By Sani Sa’idu Baba
My dear country men and women, I have good news for you; Atiku Abubakar is Nigeria’s President in waiting. It is worthy of note that the candidate of the ruling party and his minatory approach are dead on arrival. There is no doubt that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, is best suited to govern the country from 2023 owing to his knowledge of the economy and his ability to unite people from all parts of country. Yes, Atiku has the requisite expertise to draw the country out of the economic quagmire it has found itself. Nigeria needs a President who understands the economy and is an excellent talent hunter, knowing how to put round pegs in round holes, and not vice versa. These are the reasons behind my assertion.
Quality of the People in charge of the Atiku Presidential Campaign
If you are a social media follower of the Director of Strategic Communications of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Council, Aare Dr Dele Momodu, you would realize that personal capacity and integrity of the campaign team managers of Atiku Abubakar matter, and are by far not any match to those in all other political parties. Momodu has become a magnet that attracts people’s heart in support of the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar, especially among the young ones across the country since he hit the ground running in his capacity showcasing Atiku’s competency, capacity, readiness and his five point agenda to revolutionalise the country. This is coupled with the weight and integrity of the Director General of the campaign, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, and many honorable men and women who are also connected. With people like Dele Momodu in the PDP Presidential campaign council, not only would the council achieve victory for the party in the coming general elections, but would help it move Nigeria to the Eldorado it desire.
The North versus South Dichotomy
This is where history will come to play a part. In 1979, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe’s party Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) had 2.8 million votes in the presidential election, while the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) led by Chief Awolowo scored 4.9 million votes. The National Party of Nigeria (NPN) led by Northern Presidential candidate, Alhaji Shehu Shagari won 5.6 million votes. What is the lesson here? If Chief Awolowo and Dr, Nnamdi Azikwe had worked together in the South, they would have polled 7.7 million votes and Alhaji Shehu Shagari would not have been elected president. To apply this to our present day reality, the Southern regions are not working together politically previously declared by Dele Momodu. Furthermore, any observer of Nigeria’s political atmosphere will confirm that Nigerians are eager to sack the failed APC. Perhaps the division amongst Southern regions and the North, especially North-West out of critical and strategic thinking. Not all Igbo from the South-East are OBIdients and not all Hausa/Fulani Northwest are for Kwankwaso including the usual political allies of Obi and Kwankwaso respectively. These categories of people understood that a vote for their man is tantamount to a vote for the APC. An average Northerner will tell you that Atiku Abubakar is the man of the moment, and are therefore fully and truly ATIKUlated.
Atiku and Wike’s Camp Rift, Not a Serious threat to PDP’s victory
As it is with any major happening in the nation’s political firmament, the unrest in the PDP that emanated largely from the selection of the Governor of Delta State Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa over Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, is a general issue that exist across party lines and it’s not uncommon, and this wrangling is part of democracy. Besides, absolute peace usually exist in the third forces and other mushroom political parties because even their own card carrying members don’t believe they will win elections, perhaps at all levels. Therefore, Governors Wike of Rivers, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia are all second term governors in desperate need of a successor from their own party and it is unlikely for them to destroy the party in the presidential election and expect to win subsequently. Similarly, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State is seeking second term himself. Taken it all together, the feud between PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar and this group is not a serious threat to his victory and perhaps reconciliation is possible at last.
Buhari’s Poor Performance
It is no longer news that President Muhammadu Buhari and APC’s approval rating has taken a plunge in the last seven years that he has been in office, which informs the belief by political pundits that a run against the party and whoever would emerge its presidential candidate in 2023 possess no political risk. This assertion is strengthened largely by the emergence of the former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the party’s flag bearer, a development that further made Nigerians displeased with the APC. Indeed NOI Polls, the No 1 polling services for Nigeria has returned a damning verdict on President Buhari’s stewardship, with the results of its poll showing that over the last four years, the President’s job performance rating has taken a downward turn for the worse. In more specific terms, the average approval rating of the president in 2018 stands below average at 39.6 percent; with his past rating of May 2018 at 41 percent and even lower in 2022 recent rating. He did poorly in all areas of assessment. So if seven years of APC failure holds the truth for 2023, a well-grounded candidate like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of PDP can confront the Tinubu of APC with the possibility of electoral good show.
Atiku’s Preparedness and Intimidating Track Record
There is no gainsaying the fact that Atiku Abubakar has been the most prepared Nigerian to steer the ship of state in the last decade. However he has not been able to actualize his ambition because of the disposition of some detractors who feel threatened by the rich credentials that he brings to the table. But this is understandable, because politics taint noble people. So it is with Atiku. After impacting our national life for four solid decades, his impeccable record speaks volume about his public spiritedness and his support for worthy causes. At an age when many still prattled and sought relevance, Atiku bestrode Nigeria like a quintessential colossus, dishing out goodwill, service and altruism. These are undeniable. From his days as a custom officer, through his attempt to fly the flag of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1993, Atiku has gone through the drudgery of grassroots politics to etch his name as Governor-Elect of Adamawa State in 1999 before he was later nominated as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between 1999 and 2007. The question remains, if he was not good, how has he been able to stamp a seal of excellence everywhere he went all these years and even ranked the best vice president in our history? These are facts that majority of voters are talking about today.
Atiku’s Five (5) Point Agenda and His Covenant with Nigerians
It has never happened in the recent past that Nigerians desperately desire a ready-made candidate that has the experience and capacity to hit the ground running from day one, and here is Atiku Abubakar, who fits the context perfectly. How Nigerians adopt Atiku to fight the try by error candidates would continue to amaze everyone. Anyway, Atiku’s blueprint for Nigeria I believe is by far his strongest weapon. His rich manifesto addresses all the threats currently confronting the country. From unity, Education, Economy, security and devolution of resources agenda that will address pressing issues through job creation, health and infrastructure to poverty alleviation and power, no any presidential candidate amongst all in Nigeria come close to Atiku’s manifesto in terms of concept, creativity, know-how and readiness to deliver. The way he talks about how he is going to achieve them all, it rekindles hope in the hearts of Nigerians knowing fully that he can since he did it in his own private capacity. That has made Atiku by far more popular and more acceptable to the people than any politician seeking to be president in 2023. His contention is that there is a flaw in the country’s constitution which was why there is a recurring cry of marginalization from every section of the country. Atiku believes that no section of Nigeria can claim correctly that its people are better served by the current structure of our federation. He has since challenged those who against restructuring the country’s federal system as it currently stands, to show an example of countries that are functioning well with a structure such as Nigeria. Whatever one’s arguments are, restructuring will shape the way Nigerians will vote during the Nigeria’s next presidential election.
The Switch of APC to a Regional Party with the Exit of Buhari 2023
I expect the APC to save its energy, time and resources and not bother to campaign in the 2023 general elections because it has become evident the party cannot secure the statutory 25% of votes in most States of the country. However, APC will get it in South-West, a region where its presidential candidate hailed from. APC is no longer accepted in the North with expiration of President Buhari’s tenure in 2023. The fact is as it stands today, only PDP is a truly national political party, especially with Atiku/Okowa ticket balancing our triple identity (region, religion and tribe). The fact that Nigerians from all walks of life in Kano State, the political commercial nerve center of the North and national melting point, defied the rain in massive show of solidarity to the PDP and its Presidential flag bearer Atiku Abubakar is a red flag to the APC, and at the same time underscores people’s determination to break through all barriers and return the PDP to power in 2023.
My dear country men and women, may I implore you to participate in saving Nigeria by accepting the worthy covenant with our ready-made Atiku Abubakar? Atiku is Ready!
Sani Sa’idu Baba writes from Kano, and can be reached via drssbaba@yahoo.com
