ATIKU ABUBAKAR – Out from the cold

By Joseph Edgar…

He was at once the most derided Nigerian. As soon as he announced his attested move, decamping from the crumbling APC to PDP, he suddenly became a cannon fodder for humiliation. Comedians and social media went on a field day. All sort of caricatures, jokes and memes all geared towards disparaging not only his latest move but his person.

He was painted as unprincipled to say the least and a perfect example of how not to be a leader. Our well respected former leader Chief Obasanjo immediately became the choir master in a medley of songs all aimed at ridiculing Atiku.

Did he quiver? No, he maintained course. He stood firm and started almost from scratch within the ranks of the PDP to slowly regain his foothold and prime position within the party. While quislings like Akpabio were jumping out of the party running away from their shadows, he remained steadfast in his believe that the platform gave him a better shot at the Presidency which was being suffocated by an incumbent who knew next to nothing about the immense power of the position especially in alleviating the sufferings of the masses.

I was and still remain part of the Roman mob who do not believe in an Atiku Presidency, but that said, I cannot begrudge a man of steadfast vision. He has been on this course even before he emerged the Vice President behind our greatest leader. He had continued to push his vision despite the challenges including state persecution and gory attempts at reputational damage.

Read also: Ambode vs. Tinubu

His manner of emergence is nothing but impressionable. Out of about eleven candidates, he emerged the winner with about 50% of votes cast and if you take the field of strong contenders including the establishment candidate- Tambuwal and the strong and very powerful Senate President, Saraki, you will begin to see what I am trying to say.

Though the reported blatant money politics displayed during the event was somewhat a blight on the exercise, pictures on live TV showing delegates transparently casting their votes and the whole thing being counted publicly without the usual skirmish and deceit that follows such exercises remains to be commended and will serve to strengthen the candidacy of Atiku seeing that it would not be so difficult to ensure cohesion amongst the rank and file of not only the PDP but Nigerians.

For me, Atiku provides the best opportunity at a regime change. He comes with immense experience having played at the highest levels of both structures and as having served as Vice President also comes with a huge experience of the inner workings in Government.

His candidacy would be so easy to sell, a campaign managers delight. Although he comes with a lot of baggage, I am still of the opinion that his handlers would easily handle them as they are thrown on the way.
There is still hope for this country even as we watch as this whole show evolves.

 

 

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