THE Consensus Committee of the Northern Political Leaders Forum Sunday met with four presidential aspirants from the North for about three hours in Abuja.
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Ex-military ruler Babangida, VP Sambo and former head-of-state, Gen Abubakar at the burial ceremony of Hadjia Halimat Asabe King in Kotangora, Niger State.
All the aspirants were grilled on their agenda for Nigeria.
The aspirants, seeking presidential ticket on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, are ex-President Ibrahim Babangida; ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; ex-National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau; and Governor Bukola Saraki.
Investigation by The Nation revealed that to avoid the prying eyes of the press, the panel shifted the venue of the meeting twice.
The committee which initially sought to meet in Kaduna later opted for Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
It was gathered that the panel also relocated from Transcorp Hilton to a hidden residence in Wuse II because of undue pressure the committee might be subjected to.
There was a touch of drama to the interaction with the panel as the aspirants attended without their retinue of aides.
A highly-placed source said each of the aspirants spent about 30 to 45 minutes with the panel.
He said: "For instance, Gen. Aliyu Gusau came in at about 2pm and left at about 2.30p.m. Atiku Abubakar, wearing white Babaringa with a blue cap, took his turn.
"Saraki arrived for his session with the panel at about 6.22pm and as at 6. 54pm he was still there.
"What the panel asked the aspirants bordered on their vision, economic blueprint, commitment to democracy, human rights and justice and their attitude to the presidential race.
"The session was the last leg of activities by the Ciroma Committee. Hopefully by Monday or Tuesday, we should expect a pronouncement. The proposed meeting on Monday with the President, if the aspirants eventually agree to honour the invitation, might delay the presentation of the consensus candidate.
"The panel may still have to call the four aspirants together to brief them on its findings and final decision."
All the camps of the aspirants confirmed the secret session with the Ciroma panel.
A reliable source in Gusau's camp said in confidence: "I am aware that our principal met with the Ciroma Committee yesterday "Nobody knew the venue or the outcome."
In Atiku's directorate, another source simply said: "Yes, the ex-Vice-President met with the committee. When Babangida's camp was contacted, a source said: "Although the ex-President was in Kaduna early in the day to condole with his Chief of Staff who lost his mother, he came to Abuja for the session."
Aspirants may shun meeting with President
There were signals yesterday that four Northern presidential aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may shun today's invitation to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan.
The aspirants are ex-President Ibrahim Babangida; ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; ex-National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau; and Governor Bukola Saraki.
Jonathan had invited the aspirants for a discussion ahead of the PDP presidential primaries.
Investigation by The Nation revealed that the four aspirants consulted with the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) on whether they should honour the invitation or shun it.
The NPLF, led by a former Minister of Finance, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, is the group searching for a Northern consensus presidential candidate among the four aspirants.
Findings yesterday indicated that the Ciroma group approved of the session between the President and the aspirants with a caveat that it should be at a neutral venue.
But the aspirants, it was gathered, might have late last night decided against attending the meeting.
They were reportedly questioning the President's motive for calling the meeting and the timing; coming at the time they were expecting the report of teh Ciroma Committee on consensus candidate from the North.
A highly-placed source said: "The NPLF believes that there is nothing wrong in having talks with the President as the leader of the country.
"We need to appreciate that the President and the aspirants are all members of the same family - the PDP- It is naturally a family affair to sit down and discuss on the presidential primaries.
"The aspirants said they would be more at home on a neutral ground rather than the Presidential Villa because of the hyper-sensory security measures at the Villa.
"They also do not want the session to be hijacked for mischief."
A source in the President's camp however said: "The President is merely extending the Olive branch to the aspirants in order to avoid heating up the polity.
"Like ex-President Shehu Shagari did in 1982, Jonathan believes dialogue with his co-aspirants could assist in setting issues-based agenda for the 2011 polls.
"There is no cause for alarm but the move by the President is showing how large-hearted he is. No one needs to nurse any fear about the session holding at the Villa.
Consensus: Ciroma meets IBB, Gusau, Atiku, Saraki (http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/19608.html)