Atiku: The Price of Absolute Loyalty

By

Muhammad L. Maikudi

mlmaikudi@yahoo.com

When in 1998, after the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, convention elected Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as its presidential aspirant, he (Obasanjo) later unilaterally picked Atiku Abubakar, Turakin Adamawa, as his running mate.

The choice of Atiku, then, was, according to Obasanjo, that Atiku was loyal and has been loyal to him. On several occasions Atiku himself confess to Nigerians that he got the slot because of his loyalty. It is quite true that Atiku’s loyalty to Obasanjo was not in doubt. This must have been due to Atiku’s loyalty to late Gen. Shehu Musa ‘Yar’adua, (may his gentle soul rest in perfect peace) a legendary political tactician, who was reputed to be loyal to Obasanjo while he (‘Yar’adua) was alive.

But there is another reason, which is more fundamental, politically, that convinced Obasanjo to pick Turaki as his running mate. One, Atiku, being the group leader or arrowhead of Gen. ‘Yar’adua’s political machine, was and still a politician that Obasanjo and the PDP must reckon with if the presidential election was to be won.

So when the presidential election was conducted in 1999, and the duo of Obasanjo and Atiku were elected as President and Vice President respectively, and subsequently sworn-in on May 29, 1999, Atiku continued to demonstrate high level loyalty to Obasanjo.

On many occasions and at various fora, Vice President Atiku was always ready to criticize, condemn, insult, rubbish anyone or group that disagrees with Obasanjo and their government.

Even the attempt made by the Obasanjo’s government to reconcile aggrieved Nigerians through the Oputa Panel did not deter Atiku from attacking his fellow northern brothers, accusing them, their leaders, past and present, of ruining the Nigerian nation since independence.

In contrast, the President, Obasanjo, was never quoted accusing the Yorubas, or the South Westerners of contributing anything in destroying Nigeria. Nor could I remember any occasion or forum in which Ewerem, the then Senate President condemned the South East for ruining Nigeria, the civil war notwithstanding. His successors, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo and Chief Pius Anyim have not engaged in any such business.

To highlight the level of Vice President Atiku’s loyalty to Obasanjo, two events come to mind. The first was his announcement that the National Security Council had discussed the Shari’a issue and they have resolved that the status quo should be maintained. Unfortunately or fortunately, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), the upright Head of State and now with an ambition to contest the presidency under the ANPP, punctured Atiku. The governors of Zamfara and Kebbi states, Alhaji Ahmed Sani and Mohammed Adamu Aleiro corroborated what Buhari said.

This made Muslims, especially in the North, to develop cold feet against Atiku. In their perception or understanding, Atiku should have remain impatial rather than siding with the anti-Shari’a group. Majority hoped that he will return to them for votes and they will respond appropriately.

Not done with, Atiku, to demonstrate his loyalty to Obasanjo and their government, was reported to have declared at a gathering in Lagos that he "was not Shari’a compliant". The gathering of the anti-shari’a jubilated because if Atiku, a Muslim and Vice President, who was the highest officer Nigerian Muslim believe is representing their interest at the helm of affairs could declare that he "was not Shari’a compliant", the feeling is better imagined.

And while Vice President Atiku was quick to condemn the Kaduna crises, he was never quoted accusing the Afenifere of sponsoring OPC militants, let alone condemn them, even though they have been responsible for the death of thousands of non-natives in the South West. The Vice President, according to the thinking of some people in some quarters, was more Obasanjo than Obasanjo himsalf and more Yoruba than the Afenifere.

Some people may consider this kind of loyalty as blind or irrational. But when you remember that Obasanjo was an Army General and Atiku a Customs Officer, you can understand and accept that loyalty is a very important stuff in the training and upbringing of the two men.

But recently Turaki was under serious attack from no less a person than Obasanjo himself. It was reported in some news media that Obasanjo summoned Atiku to his office for a discussion. With his traditional bluntness, the old told Atiku, point blank, that he has every reason to believe that he (Atiku) has a hand in the impeachment palaver. Atiku, it was reported, fired back saying it was not true. It went to the extent that Atiku boldly told the President that his fellow northerners were accusing him of being a sell out and it was just a matter of time that Obasanjo will throw him away. It was also insinuated that he told the President that even his being a Muslim is being questioned because of his loyalty to him.

The Obasanjo group may be right if they suspect of Atiku of plotting against Obasanjo, especially with clear signals that Obasanjo is likely to win the PDP primaries for 2003 election, and may eventually dump Atiku.

This signal came when Obasanjo made formal declaration to contest the 2003 elections. Whether by design or otherwise Obasanjo did not say anything about Atiku’s fate when he got PDP’s mandate to contest the presidency, which political analyst and commentators see as clear indication that the Obasanjo-Atiku ticket was not be in 2003.

Rightly, the Atiku group started their political scheemings, which later resulted in announcing, by Obasanjo that he will run with Atiku in 2003, if he wins the primaries.

Going by the current accusations level against Atiku, of working in tandem with the National Assembly, some prominent politicians from the North and the East, and in collaboration with the Abacha family; President Obasanjo, Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the PDP and indeed all of us, have lessons to learn about Nigerian politics and political philosophy of some people.

First, the type of loyalty you give to a leader determines your fate in a political struggle. Atiku’s loyalty made President Obasanjo more arrogant and dictatorial and therefore sees other people as incompetent, especially in a situation where the President has the backing of a tribal media.

Secondly, the loyalist will be pushing the superior officer to his doom, while at the same time making plans, through new friends and associates from within, to take the throne with ease.

If what reports making the rounds is in the affirmative, that Vice President Atiku was able to woo members of the National Assembly, some prominent Northern politicians and traditional rulers as well as the Abacha family to his side, then Obasanjo is a goner.

And if the reports were calculated to dent the image of the Vice President, the Vice President and the PDP are the likely biggest casualties.

But whatever the case, Vice President Atiku Abubakar has a very difficult job before him. Even when he successfully edge out Obasanjo during the PDP convention, which is the most likely thing to happen, the Muhammadu Buhari candidature will be very tough for him, unless the South West give him unprecedented supporting votes.