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Atiku Abubakar Will Make It In 2007 By Emmanuel Risco Maiduguri A political case study conducted by YAMEK Nigeria limited, Corporate Affairs registered Public Relations firm RC. 263434 from January 2006 and ended 30th June 2006 indicated that Vice President Atiku Abubakar would be sworn-in as Executive President, Commander-in-Chief, Armed Forces, Federal republic of Nigeria on 29th May 2007. The pollster conducted in 30 states show that opinions from 10 persons over a period of stay in each of the states, with 2 days in the next most important urban towns nearby concluded that Vice President Atiku Abubakar should naturally succeed Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as the number one citizen in the next general elections. The most awesome of the opinions are Atiku Abubakar can win on any party he chooses to stand. Most of the respondents yielded the positive conclusions on the fact that he has conquered persecution, humiliation, blackmail and shame from those, he has assisted. The vauxpaux which was conducted across the board of the grass-root only cut across market women, traders, artisans, okada riders, taxi drivers, random sampling of passengers boarding vehicles at motor-parks, farmers and fishermen. Alongside the views collected and collated from these ordinary Nigerians, their most prominent reason is his resilience not to respond to the provocative words hurled at him and battle to enthrone democracy; even at a risk. The public thoughts revealed that in spite of being denied paraphernalia and perks of office; he has stood his ground stoically and refused to be haunted and haunted out of office. Further to the views; it uncovered that even when his companies were routed out of existence and denied patronage, he did not cry hoarse to the whole world. Other private investigations reveal as per the variegations of opinion indicate Atiku Abubakar the Turaki Adamawa will capture overwhelmingly in Enugu; Abia; Imo and Anambra States in the South East. The sentiment attached to him from the South East is based on his principle of tolerance, perseverance and listening attitude. He is adduced to be someone who stands strongly against adversity, hurt and would not curve and cave under dictatorship, illegality and lies. Luckily, emotionally that he is married to their daughter Jamila, with children and being persecuted alongside himself because God has blessed her and has a House in USA only, has attracted a wide visibility of him in their eyes. He has traveled wide amongst which he has been honoured with traditional titles. To them; he is a better option for the President than anybody who has hurt them by anyway in the past. In the South-South, the polls show cased that Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential Aspirant will pick votes enormously in Edo; Delta, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States. Traditionally, he has strong footing in Edo and Delta States and that has been the reasons Governor Lucky Igbinedion and James Ibori have been hunted left, right and center respectively since 2001 on one flimsy reason or the other. Architect Victor Attah cannot deny staying in Yola for more than 20 years where he knew the Turaki Adamawa. He has known the Vice President to be a man to reckon with. Those that gave their feelings on politics, democracy, freedom, human rights and privileges made it known, the stories they hear from Aso-Rock Villa Abuja is that, the President, Olusegun Obasanjo is harsh to the Vice President and the Ministers too, at the Federal Executive Council meetings where he often shouts them down by telling them to keep quiet arrogantly and rudely. According to them, life has been bad and they wanted an experienced and energetic person like Atiku Abubakar to take over the mantle of leadership come 2007 general polls. Most often times, they hear the man is good and has the disposition of a humble gentleman who wouldn’t hurt a fly and therefore did not respond to the insults of Mr. President. Another version of the opinion in the South West detailed that the Presidential leading aspirant amongst twenty-two aspirants of General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), Brigadier-General Buba Marwa (rtd), Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, Reverend Chris Okotie, Governor Adamu Muazu, Governor Ahmed Makarfi, Governor Adamu Abdullahi, Governor Ahmed Sani Yerima , Governor Achike Udenwa, Prof Pat Utomi, Governor Obong Victor Attah, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma Governor Saminu Turaki, Hon. Umar Ghali Na’abbah, Governor Bukar Abba Ibrahim and Chief Pere Ajunwa accused President Obasanjo of vindictiveness and vengeance. They wondered as Yorubas, one of the most populous tribe in the country to have such illustrious sons like late Chief Bola Ige, late Minister of Internal Affairs, Chief M.S Afolabi even Otunba Fasawe who catered for the family of the President when he was in prison could be humiliated up and down for some unknown reasons. Others along the line that are called names are Governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu etc as a result of his love for justice. They do not see eye to eye with wonderful scions and sons of the Odudua like Chief Femi Falana, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, famous men of letters and law and shinning role model and exemplary legal luminaries and even our world Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka. They rejected the Ayodele Fayose selection committee for substance, credibility and experience. They accused Mr. President of amassing wealth, pumping billions in Ota farm, building a library, buying an old jet at skyrocketed price and costlier than normal price, selling Nitel $750M to British Telecoms and Saudi Arabia Saltel which they claim is tantamount to last minute looting. They overwhelmingly voted for Atiku Abubakar who has deference and respect for him (Olusegun Obasanjo) because of his age and his brother-in-law having married Titi Amina – Atiku’s first wife from Osun state, the cradle of the Yoruba which Atiku Abubakar is sentimentally attached to. He is Aare Adimora of the source of Ile-Ife. The vox populi put across clearly that having served his formative years as customs officer in Seme and Lagos for a long time-the masses, the peasants, the people and the electorates and some of the target group agreed that he is well-known there. The poll picked Lagos, Oyo, Osun and Ogun States as places where Atiku Abubakar will shine. Another revelation which is not connected with this report but has always come up spontaneously along the line of this thorough study is severe condemnation of General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) as a blood thirty tyrant who brought economic doom to this country. That no matter General Babangida’s calculations, he will never taste power in this country again. Not only did they condemn him of killing many Military Officers during his regime but meant to say he imported inflation into our fatherland, caused confusion politically and introduced ethnic and religious jingoism by his hypocritical posture. Therefore, those who returned the forms to YAMEK (Nig) Ltd, said they will never vote IBB to power again-never in the history of Nigeria, they stated. These same recurrences were recorded, but the most vehement was in the South West. North Central, North East and North West combined together for its monolithic political nature, overwhelmingly voted for the Atiku Presidency unprecedented. The group case study came with the result that Atiku Abubakar will win successfully in Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Yobe and Borno States. So also in Plateau and Benue victoriously. The same overwhelming results will be replicated in Kebbi, Katsina, Kano and Jigawa States. Kaduna would be won. Most northerners see Atiku Abubakar as hero especially after speaking to Movement 2007 in Niger State governor’s lodge this year because the treatment meted to the members of the National Assembly, the death of third term, tenure elongation and the revelations of extravagance in government and the latest sacking of his advisers from choice positions. The study team visited other states like Cross-Rivers, Ekiti, Bauchi, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States. Other reasons put forward by the respondents are the marginalization and systemic sacking of the sons and daughters of other regions from executive positions. Respondents also put across that Atiku Abubakar has been a wealthy person before venturing into politics and has been known to be a business mogul who has shared his riches amongst the poor by building schools, constructing places of worship and has interacted well with many particularly in Kaduna, Maiduguri, Katsina, Sokoto, Damaturu and Yola his home base. They cited strong men of integrity who stood by him like Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Ambassador Yahaya Kwande, Alhaji Lawal Ma’aji Lawan, Yakubu Tsaha, Shettima Mubi, Dr Ahmed Ajuji, Alhaji Saleh Shehu, Dr Usman Bugaje, Dr Farouk Abdul Azeez, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Mr. Audu Ogbeh, Chief Solomon Lar, and Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim. Others are Ms Funke Adedoyin, Chief Yomi Edu in far away Lagos, Alhaji Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta, Abdullahi Garba Margi-a Kaduna based businessman and many men of good character, when they speak the society listens raptly. Surprisingly, they classified Atiku Abubakar as a farmer and cattle owner, a responsible family man, a good father who respects other people’s religion. Asked whether he will heap it on Christianity once he becomes President, they deftly said No and disclosed that he has many friends and acquaintances who are Christians and altogether leaders can be subscribed within service to the Nation philosophy: Isaac Shaahu, Dapo Sarumi, Solomon Lar, Titilayo Ajanaku, Barnabas Gemade, Mike Kwanashie, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, and those he honours like Chief Sunday Awoniyi, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), Alex Ekwueme etc… This six-month case study comprises of experts in politics, business, sociological sciences, one medical doctor, a nurse, a student leader, one labour leader, a member of women group started all questions with the paramount problem facing the nation. The eminent reply to that single core-question has been suffering, lack of money, insufficiency of food, empty hospitals, lack of potable water, inflammatory and inflationary rents, insecurity, unstable power-supply, joblessness, political crisis and assassinations. They questioned the hypocritical attitude of political leaders claiming to fight corruption, while exhibiting extravagance and riding roughshod on the back of the poor stealing, looting and killing. Above all, they condemned in total terms the resurgence of retired military officers looking for power whether born again or not as such asserted Nigerian electorates should not allow military chaps whether in uniform or not to taste power again in this country for they are the brain behind our bastardized economy. Some of those who answered the questions and had fore knowledge of Atiku having lost his father at tender age sympathized with his up bringing and emphasized if he wasn’t a hardworking and responsible child from the beginning, he wouldn’t have reached the top. Therefore, some surmised that, could be, he would look back and give to the peasant, what he had missed greatly during childhood. They criticized the present government for bringing in persons who never knew how to play politics, never known democracy, never knew how to relate with others, but use crude and raw words or throw insults at others without any cause. They singled out Atiku Abubakar, the Vice President for his patience, his reticent, his endurance, his quietness and shy attitude to life. Some went as far as saying they are praying everyday that he would be President because of the way he is treated in his fatherland and denied other Constitutional privileges due to him as number two citizen. The enlightened amongst the respondents summarized their opinion this way that with the factionalization of the PDP and the non-recognition of the Alliance for Democracy splinter groups and the crisis in the ANPP, the Turaki Adamawa can team up with any party that has semblance of strength and unity and contest on its platform. It is no longer party but his resilience, resourcefulness, innovation and having had the pedigree of survival instinct and maturity, discipline and fear of God, which has shown since his persecution started in 2003. The respondents mostly do not know about any economic reforms or Bureau for Public Enterprises as the only thing they watch and hear on television and radio is that government has been selling big companies to foreigners and many able bodied persons and families are laid off their jobs. One individual literally in Kotor Koshi in Zamfara pointed out to us a citizen who was trekking pass-by who lost his job in the bank consolidation and restructuring and has become a pathetic and almost mental: a picture of Obasanjo Economic Reforms. That is the view of the people and it is impartial, apolitical opinion gathered on audio tapes, re-written and listens overtime. It is the voice of the people and no one can counter because of the remote ghetto areas visited in the towns without any resident in the Shantu areas knowing about the mission. The advice given by other section of the people contacted is for Olusegun Obasanjo, the President to reconcile with the Vice President, Atiku Abubakar for the sake of the unity of the nation, and hand over to him constitutionally as a natural successor legally and lawfully after serving together for such a time, of discipleship.
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