believed to have stepped up its effort to target Governor Odili, meaning that if Horsfall is part of that political machinery, his mission might likely be to create problems for an Odili ticket right from the governor's backyard.
With Horsfall in the race, the implication is that at least two persons from Rivers State would be gunning for the presidency.
Governor Peter Odili's name has been seriously mentioned as one of the strong contenders for the presidency in 2007.
So far, Odili has not openly entered the race but the signs are that he is reportedly under pressure by friends and political associates to join the big race.