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Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida and Reverend Chris Okotie were.....
Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida and Reverend Chris Okotie were among 10 contenders to emerge top in a nation-wide popularity poll to ascertain the most eligible Nigerian to be President in 2007.
Their names are contained in a shortlist of individuals who garnered the most nominations in the first-of-its-kind popularity poll, released by the organisers, the Silver Bird Group, Vanguard Newspapers and Daar Communications at the weekend.
Others who made it to the list are: General Mohammadu Buhari, Professor Pat Utomi, Dr Peter Odili, Professor Dora Akunyili, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, as well as Governors Sam Egwu and Donald Duke of Ebonyi and Cross River states respectively.
The names of the 10 individuals with the highest number of votes were, however, given in no particular order, said the project co-ordinator, Jacob Akinyemi-Johnson, who explained that the history-making event was still in its preliminary stage.
In the poll, which started on May 29 and ended on July 22, 2006, members of the public were asked to choose: "A people's President, devoid of party affiliations, but a distinguished Nigerian from any walk of life."
Nominations were received by text over the seven-week period the exercise lasted.
To ensure credibility, the text nominations were verified by Akintola Williams Deloitte, the official auditors of the project, whereupon the shortlist was drawn.
The organisers thanked all those who took part in the popularity poll for making the preliminary stage of the exercise a success and called on them for participation in the final stages, which details would soon be communicated to the public.