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| PDP Presidential Candidate for 2019 Election Atiku Abubakar |
1.In the run up to the 2007 elections, then
Vice President Atiku Abubakar contesting under the banner of ACN told the US
Ambassador to Nigeria Mr. John Campbell in a meeting at the US embassy in Abuja
that “Nigeria's presidents are selected by manipulation of the political
process, not by vote totals”. Credible election is a sine qua non to democracy that
civilised men and women thrives to uphold to engender the culture of an egalitarian
society but if Atiku Abubakar does not believe in elections then what do Nigerian
democracy stands to gain from him. His candidature reminds us of when results
were written and announced by the likes of Able Guobadia and Muarice Iwu under
their watchful eyes and the disillusionment with elections when votes did not
count during Obasanjo and Atiku era. In fact
Atiku was the chief architect of the rigging of the 1999 and 2003 election. Atiku
as a serial law breaker lacks respect for democratic processes. Can he accept
to go through it now after having confessed that elections are mere formalities
in Nigeria and that votes do not count?
2. Atiku Abubakar was quoted as saying:
‘if the worst comes to the worst, I will insult any judge. It may not be only
insults, but as well as beating up such a judge’. This was the threat made
against judges by Atiku Abubakar, then Vice President, following the ruling by
the election tribunal against his supposed ‘political godson’ Governor Boni
Haruna relating to the disputed 2003 gubernatorial election in Adamawa State. In
2005, the then Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Muhammed Uwais was put
under pressure and immense intimidation by Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar that the
CJN had to report to US embassy where he told the American ambassador, Mr. John
Campbell that he approached the Embassy to relate the story to the Ambassador
so that "someone knows what is happening here" in case
"something happens" to him and the other justices. He was behind the
manipulation of the judicial processes in favour of PDP.
3. In February, 2007, a Senate Committee
disclosed that its investigation discovered that Obasanjo and Atiku had
diverted $145 million dollars from Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).
Billions of dollars were missing from the Fund during their rule and President
Obasanjo accused Atiku of stealing it. Commenting on the stealing of money from
PTDF and other alleged corrupt practices by Atiku and Obasanjo, T.Y. Danjuma
said it was a case of trying to outdo one another as Obasanjo was also helping
himself with the fund.
4. In the 8 years of their rule, Atiku Abubakar
performed the duties of VP for only 4 years. The other 4 he was not allowed to
say or do anything. He was eventually sacked by Obasanjo though illegally until
the court voided it he was not allowed access to office. A vice president that
committed serious offences that would warrant his illegal removal from office
by the president wants to be president himself and the president who sacked him
is supporting him. What is their agenda?
5. Atiku Abubakar took the role of an
undertaker for corrupt deals while in government. For instance, he gave bribe of
(N50 million) fifty million naira to Senators Mantu and Zingwina from a PDP
slush account with Obasanjo’s full knowledge for senate confirmation of El
Rufia as Minister of FCT.
6. Atiku is now facing his third defeat
by President Buhari. First in 2007 presidential election when Buhari contested
under the ANPP while Atiku contested under ACN. Atiku came a distance third
behind Buhari who came second. He again came second in 2014 when he unsuccessfully
challenged Buhari for the APC president ticket for the 2015 elections. Same is
expected to happen on February 16, 2019.
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