Africa
A Vote For A Coalition Against Bad Governance An Inept Leadership (5) -By Hajia Hadiza Mohammed
It is interesting to note that most of the land mark achievements recorded during the OBJ regime has Atiku’s imprint in them. He was instrumental to the establishment of the ICPC and EFCC as agencies to fight corruption and he recommended Nuhu Ribadu the very first EFCC chairman. As one who believes in the empowerment of the youth, he also recommended Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and others who performed very well into the government. And as the vice-president and head of the government’s economic team, he was the head of the team that negotiated Nigeria’s debt reprieve from the Paris Club.
I must begin with an apology for a break in this series on the imperatives of coalition against bad governance and the need to recapture Nigeria from those that have seized the nation’s administrative apparatus. The ship of the nation is rudderless as those in control, fixated about holding on to power at all costs are indulged in frivolities and profligacy while the masses groan under the weight of their thoughtless and outmoded policies.
The coalition against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is what many believe is required to sack them from office and pull the nation out from sliding further into anarchy. Thus, the coming of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) championed by the erstwhile vice-president of the country, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, GCON, and others come to many of us concerned citizens of Nigeria as a step in the right direction. There is therefore a clarion call from concerned Nigerians to support this new political platform (ADC) in order to take back our country from those that are riding roughshod on all of us. Among other things, it is expected that the new political platform will encounter challenges, mostly from the APC government, like sponsoring moles into the party to destabilize it as it has done to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labor Party (LP), the leading opposition parties, inducement, harassment and intimidating members of the new political arrangement, sponsoring spurious and adverse media propaganda in order to discredit the party’s bigwigs.
However, it is my recommendation and that of many observers that the party should remain focused to avoid distraction and use every resources at its disposal to mobilize and sensitize Nigerians on the need to rescue the country from the vise grip of the APC regime. If this country must survive, it must do away with the inept, sectional, self-serving and exclusionist APC regime. And one of the sure strategy will be to field the right candidate for the presidential election.
And talking about the most suitable candidate, it is my view and that of many political figures that are hustling for the position of the ADC presidential ticket, Atiku Abubakar is the most suitable to be the party’s standard bearer in the forth-coming presidential election in 2027. And the reasons are obvious. Apart from his personal qualities, patriotic zeal, sacrifices for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria, reach and spatial spread of his supporters and admirers, clout and charisma, Atiku is the most experienced of all the politicians in the country at present, having been in active politics in the last four decades and having occupied the second highest political office in the country.
Atiku, the Wazirin of Adamawa is unarguably the best vice-president this country has ever produced. While he worked as the vice-president of the country, he acquitted himself creditably well, recording some land marks achievements that are yet to be matched. As a public officer, he knows his mandate and job description and never compromised his position nor allow anyone push him around. He understands his constitutional role and never allowed anyone to intimidate him or distract him from that. He knew that his loyalty is to the constitution and the people, not to the president. And when there was contention, he challenged that in court and won, setting some judicial precedence in the process.
It is interesting to note that most of the land mark achievements recorded during the OBJ regime has Atiku’s imprint in them. He was instrumental to the establishment of the ICPC and EFCC as agencies to fight corruption and he recommended Nuhu Ribadu the very first EFCC chairman. As one who believes in the empowerment of the youth, he also recommended Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and others who performed very well into the government. And as the vice-president and head of the government’s economic team, he was the head of the team that negotiated Nigeria’s debt reprieve from the Paris Club.
Atiku understands the essence of leadership. He knows that leadership is about the people, not about the leader and that is why he is always on the side of the people. He is never afraid to tell truth to power. He places national interest over personal interest. At the risk of his life and political future, he stood firmly against the plan of the then President, Obasanjo to elongate his stay in office beyond the constitutionally approved tenure; something that would have benefitted him as the vice-president. By so doing, Atiku proved to Nigerians that he is principled, patriotic and democratic in his actions. He demonstrated quite clearly that national interest should take precedence over personal interest. To me, this is the kind of leader that the country needs at this trying times when national unity is fractured by the exclusionist and divisive policies of the Tinubu-led administration. Nigeria needs a statesman, a democrat and a unifier and Atiku truly fits into that mold.
Hajia Hadiza Mohammed
An actress, social activist, politician
London, UK
