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Atiku The North And 3rd Term By Dr. Siraj Abdulkarim siraj@webstar.co.uk
In May 1999 Nigeria witnessed another democratic civilian regime under the leadership of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar as President and Vice President respectively. From the platform used for their election, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and the choice of the presidential candidate and also the running mate were all marriages of convenience. The attention and focus of the elites then was that let the military regime of Abacha and the transition regime of General Abdulsalami just go and not addressing the fundamental questions to ensure good governance and development of the country.
What I consider the indigenes of the PDP in the membership of G18 and G36 did not have enough time and resources to have nurtured, develop and solidify and therefore take full control of the party before other interests came and overwhelmed them. With the sudden death of Abacha, the military regime of General Abdussalami Abubakar took over mantle of leadership as a transition regime and indeed transition it was. The regime preoccupied itself more with globe trotting to mend Nigeria’s image from abroad not from home. Thus it gave no attention to the formation of credible parties that would seek to transform the Nigerian nation for the betterment of its citizens and not for the interests of America and the West. Anyway, the regime honored its promise and handed over to a civilian government of Obasanjo on May 27, 1999.
The team of Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar got one of the widest acceptance cutting across regions in the country and thus had a rare opportunity to reconcile Nigerians and forge them ahead for the development of the nation. Obasanjo on the other hand had a loyal deputy. Atiku started displaying his loyalty by disparaging the past leaders from the north who ruled Nigeria for many years but did nothing for the north in particular and the nation in general. That caused him the anger of the northern elites.
Atiku was also seen to be bidding for Obasanjo against his own faith when he was reported by the media to say that he and some sharia state governors have agreed to suspend the issue of sharia implementation which was instantly denied by some credible personalities who were at the meeting. That caused Atiku very unpleasant developments among the Muslims. For Atiku to further display his loyalty to his president, he described himself as the hand bag of Obasanjo. I do not know what one needs to do to display loyalty especially in a situation where his election and that of Obasanjo was on a joint ticket. It was not an appointment. But for Obasanjo, who seemed to equal himself with the State, needed a loyalty even if to the disadvantage of the Nigerian Nation.
Probably, for Atiku to show his interest for the north and contribute to its development unlike the past leaders he criticized, he attempted to mobilize the northern governors to give priority attention to education and industry. Series of meetings and publications especially by the Northern Education Research Project and National Development Project were done on these efforts. What came to frustrate these laudable projects that we could not see a significant change is a long story for another day. The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) recently celebrated its golden anniversary in Abuja. It was a well elaborated program especially on the formal opening day. From Mr. President, the National Assembly leadership and members, governors, ministers, diplomats etc were invited.
It was only the Vice President after representing Mr. President on the opening day, the Governors of Kano, Bauchi and Zamfara who gave the over forty (40) million members of the MSSN the inspirational role they deserved. To the surprise of the youths not a single minister attended, not even the host minister. If you do not pay homage to these youths of the nation, who do you pay homage to? It was most unexpected that some invitees came so low only to read politics into an event meant to express gratitude to God for the positive contribution the MSSN had and is having, to the lives of millions of people and the nation at large. After all Islam is so comprehensive a way of life that politics is just an aspect of it.
The leading contribution of Atiku to the north and the nation at large and the cause of his strained relationship with his boss, to my mind, was his opposition to the 3rd term agenda. For whatever reason Atiku opposed the tenure elongation, he deserved commendation by the north because it would have been the worst hit.
Despite the overwhelming support the north gave Obasanjo in the 1999 and even the 2003 elections, despite the fact that one of its own prominent sons, Major General Shehu Musa ‘Yar adua, died in suspicious circumstances during the regime of General Abacha that sentenced him (Obasanjo) to jail; the north seemed to be on the left hand side of Mr. President. It seemed that the north had to pay for the Abacha ‘sins’. This is apparent in the regime’s policies and appointments. We need not go into details today.
When Atiku opposed tenure elongation, he really stuck out his neck and sacrificed himself for the survival of democracy. It was a battle against forces that were armed to the teeth but Allah was, as always, on the side of truth and justice. With the little effort as His sunna demands, He overwhelmed the ‘third termers’.
The opportunity given to the north by the 3rd term agenda to come out more united should be consolidated. From the phantom National Political Reform Conference to other debates and the opposition for 3rd term, the north became more united and wiser. We now understand that northern warriors might not be found in Katsina or Jigawa states but in Benue and Adamawa states. This is an opportunity to tackle the issues used by our enemies to divide us and that even led us to killing ourselves and destroying our properties.
From my own sophistication, the fear was not in Obasanjo succeeding in tenure elongation because at one time that will end, even if naturally; but the fear was more in the fact that, that would have started a process where an incumbent president can overnight change the constitution to accommodate personal aspirations. And in that kind of situation not only is democracy at crossroads but the nation itself. You never knew who would later be on the throne and what he or she would not do.
The north has to learn to forgive both outsiders and also its sons and daughters. It also has to revive the culture of rewarding excellence. It is my candid opinion that Atiku, whether vying for presidency or not, be forgiven by the north and be recognized as Sarkin Yakin Arewa while at the national level as Hero of Democracy. The resoluteness of the Vice President to fight against civilian dictatorship and the desecration of the Nigerian constitution for democracy and rule of law is an inspiration to millions of the Nigerian people. The distinguished Senate President, Ken Nnamani, Senator Chukwumeraji, Senator Dansadau, Hon. Usman Bugaje, and many others must not be forgotten by the nation or history. It is a pleasure that many Non Governmental Organizations and other bodies have started that recognition.
Had the 3rd term agenda succeeded, it is particularly the northern elites that would have paid the price more, because it is them that would first know what it is to be a slave.
Dr. Siraj Abdulkarim P.O. Box 17, Zaria, Nigeria.
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