By Remi Oyeyemi<\/p>\n
Now that we are discussing politics of 2019, my desire for the birth of
\nO\u00f2du\u00e0 Republic is not going to hold me back from knocking in some nails
\ninto their appropriate holes.
\nMany, some of them uninformed, some of them mischievous, are prancing all
\nover, yelling why Atiku Abubakar cannot be PRESIDENT. I think many of
\nthose voices are not WELL reasoned and to my mind, it is important to
\nderobe such unreasonabilities lest they continue to contaminate the
\npolitical discourse.
\nAs a matter of integrity, it is important that I make disclosures that the
\nformer Vice President is my former boss. I must also disclose that I have
\npublicly criticized him several times. My many public criticisms of him
\nwere considered so hurtful that some in his camp asked him to institute
\nlegal actions against me. Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Saharareporters
\nmay be be able to attest to this, because he got the “briefs.” All the
\nproofs on the above are in the public space for those who care to
\ninvestigate my claims.
\nNow, that being said, the TRUTH must be told. Today, the only person who
\nhas what it takes to save Nigeria from messy disintegration is ABUBAKAR
\nATIKU. I used the word “messy” advisedly because I don’t think anyone can
\nstop Nigeria’s disintegration. As the trajectory of Nigeria proceeds
\ntowards its destiny of Balkanization, the more innocent lives of women,
\nchildren and the weak we can save and preserve, the better. Atiku is the
\nonly one who can get this done.
\nAtiku, I know, will NEVER preside over the dismemberment of Nigeria. But
\nhe is best placed and prepared to create the requisite mutual
\nunderstanding of the issues that would elicit positive discussion among
\nthe constituent units to bring everyone to the table and prevent a
\npossible war of attrition for Balkanization. The task to prevent shedding
\nof blood is a fundamental one that we must strive to accomplish. Atiku is
\nthe best anchor of and for this.
\nThe first variable of a functioning intellect is to assume you don’t know.
\nThe second variable is to be skeptical of any idea or a concept until it
\nhas been properly looked at in critical manner and flushed of all
\nirrelevances that could shortchange the goal for which it was intended to
\nimprove. The third variable which is very important in leaders is to be
\nable to appreciate the value of those around you and be able to
\nappropriately deploy them for maximum results.
\nAbubakar Atiku as a politician and a leader has been able to manifest the
\nabove variables in his style. Unlike many of his friends, he is a man of
\nideas who is always ready to learn.
\nI will give a couple of examples and former President Olusegun Obasanjo is
\nmy number one witness on this first example among many other respectable
\npersonalities.
\nIn 1999, after they had been sworn in, President Obasanjo requested of
\nVice President Atiku to bring in the list of his staff. When he complied,
\nObasanjo had a complaint – “How come almost everyone on this list is a
\nDoctorate degree holder?” Atiku’s response which later became “the talk of
\nAso Rock” was “No one is an expert in everything. You need those who know
\naround you so that you can learn and improve.” That is the mindset of a
\ntrue leader.
\nStill speaking about ideas, Atiku has prepared a position paper for
\nFederal Government on RESTRUCTURING as far back as 2003. He is not new to
\nthis idea or concept of RESTRUCTURING. He presented this to Obasanjo who
\npretended he was open to the idea. President Obasanjo was later to use his
\nkangaroo National Conference to undercut and undermine this noble idea, in
\na diabolical move to ensure his third term as President.
\nDespite this Atiku never gave up on RESTRUCTURING. He has been meeting
\nwith all the Northern leaders trying to convince them on the need for
\nRESTRUCTURING in the interest of Nigeria. He has met many Yoruba leaders.
\nHe has met many leaders of Ndi’igbo. He has met many concerned minority
\ngroup leaders from the Middlebelt. Obviously, he has not been able to
\nconvince everyone of them, especially, some of the staunch members in the
\nArewa block. But Alhaji Lawal Kaita told me that Atiku was the one who
\nbrought him around to accept the concept of \u00a0RESTRUCTURING. If you are
\nconversant with Nigerian politics, you would know who Alhaji Kaita is in
\nthe scheme of Northern politics, and appreciate what that means.
\nMore often than not, people of means are not always enamoured by the
\ntravails of the needy. At times, it is not because they are wicked, mean
\nor cruel, it is because they have never lacked. And, whether we like it or
\nnot, everyone is a product of his experience. Hence, when you come across
\na few men of means who give of what they have to elevate the needy, it has
\nto be appreciated.<\/p>\n
Atiku is in this mode. He is not a revolutionary by any means. But he is
\njust a reformer who sees the need to shake up and reform the status quo
\nfor enlightened self interest. Enlightened self interest is what
\nCapitalism is all about. Our own brand of Capitalism is yet to understand
\nthis concept. It is this lack of understanding of this concept that is
\nregrettably acting as a catalyst for the political elites noxious
\nindifference to the social, religious and economic decadence in the
\npolity. But Atiku does understand. It is part of what drives him.
\nThus, it wasn’t a surprised when in a conversation recently, Vice
\nPresident Atiku was quoting John F. Kennedy to buttress his point of the
\nneed to reform the system. The famous quote that he used is as follows:
\n“Any Nation that is not able to provide for the many that are poor will
\nnot be able to protect the few that are rich.”
\nIn this quote is an urgent message which only a thinking leader, a caring
\nleader and a selfless leader could grasp. And Atiku, obviously, does.
\nAs a man of ideas, Atiku is also a good manager of men and resources. You
\ndon’t have to take my word, check out his businesses. They are success
\nstories. Why? This is because he knows how to put round pegs in round
\nholes and square pegs in square holes. He rewards competence generously.
\nHe also is always learning and improving himself.
\nStill as a man of ideas, if you give Atiku a proposal about any subject,
\nyou better be sure of what you have put down. Atiku would take the
\nproposal and ask you to see him at an appointed date usually between two
\nweeks. During this, he would go through your proposal meticulously, write
\nout his questions, his disagreements and agreements. Your next appointment
\nis meant to discuss these concerns and observations. You must be able to
\ndefend your ideas convincingly before he would buy into it. That is a
\nproof of a thinking leader. He knows where he wants to lead the country,
\nbut ideas and contributions are welcome.
\nAtiku is a human being. What do I mean by such a statement that seems self
\nevident and obvious? He is caring. He is loyal. He is compassionate. He is
\nconsiderate. He believes in taking care of anyone who crosses his path
\nwithout expecting anything in return. He had blood of kindness flowing in
\nhis veins. He has a big heart. You can always count on him in distress if
\nyou can get his ears, which is not difficult. It is an added bonus if you
\nare his friend and or his staff.
\nAtiku is a cosmopolitan politician. His marriages are attestation to this
\nfact. He sees beyond his immediate environment. While he is fiercely loyal
\nto his people and community, he would fight to the last to ensure that a
\nthird party’s entitlement is not taken away from him or her. He is willing
\nto see from the perspective of the others and seek a common ground. Some
\nthink this is inconsistency. But the primary responsibility of a leader is
\nto listen and create a vision to lead accordingly. I see this as a virtue
\nrather than vice. He knows how to bring people together.
\nAtiku, unlike some of his political friends, believes in the rule of law.
\nWhat is my proof? Throughout his disagreements with President Obasanjo,
\nAtiku was always resorting to court to resolve the disagreements. If I
\nremember correctly, he took OBJ to court about eleven times and won every
\ntime. This further embittered Obasanjo against him and soured their
\nrelationship more. Nigeria needs a leader who believes in and respect the
\nlaw.
\nAtiku is always willing to give up on his ambition for the greater good of
\nall. His good heart and the unquenchable desire for the greater good has
\nmade him vulnerable to the political hawks around. As a result of this, he
\nhas ended up being the most betrayed politician in this era. My brother,
\nBarrister Ayo Turton succinctly put it on his page on Facebook as follows:
\n“It was a 3-way run between him, MKO and Kingibe for SDP primaries in
\n1993. No clear winner, so MKO appealed to him through \u00a0 Yar’Adua to step
\ndown with a promise to make him the Vice President. \u00a0He agreed. Along the
\nline he was schemed out, Kingibe became the VP. The rest is history.
\nIn 2003, he was the most powerful politicians in Nigeria, \u00a0he had most of
\nthe delegates and PDP Governors urging him to run against Baba Obasanjo,
\nhe could have won easily. Baba cajoled and appealed to him to wait till
\n2007 when he will hand over to him. He agreed. As 2007 approaches, \u00a0Baba
\nstarted scheming for a third term in defiance of that promise. Atiku
\nscreamed and kicked. That signal the beginning of their fight. Baba lost
\nthird term bid, Atiku lost Presidential bid. The rest is history.
\nAfter APC primaries in 2015, he put everything in to support Baba Buhari
\nafter he lost the primary to him. He is now complaining that he has been
\nsidelined again. Even Asiwaju Tinubu got sidelined. I hate betrayal, maybe
\nthat’s why I have sympathy for Atiku.”
\nOn the last paragraph in Barrister Turton’s statement, I will make this
\ncomment. Many Buharists or Buharideens who are vilifying Atiku are
\nuninformed. They should be showing gratitude to Atiku for being there for
\nPresident Buhari at difficult times. I do understand that they may not
\nknow a lot of things that transpire behind the curtains, but Atiku has
\nbeen there for President Buhari despite being sidelined by the
\nAdministration. And Buhari himself knows.
\nMore so, President Mohammadu Buhari should remember the day he sat in a
\nparticular place in Abuja, with his head in both his hands, confused,
\nunhappy and sad, pleading with Vice President Atiku in the days leading to
\nthe general elections in 2015. This was shortly after the party primaries
\nand he was in the process of picking his running mate. It was a “one on
\none” private meeting.
\nAt this point again, another perfidy against Atiku had taken place. But
\nthat would be a story for another day. But Atiku still gave his words to
\nBuhari and cheered him up not to worry too much, assuring Buhari of his
\nsupport. Buhari left the place of the meeting, feeling better but still
\nunsure.
\nAbout five hours later after Buhari had left, a delegation arrived at the
\nsame place to see Atiku. The delegation was led by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Pa
\nBisi Akande and Rauf Aregbesola were in that delegation. Buhari did not
\ntell them before he met Atiku but brought their attention to the fact that
\nthey had to meet him (Atiku) and plead with him before things could move
\nfurther.
\nAt this meeting, Atiku was very blunt. He reminded Tinubu of their
\nagreement and the conditions they both agreed on before Atiku joined APC.
\nHe pointed out that once again, he has been betrayed. At the appropriate
\ntime, some of the details might be made public if necessary. Tinubu and
\nthe members of that delegation pleaded with Atiku to forgive. They
\nappealed to the importance of “collective good”.
\nHe did. He forgave.
\nAnd as Barrister Turton quipped on his Facebook page, “The rest is now
\nHistory.”
\nNigeria is in dire straits. One’s concern is the gradual descent into
\nanarchy because of incompetence, nepotism, injustice and imbalance of this
\ncurrent administration. Nigeria and Nigerians need a rescuer. And Atiku is
\nit. Buharists and Buharideens\u00a0would not be able to stop Nigerians who want
\na good manager which Atiku represents. The bus is moving away. They are
\nbeing left behind at the station.
\nThe demonization of Abubakar Atiku, the Man, must cease. He has been
\nbetrayed over and over because of his trusting nature. He has been
\nvictimized over and over because of his willingness to accommodate. Good
\nnature is a virtue not a vice. It is not a sign of weakness in a leader
\nbut that of strength that could and should be positively appropriated for
\nthe good of all. His ambition is not a crime. And it is not morbid either.
\nIf his ambition was morbid, Obasanjo would not have had a second term. He
\n(Atiku) would have been President in 2003.
\nAs for me, I am resolved about my desire for an O\u00f2du\u00e0 Nation. It is an
\ninevitable goal that is destined to materialize. And it is a matter of
\ntime before it becomes a reality. But while we are still here, in this
\ncontraption called Nigeria, as our people eke out survival, it is
\nimportant to be alert to what is happening around us. We can’t and we are
\nnot operating in a cocoon. Our arms should not and must not remain akimbo
\nas social, religious and economic damages are being done to our polity.
\nHence, to this end, we must derobe ourselves of blinding sentiments and
\nemotion as we tackle and navigate the vicissitudes of the Nigerian
\npolitics, with our eyes fixated on the ultimate goal. There is no gain
\nsaying the fact that ABUBAKAR ATIKU is THE MAN. His are capable hands,
\ntested and proven in its being stable, knowledgeable, accommodating,
\nconsiderate and able.<\/p>\n
It is time to get serious.<\/p>\n
Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Remi Oyeyemi Now that we are discussing politics of 2019, my desire for the birth of O\u00f2du\u00e0 Republic is not going to hold me back from knocking in some…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49771,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n