Opinion
Panorama: Why Atiku Abubakar Will Defeat Tinubu, Others in 2023
Published
3 years agoon
By
Eric
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
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Opinion
Skills Acquisition: Way Forward for Nigeria’s Educational Development
Published
4 days agoon
June 19, 2025By
Eric
By Ayo Oyoze Baje
“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways” – Robert Greene
As concerned Nigerians keep deliberating on the best way to navigate the twists and turns inherent in our education delivery system, if yours truly has his way secondary school students should be spending three days of each week for theoretical knowledge and two for practical skills development. These include skills such as tailoring/fashion design, hair dressing and carpentry. Others include building construction, painting, domestic farming, singing, acting, oratory and comedy.
This has become more expedient because in 2023, Nigeria ranked 100th out of 100 countries in Coursera’s Global Skills Report in terms of skill proficiency. Incidentally, the country also ranked low within the Sub-Saharan Africa, placed 12th out of 13 countries.In fact, other African nations such as Botswana and Cameroon outperformed Nigeria in the same report. This was an indication of a significant skills gap in the country. But recent indicators suggest an increase performance that should be built on. For instance, Nigeria showed the fourth-highest year-on-year growth rate for Professional Certificates enrollments on Coursera. This clearly suggests a growing awareness and participation in skills development initiatives which should be built on.
For instance, the unemployment rate in Nigeria stands at about 4.84% in 2025, according to Statista. com. This translates to an estimated 5.74 million people who are unemployed. Similarly, the youth unemployment rate is around 7.50% according to Trading Economics.
Given the current global influence of information technology, the expanding impact of Artificial intelligence ( AI ) and the soaring influence of climate change. Others include the increasing need to ride the freaky waves of economic survival, and the stifling space for employment, not only in Nigeria but across the globe. Yet, the country is abundantly blessed with rare talents in different fields of human endeavour.
Mention names such as Silas Adekunle, known for his robotics expertise and the world’s first intelligent gaming robot or Riya Karumanchi, who invented a device to assist visually impaired individuals the importance of skills acquisition in the development of the talents of our youth gradually dawns on us.
It is a similar scenario when the name of
Hassan and Hussaini Muhammad, who created a way to convert petrol, water, salt, and alum into hydrogen cooking gas crop up. And out there there are other young Nigerian inventors such as Khalifa Aminu (FM transmitter), Muazzam Sani (remote-controlled car), and the team behind the smart walkway light and automatic irrigation. The importance of skills acquisition cannot therefore, be over emphasized.
.
Put in its simple terms, skills acquisition is crucial for Nigerian students academic development, because it enhances their employability, as well as boosts entrepreneurship. In fact, it contributes to overall national development. According to experts on educational development it empowers students to be self-reliant, reduces poverty and unemployment, and also provides them with a global perspective.
The impact and import of students’s skills acquisition is amply deployed in Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun state. There, students are exposed to the practical aspect of whatever course they are studying such that seasoned professionals are invited to deliver the practical aspect of their theoretical knowledge.Such is the impact that engineering students have become problem solvers. They have constructed pavements, fences, designed and built solid infrastructure.
Furthermore, the Centre for Agricultural Technology and Entrepreneurial Studies (CATES) has come up as a key initiative at the same university. As a noble cause it was established to foster practical, solution-oriented approaches to agricultural and entrepreneurial development within the university and the wider community. The skills promoting aspect of it is that CATES focuses on areas such as poultry technology, aquaculture, cassava farming, and mushroom culture. It also operates a vegetable farm and a plantain farm on campus. All these explain why graduates of the citadel of knowledge become self employed, with several of them kick starting the process right from the University as undergraduates. All these boost their financial independence while they contribute to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Skills acquisition therefore,
increases employability, more so in today’s competitive job market. Having relevant skills makes students more attractive to employers. These include skills such as digital literacy, communication, and problem-solving, which are highly valued across various industries.Entrepreneurship programs teach them how to start and manage their own businesses. This eventually, leads to economic growth and improved living standards with appreciable Human Development Index, HDI. By equipping students with practical skills, skill acquisition programs can assist to lift individuals and families out of the terrifying trap of poverty and ultimately reduce the unemployment rate for the country.
From the global perspective, many skills are transferable across borders. This is one good lesson learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic. Nigerian students can latch on it to participate in the global economy through remote work or international collaborations. It also fosters confidence in students, assist them to adapt to the global socio-economic dynamics,while instilling a sense of accomplishment in them, thereby contributing to overall personal growth.
Of great significance, is that
a skilled workforce is essential for the nation’s economic growth and technological advancement. Overall, the skill acquisition programs contribute to building a more productive and innovative society. So Nigeria work on the report which highlighted specific skill areas where it lags, especially technology and data science.
Nigeria should also learn from countries that stand out for their high levels of skill acquisition and development. These include Northern European nations such as Finland, Norway, and Sweden which consistently rank high, along with Switzerland, Singapore, and Germany. These countries often prioritize education, training, and creating opportunities for their populations to acquire and utilize a wide range of skills. As rightly noted by Malcolm X: ” Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today”.
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Opinion
The Unsung Patriots: When Integrity Stands Above National Honours
Published
1 week agoon
June 14, 2025By
Eric
By Sani Sa’idu Baba
Nigeria’s Democracy Day ought to be a solemn reminder of the sacrifices, resilience, and commitment of individuals who have stood tall in the face of tyranny and injustice. It is a day that should celebrate not only democracy itself, but also the patriots who have preserved its fragile flame. Yet, in what many see as a deliberate and politically motivated omission, several Nigerians of high calibre, unimpeachable character, and unassailable contributions to nationhood were left out of the national honours list announced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
This omission is not a matter of oversight. It is a calculated decision that speaks volumes about the political insecurities within the corridors of power. One name that resonates profoundly in this discourse is Chief Dele Momodu, adopted son of the late MKO Abiola, a journalist, publisher, presidential aspirant, and fearless voice of the people for over four decades. Chief Momodu is a man who has not only chronicled Nigeria’s history but has lived and shaped it through his unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and democratic ideals.
Let us be honest, this is not about merit. If it were, Chief Dele Momodu’s name would have featured prominently on that list. This is about fear, fear of principled rejection. It is about avoiding the kind of national embarrassment that befell the Buhari administration when internationally acclaimed writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie openly declined a national honour because she believed it lacked genuine integrity. Her rejection was not out of arrogance, but from a place of conviction, a deep sense of responsibility not to allow her name to be used as an endorsement of a government she could not, in good conscience, support.
President Tinubu’s government, undoubtedly aware of Dele Momodu’s outspokenness and principled stance, likely feared a repeat of such rejection. Because men like Chief Momodu would not want to accept such honours from those who have allegedly turned our hard earned democracy into a civilian dictatorship. For him, a national honour must be more than a political gesture, but a reflection of national values, a reward from a government that truly serves its people.
Chief Momodu has never been one to seek validation from the powerful. His life’s work has been about amplifying the voices of the voiceless, challenging injustice, and standing firm even in the face of exile and persecution. That is who he truly is. I believe that he will happily accept a national honour from a government that embodies the ideals of democracy not one that plays lip service to it. It’s only a matter of time!
This June 12, as we mark another chapter in Nigeria’s democratic journey, we must also reflect on the kind of leadership we celebrate. It is not enough to decorate the loyal and the silent. True honour lies in recognising the bold, the honest, and the principled even when their truths are uncomfortable.
To Chief Dele Momodu, and others like him who continue to walk the path of integrity, your absence from the national honours list is not a dishonour. In fact, it is a badge of honour in itself. For in a time where sycophancy is rewarded, your principled silence, your steadfast commitment to truth, and your refusal to compromise, speak louder than any medal ever could. Nigeria sees you. History will remember you.
Your recent 65th birthday celebrations which was meant to be simple and low-key but turned into a well organised global celebration all in your honour speaks volumes.
May your integrity continue to inspire a generation that refuses to trade truth for personal gains.
Happy democracy day…
Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba writes from Kano
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Opinion
Nigeria’s Reforms Have Put the Country on the Global Economic Map
Published
2 weeks agoon
June 8, 2025By
Eric
By Abdul Samad Rabiu
As my country steadies itself, Britain, its Western allies and their companies should deepen this partnership
As ghosts of the 1930s haunt the global outlook, the scramble for trade deals has seized control of government agendas. The United States has leveraged its “tariff war” to secure better terms, driving both friend and foe to the negotiating table. British deals with the US and India have provided some refuge from the prevailing gloom.
Less reported – but with similar potential – was last year’s signing of the Enhanced and Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) between the UK and Nigeria , the former’s first such agreement with an African nation. Quiet in its arrival, the pact may yet echo louder.
As someone who has built multinational businesses across Africa, I know the vast opportunity the continent offers, and Nigeria in particular, which alone accounts for a fifth of sub-Saharan Africa’s 1.2 billion people. But I also understand the limitations we have often placed on ourselves when it comes to securing investment.
Lowering barriers to trade is crucial, and for that Britain’s ETIP looks prescient. However, investment and business potential will remain discounted as long as African nations cling to state intervention – from subsidies and price controls to exchange rate distortions – all of which have consistently bred dysfunction and economic instability. Fortunately, Nigeria has now decisively turned a corner, embracing market economics under a liberalising government.
In Morocco this week, Foreign Secretary David Lammy indicated Britain’s position is shifting too. Setting out his strategy for Africa, he said British policy must transition from aid to investment. “Trade-not-aid” is no new idea – but it is the first time a British government has so clearly echoed the demand the African continent has voiced for years.
In making that shift, Nigeria is taking the lead for a continent to follow. So many Nigerian administrations I have known have been hostage to economic events, doubling down time and again on state intervention rather than having the conviction to reform. This administration is proving different. After two years of difficult reforms, Nigeria – under President Bola Tinubu – is now poised to fulfil the promise of its vast natural resources, rapidly growing population of over 200 million people, and strategic coastal location along the Gulf of Guinea.
First, the Tinubu administration removed a crippling fuel subsidy – the most significant policy reform in years. At 25 to 30 cents per litre, petrol in Nigeria was among the cheapest in the world. But the subsidy was bankrupting the government: by 2023, it consumed over 15 per cent of the federal budget – roughly equivalent to the proportion the UK spends annually on the NHS.
When President Tinubu ditched the fuel subsidy on his first day in office, criticism quickly followed. Prices, at least for the time being, have risen. However, statistics must be understood in light of the wide-ranging distortions the subsidy created.
Officially, fuel consumption in Nigeria has dropped by 40 to 50 per cent. But that is not because Nigerians’ petrol use reduced by this amount. In reality the country was subsidising the region, with cross border fuel smugglers profiting from arbitrage. The illegal trade was so blatant that on a visit to neighbouring Niger a few years ago, then-President Mohamed Bazoum even joked about it, thanking Nigeria for the cheap fuel. Though the move was politically unpopular, the subsidy had become unsustainable. Now, spending is being redirected toward development and infrastructure – laying the foundations for long-term growth.
Second, the country has moved from a fixed to a market-determined exchange rate. Previously, only select groups could access the official rate – especially those with political connections; the rest had to rely on a more expensive parallel informal market determined by supply and demand. But selling dollars at an artificially low rate only entrenched scarcity, a problem compounded by an opaque exchange mechanism that deterred foreign investment.
Every two weeks, we used to make the 12-hour drive to Abuja to seek dollar allocations for imports – camping out at the Central Bank for three or four days. Now, I no longer need to go. I’ve met the new Governor only once in two years – because I haven’t had to. Monetary orthodoxy has finally arrived, bringing with it the liquidity that both domestic and foreign businesses depend on to smooth trade and de-risk investment.
Third, the shackles of politics are being prised from business, bringing greater certainty, fairness and stability to the landscape. Five years ago, I woke up one morning to find that the port concession for a new venture of mine had been revoked. It turned out my company was outcompeting a friend of an official of the Nigerian Ports Authority. In the end, it took then-President Buhari’s personal intervention to save the enterprise.
Had I not been politically connected, the business would have folded – along with the 4,000 jobs it provided – at a time when job creation was, and remains, Nigeria’s most urgent challenge. Today, such connections are no longer necessary. The playing field is being levelled, flattening the political ridges and dips that once skewed the game.
Many of these reforms required political courage to withstand the force of criticism. Prices rose as distortions were removed, yet the administration held firm, even as vested interests co-opted public discontent for their own ends.
Indeed, many of the benefits of reform are still to be felt by the wider public. But economic fundamentals must be fixed before that becomes possible. That lead-time often tempts market reformers to reverse course, or avoid reform altogether. Now that Nigeria has made it through the toughest phase, its direction should be clear to investors.
For Britain, the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership with Nigeria was a strategic bet on reform, resilience and long-term reward. Nigeria is now delivering its part of the bargain. As my country steadies itself, the UK, its Western allies – and their companies – should deepen this partnership.
Abdul Samad Rabiu is a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist
Culled from Daily Telegraph (UK)
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