The height of political naivety is the assumption that the ADC’s presidential ticket is the Babariga of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. I watched the Wazirin’s interview with Charles Aniagolu and realized the man is under unforseen pressure.
I won’t mind the anticipated tattling of modern day Atikulators and the endless retinue of fortune hunters that hinged their financial liberation on Atiku since 2003. I will simply call a spade a spade not a shovel.
For the records, I campaigned for Atiku in 2011 and 2019 for good reasons. In 2011, I felt the North must complete its presidential tenure of 8 years after Obasanjo. My position was hardened when President Jonathan publicly denied the existence of zoning in the PDP.
In 2019, despite the calamitous administration of Buhari, I supported Atiku to complete the remaining 4 years of Northern presidential turn. It was because of my commitment to the Atiku project that I battled the Buhari presidency in my little corner. It was a political journey I embarked with my full chest.
I was part of a select group that brainstormed for 3 days at the Political Academy of Distinguished Senator Gbenga Daniels in Shagamu. It was at that event that I met Otunba Segun Sowunmi for the first time and his brilliance was top notch and of course his confirmation as campaign spokesman. That appointment of Somunmi immediately gave the campaign a huge boost. He simply made Festus Keyamo, SAN of the APC look so ordinary.
My leader, Arc. Baba Isimi, a renowned political strategist and baston of honesty was a senior director of the campaign, and he set up an office for myself and other patriotic believers in the project at the campaign headquarters to work on those important, but overlooked aspects of the campaign. We worked with Dr. Nath Yaduma, a close ally of Atiku. Dr. Nath was imbued with excess humility.
We went to Port Harcourt and battled Wike and Aminu Tanbuwal and came out victorious. The political intrigues that took place on the eve of the convention opened my eyes to the reality of Nigeria’s politics. Tanbuwal was on the verge of clinching the PDP’s ticket before Gen. Gusua, acting in behalf Northern leaders intervened on convention morning and the rest is history.
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Critically, no Southern PDP member contested the party’s presidential ticket. Atiku Abubakar made two important commitments during the campaign:
- That the 2019 campaign was going to be his last.
- That he wasn’t going to do more than a term.
I have never admired a politician more than the Wazirin Adamawa, yet he lost me when he contested the 2023 presidential election, despite the clear handwriting on the wall. The audacity to disrupt the PDP despite the 8 years of Buhari, a Northern Fulani was unacceptable to me. It reeked of supremacist inclination.
The North is certain to get the presidency back in 2031. Why can’t the Wazirin Adamawa chin it up and allow opposition to breathe and have space to plan for 2027 and 2031.
Political air weights like Dele Momodu and one Kenneth Okonkwo are continuously disturbing our ears that we need only Northern anger to defeat the Emilokan Enterprise. Bunch of political jesters.
Talking about Northern anger, the Northern anger was at its max in 2011, yet Jonathan cruised to victory. Buhari overwhelmingly won about 11 out of the 13 States of North East and North West. Did that bring him close to Aso Rock? No of course.
There are worthy Northerners in the ADC that can challenge for the presidency in 2031 with or without the ADC victory in 2027. The likes of Tanbuwal, Kwankwaso and El Rufai are very much ready for the 2031 battle. However, that readiness will become meaningful only if Obi gets the ADC ticket for 2027.
Gamble on Peter Obi and be assured of the presidency in 2031. Gamble with Atiku and kiss the presidency goodbye in perpetuity.
In analysing the 2023 votes of both Atiku Obi, try and remove the votes that accrued due to the prevailing strength of the PDP at the time, and don’t fail to compare with the 2007 presidential election result of the AC.
Kelechi Jeff Eme
