If there’s one politician with national spread, grassroot acceptance, and the political experience to oil the wheel of the country, it sure has to be his excellency, Atiku Abubakar – the Waziri of Adamawa state. As vice president in the administration of president Olusegun Obasanjo, he was responsible for the privatization of some government assets for better efficiency. Without a doubt the Waziri adamawa is a candidate to beat in the forthcoming presidential election.
There has been this debate in respect to youths being politically responsible for the future of the country. As plausible as that may sound, politics is no tea party. In politics power is not given but earned. Aiku Abubakar is one prominent political figure that has never been in the news for health related reasons. Physically, he looks like a spartan warrior prepared for leadership. Atiku Abubakar has said it countless times more than I can remember that if given the mandate by Nigerians to govern them, the youths of the country – which he considers to be an intrinsic part of the population of the country will play very fundamental roles in his administration.
The last seven years of APC stewardship of the country can conveniently be described as a monumental disaster. Across the length and breadth of the country, there seems to be a national consensus that the life of an average Nigerian was better off during PDP leadership of the country compared to the chaotic political, economic and security climate that characterized the APC government of the past seven years.
The 2023 election is fast approaching. Nigerians of good reason and conscience must be deliberate in avoiding the mistakes of the last seven years. The APC know they have nothing to offer in defense of their disastrous stint on power and rather than focus on issue based campaigns, they party and their agencies are preoccupied with Atiku’s age rather than what he has to offer.
There’s no denying that Atiku remains a candidate to beat. He is the only politically experienced and intentionally prepared individual with a blueprint on how to govern the country. The PDP should avoid the temptation of discontinuing the party legacy of zoning. The internal zoning arrangement of the party has been a political balancing tool and a leadership recruitment strategy. Even more commendable is the idea giving Nigerians a sense of belonging. The current arrangement of a leader from the North West to continue from where the late Musa Yar’adua of blessed memory stopped must be honored by the party chieftain for the sake of equity and fairness.
As a party faithful myself, I owe Nigeria the responsibility of supporting his excellency Atiku Abubakar on his rescue Nigeria mission. Now more than ever, we patriots need to arise en masse to chase APC out with our voter card. Like they say, the reward for good work is more work. It follows therefore that the reward for bad work is less work. APC deserves less responsibility and the onus is on Nigerians to mobilize in support of Atiku because he has the interest of the country at heart. The APC knows any day, anytime, Atiku is a candidate to beat and it would be a disastrous outing for PDP if his name is not on the ballot.
Seidu Mohammed
Public Affairs Analyst
Writes from Lafia,
Nasarawa State