ATIKU ABUBAKAR: THE ISSUE, THE MATTER IN NIGERIAN POLITICS.
BY: EMMANUEL Y. KWACHE
Anytime I pen a story on Atiku Abubakar like this,what I get in return on my mobile phone numbers or e-mail box are insults and intimidating messages.I do not regret siding with him politically.What I do know is that anybody that is fearless and courageous that can take us out of the woods is the leader.
Any one person that has conquered poverty like he has done from grass to grace is the one who is capable to lead us out of the mess,we have found ourselves.
For example,when the general elections were held and rigged in April 2007,he went to court to challenge the results.
Many said,that it was not good that a fellow northerner should take another northerner to court.But the former Vice-President noted that whatever that was done illegally and criminally for that matter must be seen in that perspective and righted through the correct appropriate tribunal.
He pursued that logically to the supreme court,until the Apex court decided otherwise.Before this time,he was witch-hunted,blackmailed.intimidated through all other foul means.
These,did not deter him,until all thirteen times,the courts vindicated his innocence and at the tail end was cleared to contest the presidential elections.
Nigerians must realize early enough that, he whom has experience,vast humiliation,embarrassment,economic emasculation and other kinds of oppression and subjugation must know now that Atiku Abubakar is fully prepared and baked to take over the leadership of this country constitutionally.
The best indices and traits for a good leader is to survive all crooked traps and come out unscathed.
Besides, he must have gone through these intrigues and false manipulations by oppositions and his enemies who have come after him
In the past before coming into politics,he was stopped mid-way,half-way from been comptroller-general of Nigeria Customs Service through other foul means and intimidation.That is aside,this too didn’t deter him from becoming somebody,somebody big to be reckoned with and making it materially and financially through sheer hardwork,drive,brain and brawn.
He strode the corporate world like a giant and spread strongly across like an eagle in agriculture first,importation,exportation and other midas businesses of oil lifting,publishing and radioing.
On the part of the masses,he has been compassionate.Besides,the ABTI American University,Yola and motley primary and secondary schools in defunct Gongola and present day Adamawa States he has impacted positively on the lives of the people collectively and individually particularly granting scholarships to the less-privileged. He hadn’t forgotten the hardship he encountered as a teenager and in educating himself,how harrowing as an orphan traveling several kilometers on foot and working during vacations in Government offices to fend for himself,to save and build a house for his late Mum.
Adossier study on Atiku Abubakar [Turaki Adamawa] reveal that he has conquered hardship,excruciating pain of hunger,mosquito bites,discrimination of kind is able to distribute wealth meaningfully, reasonably to have-nots without expecting anything in return.Like,it has been pinpointed severally at other points of discussion,it is this large heart of distributing his wealth across board to those who have been marginalized and disadvantaged and neither looking behind or aside,whether he is a Christian or Moslem,or Higgi,Chamba or Mumuye of the diverse ethnic groups that gives Atiku Abubakar the edge over his political opponents in Adamawa state and that is the difference between him and others.
He has overcome jingoism and has trampled on tribalism.This particular spectacular good sign has brought around him sincere understanding persons and team spirit,from different sets of persons and people from different parts of the country.Thereforeit is no surprise that you see the Otunba John Fasawes,the Peter Okochas,the Iyorchia Ayu,the Lawan Karetoes,the Yakubu Tsalas,the Ben Obis,the Tonye Princewills,the Peter Madus,the Dr.Onukaba Ojos,Dr.Akande Adeolus,the Mallam Garba Shehus from the Yorubas,the Higgis,from the Urhobos,the Ikwerres,Angas,Kambas.Kanuris,Ibos,Tivs,Igbirras,Gbagyis,Ogonis and many other tribal inclinations across the plains,the swamps,the hills,the mountains and the valleys.Atiku Abubakar is an exceptional de-tribalised Nigerian.The only few that insult because of him are envious of him and his fabulous wealth.God giveth and there is nothing they can do about it.He has been destined to have it and to rule this country.
These,have made him the issue and the matter in Nigeria.The adversaries and opposition can rave and rage,but Atiku Abubakar will continue to shine and propel.He is the centre.Many out there like me believe,he can lead the country beyond this point in 2011 and successfully.He lacks nothing in terms of leadership qualities.Being mortal,yes,we cannot say he does not have his own foibles,but tolerance,has he abundantly,perseverance,volumes of it and endurance,he has shown it by riding over the tides of life and its multiple problems.
Take for instance,the invectives from so-called home base and outside his constituency-but there has never been unruly crude replies as exhibited by others.Rather ,he has shown maturity,discipline and composure in response and the words that come from his mouth are deep wisdom and knowledge,even as his media office pooh-poohs the calculated crafted blackmails from his adversaries.Therefore as a former number two citizen and coupled with his experiences both good and bad he has a better on the affairs of this nation.
We no longer want riff-raffs and gluttons and greedy persons ,who have fed fat on our sweat and tend to enslave us with their and haughty outlook and actions.We must change our attitude to life and turn around our thinking on all fronts and embrace “so-called minorities” and eat on the same table with other faiths before this nation can move forward.
Specifically,the sponsorship of former Governors Jolly Nyame and Boni Haruna of Taraba and Adamawa states respectively in the past cannot be waived aside simply.If it were some other Hausa –Fulani,the tribe and religious issue could have counted much in the game.But behold,Atiku Abubakar is an epitome of unity and he goes beyond this narrow-mindedness,as such he sponsored the two persons,even when some were against.He showed,he is a nationalist and a role model.
The country belongs to all and for peace,progress,prosperity and positive development to continue,we do away with sentiments,like he has done.Above all,as he has being doing we must fight injustice,rule out illegal ways of installing leadership and ruler ship by crooked means.
Deceit is a short stick and no matter how falsely set on a hill it is a sinking sand.All his life, I vouch and from the books and fliers,I have read through, I have never heard or seen someone say Atiku Abubakar has hurt him deliberately.
Today,we must gather around him to arrest the economic recession that is global.He can do it and beyond the imagination of cynics.A leader who can turn ‘stone to bread’ not empty words,not vocabulary.not divide and rule,not contempt for others.Whether he contests on the ticket of the Peoples’ Democratic Party,Action Congress or any other party is not the problem.We must look at the relational quality, which he has aplenty and the rare ingenuity to turn our economy to riches that touches the hand of everyone.
How can we languish in poverty,while we have such credible persons that can harness the resources that we have and turn Nigeria into an eldorado.Atiku is the answer.
BY:EMMANUEL Y.KWACHE,A FREELANCE JOURNALIST AND COMMENTATOR ON NATIONAL ISSUES WRITES FROM NO.30 GAMBIA CRESCENT,BEKAJI ESTATE,JIMETE-YOLA,ADAMAWA STATE,NIGERIA.
E-mails: emmanuelyamekwache@yahoo.com, emanuelkwache@yahoo.co.uk
08055531975 08034363618
