By Godwin Etakibuebu
The Turaki Adamawa; Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has come a long way. This man has traversed the Nigerian political terrain and he has become a political colossus. He knows everywhere in the country more than his contemporaries except, and maybe, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, for two reasons only.
The first is Obasanjo’s triple honour of being [1] a military officer who fought in the Nigerian civil war and commanded the 3rd Marine Commando Sector, with the honour of receiving the instrument of surrender from Biafra, [2] a Military Head of State and [3] later democratically elected President of Nigeria. The second reason, which is also very crucial is the fact that Obasanjo; by the “grace of his generosity and patronage”, has children across most tribes of Nigeria [though he may not have married their mothers] than Atiku Abubakar who married from the three major tribes [Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo – in order of seniority].
Atiku Abubakar understands the nitty-gritty of the Nigerian society, ditto the people, across all the geo-political zones of the federation. He understands the Nigerian economy, having practised as a regulator and operator, both inside and outside of the Nigerian market place. He has equally paid his dues as a servant of the society, first in the Nigerian Customs Services where he rose to the envious position of Assistant Controller with the unequalled privilege of serving in juicy commands, then as Vice-President who enjoyed unlimited influence and powers during the first tenure before his boss [OBJ] caged him throughout the second tenure. What he achieved with the “liberty” of the four years before his boss moved against him should be enough to “make someone for life”, financially speaking. That is not to say that he has not made money before becoming the Vice-President. He has.
For example, while he was at the International Airport in Lagos while still in service of the Nigerian Customs, he had the unenviable encounter with the popular “52 Suite Cases that passed through the airport to Daura unchecked” at a time that everything that came into Nigeria was subjected thorough 100% scrutiny – courtesy of then Military Head of State [Major General Muhammadu Buhari] and his Aid-de-Camp [ADC], then Major Mustapha Haruna Jokolo.
Atiku was equally reported to have stupendous wealth, well accumulated over the years of his “dedicated” services to the Nigerian-Nation. Yes, Atiku Abubakar was comfortable enough even in the early 1980’s that he and a colleague/friend of his, the late Samuel Bamisaiye, who was in charge of the Local Wing of the Airport while the former was at the International Wing then, were rumoured to be richer than their boss, Alhaji Musa Abubakar [then Controller-General of Customs].
This was the Atiku Abubakar that made foray into the Nigerian political scene, through the influence of his friend, the late Major-General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua; a second-in-command of the military government that ruled Nigeria between 1976 and 1979, immediately he left the Nigerian Customs Services voluntarily in April, 1989, at the age of 43 years. He came into politics financially prepared as he had established different businesses, including real estate, agriculture, trading, buying and selling. He also owned a beverage manufacturing plant in Yola, as well as an animal feed factory.
By 1998, he had won election as the governor of Adamawa State before Chief Olusegun Obasanjo invited him to run with him as Vice-Presidential candidate and both of them won the Nigerian general election on February 27, 1999. Let us accept one fact that the man; Atiku Abubakar, did very well in politics since his sojourn before the 1999 general election. And as Vice-President for two tenures [though the last tenure of four years was full of acrimony between him and his boss who developed a penchant hatred for him] Atiku widened his political horizon. The man has gained so much ground politically that today, he stands “first among equals” amongst his contemporary politicians.
If everything discussed about the man so far in this exercise is true, will he be able to sail the turbulent waters of the present political terrain to a successful anchorage into the presidency in 2019? The answer can never be a straight jacket sort of thing. There are many factors we have to look at because of the dynamism of politics.
First of such factors would be on which of the political parties platform would Atiku Abubakar contest election and win to become President. Wait a moment, it is only two political parties that can win national election in today’s Nigeria and they are the People Democratic Party [PDP] and All Progressive Congress [APC] because of their national and geographical spread. The choice before Atiku therefore is between these two political parties.
We need to establish other forces which would remain predominantly factual in considering how this man, ditto any other person, can make it easier into the villa, in Abuja as president. These are issues that border on Hausa/Fulani divide, Islamic religious enthusiasm, loyalty to Political Party, understanding the Nigerian economy, availability of fund at the disposal of the contestant, ability to create, sustain and control machinery of coercion, also power of creating atmosphere of peace and maintenance of same, full understanding cum power of penetration into the two most vital geo-political zones of Nigeria; North/West and South/West, for purposes of winning election, in addition to few other things.
Where will Atiku Abubakar stand if evaluated against the background of all these templates? Let us meet here next by the grace of God.
Till then, think of how you can contribute to Nigeria’s greatness. You are challenged!
Godwin Etakibuebu, a veteran journalist, wrote from Lagos.