Posted by thephctelegraph on
Could there be a secret romance going on between former President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and the Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili.....
Could there be a secret romance going on between former President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and the Governor of Rivers State, Dr Peter Odili whose aspiration to be president of Nigeria has become the issue?
That is the question that political pundits have been trying to find answers to since the IBB campaign organization published a list of its officials last week.
Political watchers were mildly amazed by what they saw in Thursday's edition of ThisDay.
In an advertised list of members of the IBB campaign organization, Barrister Okey Nzenwa, younger brother of the wife of the Rivers governor was listed as the leader of youthful elements working for the former Nigerian dictator.
In Port Harcourt and elsewhere, eyebrows were raised following the development, with many wondering what all this could mean not just for Odili and Babangida but also for their presidential aspirations that are well on course.
Given what many see as the bad blood between President Obasanjo and his ally Babangida, the speculation in political circles has been that the IBB team within the PDP worried by the rising political profile of Governor Odili and the alleged support that he is getting from Obasanjo has been targeting him
IBB had reportedly met with OBJ, and insiders had hinted the president bluntly told the man who was part of the team that encouraged him to run for the presidency in 1999 he would not support his aspiration to be president after him.
Rather, the president, it was reported had urged Babangida to join hands with him in his effort to shut out Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, from the 2007 race.
Said one politician in Port Harcourt, "My brother, the more you look, the less you see. We are watching and trying to make sense of the ThisDay publication of last week."
Many here reason Okey Nzenwa is incapable of acting outside the influence of the4 Odilis who are in several ways responsible for his growing exposure.
The thinking in some circles is that Nzenwa's presence in the hierarchy of the IBB team suggests that the two sides have been keeping informal contacts, or that the Odili side may have decided to place a plant in IBB's bosom.
On the other hand, there are rumours that Nzenwa has been angling to be deputy governor in Imo State.
In pursuit of his own aspiration, some say Okey might be playing his hand as an independent.
So far, there has been no reaction, at least in the open from Government House, Port Harcourt over the inclusion of Nzenwa's name on the list of officials of a rival camp.
In the meantime, tongues continue to wag as analysts try to make sense of what is going on.
The Telegraph would remain on the trail of this unfolding development and would bring more details to its readers as more facts become available.