Is Atiku Truly Desperate?
By Tai
Emeka Obasi.
Nigeria is known for extreme political tussles with this
struggle to rule mankind getting to volatile levels in some occasions. But
since the social media became the new order of easy and wider media circulation
the Nigerian political terrain has witnessed new level of desperation and
character assassinations in the name of pushing opponents over the contentious
bar. The word ‘propaganda’ has been
redefined to mean outright lies and deceit. And since there are no editors to
checkmate one’s vomit in name of supporting an ally or subduing the opposition
it’s become a field day of utter disgusting concoctions in the name of
articles.
Last presidential elections in 2015 witnessed a very alarming
degree of this redefined jet age tactic that the eventual winner of the two-way
contest, retired General Muhammadu Buhari, masquerading under the kings of this
latest surge, APC, literally strolled into Aso Rock based on the propaganda of quantum lies and deceits.
Today, nearing three years of cumulative failures with measures to promises
made, the APC propaganda machine is building up once more, with 2019 firmly in
mind. Their searchlight is beamed on the biggest threat to their hoodwink –
former Vice President Alhaji Atiku
Abubakar, Turakin Adamawa. One of such myriad of lies in name of the so-called
propaganda is that the Turaki of Adamawa is desperate for power. They quickly
put up instances in which the former Custom’s boss had tried to be president
all in the past.
Yes, HE Atiku Abubakar had tried on few occasions to be
president of this country but what acts within those honest attempts could
truly be attributed to desperation? The late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua introduced
Atiku to politics. That was in 1989 at age 43. Hear the Turaki himself, “Look,
you are good, you relate well with people. I think you will make a good
politician. Why don’t you join me in politics”, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua said to me
one day. That was how it all started. The Yar’Adua Group, as we came to be
known, wanted to build a bridge across the old fault lines of ethnicity,
religion and region.’’ From that moment he remained loyal to the man who
mentored him politically. When then military president, Badamosi Babangida lifted
ban on politics and Yar’Adua angled to be president, Atiku supported his mentor
with everything in him. IBB eventually banned Yar’Adua from further
participation. And Atiku lamented, ‘ I had no doubt in my mind that he would
have made a good President. He had a vision and he knew how to bring good
people together to achieve his goals.’’ But IBB would scuttle all that. Having
seen the qualities of the young Atiku (then 46) Yar’Adua supported the Turaki
to run for presidency after he was banned. Now, it starts getting interesting.
They were in SDP, Chief MKO Abiola was equally in SDP. But
somehow, Babagana Kingibe, the chairman of the party, who was a member of the
Yar’Adua’s PDM suddenly picked up presidential aspirations. And despite the
fact that the PDM saw this as a betrayal, Kingibe stuck to his guns. Hence
these three heavyweights sweated towards the final primaries. Seeing Kingibe
posed real threat, the PDM persuaded Atiku to drop his ambitions and then throw
their weight behind Abiola. While striking the understanding, Abiola was made
to agree he would pick Atiku as running mate. Atiku and PDM supported Abiola
who beat Kingibe. But guess what? Abiola reneged on the agreement and dumped
Atiku for Kingibe. This enraged Yar’Adua so much that the PDM founder swore to
withdraw PDM’s support for Abiola during the main election. But Atiku went to
his political mentor and begged him to support Abiola or Alhaji Tofar wins. But
Yar’Adua would not budge. So the Turaki went to one man he knew his mentor
wouldn’t say no to – former head-of-state, Olusegun Obasanjo. Atiku met
Obasanjo at his farm and prevailed on him to talk Yar’Adua into supporting
Abiola. Obasanjo did. And Yar’Adua succumbed. Now, who in his right senses
would call Atiku’s actions here as an act of a man desperate to become
president? By then political calculations would mean eight years of Abiola,
possibly another eight years of Kingibe….and then whatever followed. But Atiku
was only determined for one thing – to push Babangida and the Army out of power.
And for that he was willing to sacrifice anything. Whoever became the president
didn’t matter, provided it was one capable enough. He, like most Nigerians,
believed Abiola was capable.
But again, the monster ever holding Nigeria back entered
Banbangida and his cabal…and they annulled the freest and fairest election ever
held in Nigeria half-way through announcement of results and when it became
glaring Abiola won the historic exercise. Enter ING’s Ernest Shoknekan, and
shortly after Gen Sani Abacha. Abacha’s reign became another tough passage in
our history. Suddenly the man from Kano built his own cabal and another vicious
plot to hold onto power permanently began. Abiola was slapped into detention
along with many politicians. Intimidation, maiming and outright assassination
ruled. Yar’Adua and Obasanjo found themselves in Abacha’s dungeons, accused,
convicted and detained for a coup that was hugely described as phantom. Then
another interesting matter. While
Yar’Adua was being detained, Abacha invited Atiku, told him straight to
jettison Yar’Adua and PDM for his own (Abacha’s) new political structure. To
which Atiku firmly declined. Knowing the danger of saying no to Abacha
then, no one in his/her right senses would describe the Turaki’s risky option
as desperation for power. Atiku showed what principle and loyalty meant by not
betraying a man who then had already been condemned by Abacha’s court for coup
plot. But his refusal had consequences. He miraculously survived a gun-battle
attack on his residence where six policemen and a guard lost their lives. He
had to leave the country. And even when his passport was seized and his
movements closely monitored by the SSS, Atiku through his contacts, got
smuggled out of the country. Where he was in America, he was making contact and
struggles for America and her allies to intervene in Abacha’s crass abuse of
human rights. Abacha’s death didn’t come early enough to save that man
Yar’Adua, who died while in Abacha’s custody. But Obasanjo survived. The rest
may be history but we won’t conclude it without mentioning that Atiku was part
of the delegation who went to persuade Obasanjo to accept to run for presidency
in 1999. The Turaki of Adamawa was not interested in running with Obasanjo. He
believed Obasanjo would make a good president, especially at that very critical
moment in our nation’s attempt at another democracy.
Again, chasing the army out of power and embracing democracy
were Atiku’s driving force. He had already won governorship of Adamawa State
before Obasanjo surprisingly chose him as running mate. Every political
calculator in the country then had Alhaji Abubakar Rimi as eventual Obasanjo’s
running mate. So he abandoned governing his state to being a second-in-command.
Again he wanted to contribute to truly enthroning democracy in the nation
instead of being the king in his state. Again
that was a patriotic act and never that of one desperate for power. And
when his relationship with then President Obasanjo turned sour, Atiku had all
the structure in his palms to have effectively restricted his boss to one term
and become the president in 2003. But he didn’t. He eventually supported his
boss for eight years. That was no act any man desperate for power undertakes.
When Obasanjo schemed him out four years later for vehemently kicking against
OBJ’s third term agenda, Atiku still supported the younger Yar’Adua – Umaru to
become president in 2007. Again it wasn’t any act of desperation. He left PDP
based on personal conviction the PDP had lost focus. It wasn’t because he
desperately wanted to be president. He left APC based on same principle that
the country was not yet on the right track. If he declares interest to run, it
won’t be out of desperation. It would be because he hates the situation Nigeria
is in and most importantly because he has all necessary capabilities to effect
genuine change. If there’s anyone desperate for power in Nigeria presently it should be
a man who has never been known to have supported anyone else but himself to be
president since a military coup eased him out of office in 1985. A man
who records suggest is nearer 90 years than his eyes are nearer his nose … but
who insists of a second term after a first term of monumental failure. Now,
that is what I call the grandpa of all desperations! #AtikuForPresident
#AtikulatedNigeria is possible
@ah2h2019
No comments:
Post a Comment