With the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in the 2023 presidential election, ABDULRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU wonders whether or not this is the end of Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s ambition after six failed attempts.
The first attempt by the Wazirin Adamawa was alongside the late Mashood Abiola Kashimawo (MKO) in 1993 on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), after which he stepped down. On the platform of the Action Congress (AC) in 2007, he emerged as its candidate, but lost the election to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
In 2010, when he contested for the PDP ticket against former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, he also lost. Sometime in 2014, on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he also lost the primaries to President Muhammadu Buhari.
After emerging via a very competitive party primary, Atiku, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), again lost to President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC in 2019.
Atiku, while declaring for the 2023 presidential race at the International Conference Centre (ICC) Abuja, said his persistence to lead Nigeria was borne out of his passion to rekindle the Nigerian dream that he was privileged to live. The Wazirin Adamawa again lost to the APC and former Lagos state governor, Bola Tinubu.
‘Why I keep running for president’
On why he has always run for president, he said it was to help solve the myriad of problems and make Nigeria a better place.
Atiku vowed to keep pushing until he succeeds in becoming Nigeria’s president. He once told Financial Times that “it is a life-long ambition and as long as I’m alive and strong and healthy, I will continue pursuing it.” He said he would keep pursuing his ambition as long as he is alive and healthy.
Atiku, in a recent media interview, said, “My ambition is to ensure I use the experience I have in public service and politics to help in the development of this country.
“But most importantly, what has been disturbing me, just as I used to tell my children, I have a lot of children and I have given them the education they deserve, both religious and conventional. Most of my children have been to some other countries but I also ensure that they all return to Nigeria to live here.
“So, I used to think what sort of a country will my children find themselves in the future? When I think of the situation and the future generations, it motivates me to keep contesting to see if God will give me the chance to be the president.”
Not again
Speaking with this reporter on the foregoing, a political analyst, Aminu Mohammed, said for some obvious reasons, Atiku will not contest the 2027 presidential election because of factors like age, finance, political party crisis, and zoning.
“Though the 2023 election is before the tribunal to decide, the result announced by INEC may have signalled the end of Atiku’s ambition to be president.
“I said so because of many reasons. The first is that age is longer on his side; today, Atiku is 77 years old and by 2027 he would be 81. Would he be qualified to contest? Yes, but it will depend on his state of health, and many Nigerians, including those who worked for him, will see his age as an issue.
“Considering how expensive it is to prosecute a presidential campaign in Nigeria and with the number of times Atiku has contested, funding the 2023 election was tedious for him and his party. So, to fund another election in 2027 will remain a huge challenge to the ambition of the Wazirin Adamawa,” he said.
Mohammed said further that, “I recall that Atiku’s ambition tore the PDP apart before and even during the recently concluded presidential election. Already, many members of the party are tired of having Atiku as a candidate. They revolted against him in 2023 and many more will revolt against him in 2027, if he declares. So, getting the ticket of the major opposition party, PDP, is going to be adventurous for the former vice-president. Can he run on another platform? Yes, can he win? The electorates will determine that, but to get a known and popular party platform to run on will be difficult for Atiku.
“Like it was an issue in 2019, 2023 zoning will remain an issue in 2027. Many Nigerians play it up and it will determine and influence the ambition of many. Despite all these, Atiku can still contest, but may not win because these factors will impact his chances.
“The decision to contest remains that of Atiku to take, but the decision to elect or reject him for the 7th time will be made by the electorates.”
‘No, he’ll reclaim 2023 mandate’
However, the PDP national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, told this reporter that the 2023 election was not over and Atiku would reclaim its mandate at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT).
Olugunagba insisted that Atiku won the election by scoring the majority of the lawful votes, but his mandate was allegedly stolen by the APC.
“Atiku Abubakar clearly won the February 25, 2023, presidential election as shown from the actual votes cast at the polling units across the country.
“By the authentic results obtained from the Polling Units, Atiku Abubakar and not the APC candidate met all the conditions stipulated for the winning of the presidential election; the reason the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refused to transmit directly and announce results as obtained from the polling units as required by law.
“The facts of the rigging of the February 25, 2023, presidential election are well known to Nigerians, and the PDP will not relent until it reclaims its mandate at the Tribunal. So, Atiku did not lose, but his mandate was stolen.
“Also, you can say it is the end of the road for him because we shall reclaim our mandate,” he said.
