Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was yesterday in Abuja deluged in a
pool of encomiums during the public presentation of a book chronicling his
political-cum-legal battles during his tenure as Vice President of the
country. He won 14 cases in court mainly against the Government of
President Olusegun Obasanjo, in which he was the number two man.
Leading the pack was former President Ibrahim Babangida, as Chairman of
the event, who described the former Vice President as, “a good Nigerian
and a good democrat.”
Governor Babangida Aliyu, the Chief Servant of Niger followed the same
track describing Atiku as,
“the best President Nigeria is yet to have.”
The book, titled: Landmark Constitutional Law Cases in Nigeria 2004-2007:
The Atiku Abubakar Cases, pulled a large crowd of the who-is-who in
Nigeria’s judicial, business and political circles to the Shehu Musa
Yar’Adua Centre, venue of the book launch.
Other dignitaries also present at the event included the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, his Deputy, Hon. Emeka
Ikedioha; Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State as well as the
representatives of the governors of Sokoto, Kwara, Enugu and Kano States.
A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Malam Adamu Ciroma and a
number of traditional rulers also graced the occasion.
The leader of the All Progressive Congress, APC Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
who was represented by the Spokesman of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,
said: “Atiku was misunderstood by many Nigerians for resolving his
political crisis through the courts when he was Vice President. But we
thank God that the efforts he took in those days have become the bedrock
of our democracy today.”
The Chairman of the Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote who
was represented by Alhaji Issa Yusuf also described Atiku Abubakar as, “a
business mentor.”
More than (N50M) Fifty Million Naira was raked in by the authors who are
teachers, Professor Maxwell Gidado and Barrister Chidi Ojukwu.