THE TURAKIN ADAMAWA – A PRESIDENTIAL FREAK?

THE TURAKIN ADAMAWA – A PRESIDENTIAL FREAK?

By Ohi Ohida

We may never know since when Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has been preparing himself for the Presidency, but we guess it could have been since he retired as a senior Custom Officer in the late 1980’s. He ran for the office of the Governor of Adamawa State in 1991 against Dr. Bala Takaya. He also ‘won’ the governorship election of the state in 1999 but, traded it in for the Vice Presidential ticket under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
Atiku lost out to Alh. Babagana Kingibe, as running mate to late Chief M.K.O. Abiola in 1993, a loss which was believed to have contributed substantially to the annulment of the election. His boss and mentor, late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua trusted Atiku to a fault, and because his ward was rejected by Abiola for someone else, he threw his weight behind the annulment. The rest, as they say, is now history. The Turakin Adamawa has come a long way in gubernatorial and presidential contests. What he lost in 1993, he gained in 1999 (the V. P. slot) and what he couldn’t get in 2007, he is ready to get it in 2011. Whether he will succeed or not, only seers can dare at the moment.
Of all the Presidential aspirants so far, Atiku is the most exposed to electoral contest. Aside from his 1993, 1999 and 2007 experiences he fought for the nomination of the PDP’s ticket while he was a sitting vice-president. Having been forced out of the Party, he went ahead to form a new Party, the Action Congress AC as it’s Presidential Candidate. That Atiku Abubakar is a fighter, there is no doubt. That he is prepared to fight clean or dirty, there is a generous proof. In fact, he was said to head the rigging machine of the PDP in 2003 and when he left the Party, the violent wing of the Party departed with him to AC. The battle between the PDP and the AC, whether over snatching of ballot boxes or gritty brawls at the polling booths, or the barrage of press battles and the titanic encounters at the Court rooms are the signature tunes of Atiku’s brand of practical politics.
Atiku found out he had no monopoly of either violence or guts. He met his match in a guttier Obasanjo whose gusto for guiles gravitates from the gutsily to the ghastly. The pair – the President and his Vice – made themselves into a spectacular spectacle for a public spectatorial. Both were fighting over a spilled milk (the lost third term for OBJ) and for a pie – in – the sky (the PDP Presidential ticket). But for its toll on governance, it was a picturesque political pictorial to behold. Who didn’t enjoy it while it lasted? Oh, didn’t you?
Who was not entertained by that nasty nihilism that ended in mutual nihility? Lets play back a bit. A military man trained in martial arts of brutality versus a para-military guy schooled in the smuggler’s artistic science? One aimed his bazooka at the skullcap of the other, threatening to blow it to pieces. The other aimed his bayonet at the other’s throat threatening to slice it for a barbecue. Both pulled the trigger and the muzzle at the same time for a blitzkrieg!! Political historians will have to unveil the name of this lawful rough tackles of the fourth Republic.
Atiku’s formation of the Action Congress was thought to be the answer to his discomfort in PDP. But we were all mistaken, for only his body was in AC while his soul was firmly rooted in the PDP. Despite the foregoing bitter encounters with the PDP/ Obasanjo, Atiku returned to his vomit – literally speaking – when he paid a carefully packaged visit to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 2008, an event OBJ used to further rubbish the dubious values of Atiku on principles and steadfastness.
A section of the AC took offence and made their displeasure known to Atiku who somehow placated them, albeit temporarily.
Not long after, the Mega Summit Movement (MSM) was formed as an amalgamation of opposition parties dedicated to fighting and wrestling power from the PDP. Atiku was invited into it and was reported to have split it into two: the MSM and the National Democratic Initiative – NDI. He was also said to have reconciled both to become the National Democratic Movement, NDM. Unknown to MSM/NDM, Atiku was oiling his return to the PDP while funding the activities of the former. In order words, he was in the A/C, MSM/NDM while on his way back to the PDP. At the end, everyone was disappointed except Atiku who remain at peace with himself.
Meanwhile, Atiku returned home to PDP to a disquiet reception with his former colleagues singing discordant tunes of (un) welcome, knowing very well he is on his mission for Presidential nomination. He has Ibrahim Babangida, Mohammed Aliyu Gusau and perhaps, President Goodluck Jonathan to wrestle with. A master of intrigues, he may yet prove a hard nut to crack for his co-contestants.
In all these, Atiku left behind political orphans in the AC who, for what they believe in and holds dear, refused to go back with him to the PDP. Others in MSM/NDM who relied on him to beef up opposition against the ruling party for a saner politics were left distraught by Atiku. It is difficult to know who is with him, not so who is against him, a legion are.
The sum total of Atiku’s politics, according to a political science teacher is “a morbid selfish ambition, an implacable resolve to have his way failing which to destroy it, impervious to the plight of his followers, and ever ready to strike a compromise, provided some profits accrue to his person”. While I regard this view somehow harsh, it is imponderable how Atiku will handle the PDP and how the Party will handle Atiku. Knowing that Obasanjo is an implacable foe not known for forgiveness, Atiku may yet run into another tempestuous storm with his former boss. A roforofo fight may likely force Atiku from the PDP and where he will berth is uncertain for now. It is a tall order to say that Atiku will emerge as the candidate of the PDP. How useful is he to another Party after the forth coming primaries of the Party lies in the belly of time.