Op-ed: Why Atiku Abubakar Is Not Fit To Be Nigeria’s President In 2023 – By Yusuf Omotayo
The Nigeria of 1999 to 2007 when Atiku Abubakar served as vice president to President Olusegun Obasanjo is not the Nigeria of 2022. A lot has changed and there is a serious need for the country to change too but not by going to the past. Atiku represents that past that Nigeria must never open its doors to if it intends to compete at the highest level of global standard and demand.
Any casual observer of Nigeria’s politics would have noticed that Atiku has been in the face of presidential interest since 1992 when he ran for the SDP presidential primary election in 1993. Although he lost to Moshood Abiola, his desire to be president has remained so strong or perhaps increased with each electoral circle that one wonders which is greater in his desire: The desire to be president at all costs or an altruistic mentality to fix Nigeria’s burning problems?
Atiku became vice president during one of the most difficult periods in Nigeria’s history. Nigeria had just entered its fourth republic to give democracy another chance, a move many felt might not last before another military coup would sweep it away. The stability brought by the administration of Obasanjo and Atiku ushered in renewed hope that set the tone for the sanctity of the democracy being enjoyed today.
One historical perspective Atiku usually campaigns upon is the success of the administration he was part of as vice president. He has always made reference to the fact that as vice president, his administration paid off Nigeria’s foreign debt and grew the economy while also fighting corruption through the establishment of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
This perhaps might have been a good addition to Atiku’s political CV if his principal, Olusegun Obasanjo had not said unprintable things about him on camera. From expressing profound regret in appointing him as vice president to firmly saying that God will not forgive him if he supports Atiku politically. He has also made statements hinting at Atiku being corrupt.
Politically, Obasanjo probably knows Atiku the most and if he has expressed concern about him, then there is enough reason to be concerned about him ahead of 2023.
While anyone is free to nurture and pursue a presidential ambition, Atiku serially contesting for the presidency has raised eyebrows about how much he wants the job rather than how much he wants to ‘help’ the country. It appears as though it is a lifelong dream that must be fulfilled at all costs and this has necessitated his movement from one party to another.
He was one of the founding members of the Peoples Democratic Party but was quick to jump to the Action Congress of Nigeria to contest in the 2007 presidential election. He lost and returned to the PDP. When the APC was formed ahead of the 2015 election, Atiku moved there to contest the primary election against Buhari. He lost and rejoined the PDP ahead of the 2019 presidential election. Nigeria does not owe him the apex seat.
The current problem being faced by the PDP ahead of the 2023 election is partly caused by Atiku. His emergence as the presidential candidate of the party in 2022 has caused a strain because the party’s chairman, Iyorchia Ayu is also from the north. Despite repeated calls for Ayu to go to allow for a southern chairman, he has remained with Atiku’s backing resulting in five governors – Seyi Makinde, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu, Nyesom Wike and Ifeanyi Ugwanyi – forming the G5 group. Despite the crack in the party, Atiku is still fixated on his unshakeable desire to be president regardless of the destruction the party suffers due to it.
The elephant in the room is Atiku’s inability to visit the US for 12 years over allegations of corruption until 2018 when the PDP reportedly paid $540,000 to Brian Ballard, a top lobbyist with deep connections to the Donald Trump administration to facilitate his US visit according to an American journalist, Judd Legum. A similar trip was undertaken in 2022.
At 76, Atiku has no doubt lived a fulfilled life and not being the president of Nigeria will not diminish his greatness. We do not need another Buhari wishing he had been in the office at a younger age on the seat. Nigeria needs to start on a clean slate and Atiku Abubakar with all his baggage is not what Nigeria needs inside Aso Rock in 2023.
