Atiku’s destiny might be determined by voters, argues
PAUL IBE
Akin Osuntokun’s newest intervention, titled “Atiku Abubakar Cannot Heckle His Way to the Presidency,” revealed in THISDAY on October 16, 2026, is a curious combination of selective historical past, political prejudice and recycled allegations masquerading as knowledgeable commentary. It is outstanding that at a time when Nigerians are grappling with unprecedented financial hardship, insecurity and rising uncertainty about their future, Osuntokun considers it extra necessary to excavate alleged non-public conversations from over 20 years in the past in an try to disqualify former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from looking for the presidency.
Of explicit curiosity is his resurrection of a narrative attributed to former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke, who claimed that former army President Ibrahim Babangida as soon as informed President Olusegun Obasanjo that Atiku couldn’t rule Nigeria. This is exactly the type of story by moonlight that shouldn’t have any place in severe political evaluation.
According to the account, Babangida allegedly pretended to have forgotten his keys, returned to Obasanjo’s non-public examine and whispered a warning about Atiku. We are then invited to deal with this extraordinary recollection of a supposed non-public alternate as a definitive evaluation of Atiku’s presidential suitability.
But the place is the impartial corroboration? Has Babangida publicly authenticated these exact phrases? Even assuming, with out conceding, that the dialog occurred precisely as narrated, since when did an alleged non-public judgment remodeled twenty years in the past turn into a everlasting disqualification from democratic management?
The irony is that Osuntokun chooses to dwell on what Babangida allegedly stated in non-public whereas conveniently sidestepping what Obasanjo subsequently declared in public. On October 11, 2018, Obasanjo overtly endorsed Atiku for the presidency. He acknowledged their previous disagreements, reconciled together with his former deputy and provided an unambiguous evaluation of his management credentials. His phrases need to be recalled: “You surely understand the economy better.” Obasanjo went additional, praising Atiku’s enterprise expertise, nationwide and worldwide attain, accessibility and capability to offer management superior to that of the incumbent administration.
These weren’t nameless whispers behind closed doorways. They had been public declarations made earlier than political leaders, spiritual figures and the Nigerian media. Indeed, Obasanjo acknowledged that there had as soon as been an understanding for Atiku to succeed him. That documented admission is significantly extra related than Osuntokun’s speculative reconstruction of conversations from one other political period. One would have anticipated a commentator involved with historic accuracy to reconcile these info slightly than cherry-pick episodes that reinforce his most popular conclusion.
As for Babangida, any severe examination of his evaluation of Atiku should account for the total historical past of their political relationship, together with subsequent engagements, slightly than elevate an uncorroborated comment into an everlasting verdict. Neither Obasanjo nor Babangida holds a hereditary franchise to find out who might govern Nigeria. Whatever they might have considered Atiku at completely different factors of their political lives, the ultimate authority belongs to the Nigerian citizens.
Osuntokun additionally means that Atiku’s age and repeated presidential contests ought to persuade him to give up his ambition and turn into a mentor to youthful politicians. This argument is as selective as it’s unpersuasive. If age, expertise and repeated electoral contests are official topics of political scrutiny, they need to apply equally to all candidates, together with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They can’t abruptly turn into disqualifying issues just because the candidate underneath examination is Atiku Abubakar.
Age doesn’t confer competence, however neither does it mechanically extinguish it. The applicable questions concern judgment, capability, coverage, integrity and the power to assemble a reputable governing crew.
Atiku has provided Nigerians his expertise in public administration, financial administration, enterprise improvement and nationwide management. These credentials are open to official scrutiny, simply as Tinubu’s efficiency after greater than three years in workplace should be subjected to rigorous examination.
On zoning, Osuntokun advances the argument that one other northern presidency would violate an expectation that energy ought to stay within the South for eight years. Regional steadiness is necessary to nationwide cohesion. But zoning is a political association, not a constitutional prohibition in opposition to certified Nigerians looking for elective workplace. More importantly, it can’t turn into an instrument for shielding an incumbent from accountability.
Nigerians are entitled to think about regional fairness alongside competence, efficiency, nationwide safety and financial survival. It is for voters, not columnists, to resolve how these issues ought to affect their ballots.
Osuntokun’s try to painting Atiku because the principal architect of opposition fragmentation is equally simplistic. The disaster inside the opposition can’t credibly be attributed to 1 particular person whereas ignoring the ambitions, selections and conduct of different political actors. Political events are collective establishments, and duty for his or her successes and failures should be assessed accordingly. Atiku has participated in efforts to construct a broader opposition coalition and now leads the ADC presidential ticket alongside Rotimi Amaechi. Whether that coalition persuades Nigerians is a matter to be settled democratically, not by means of predetermined assertions about his supposed unelectability.
Then there’s Osuntokun’s fascination with Atiku addressing the President as “Bola.” When did addressing a public official by his given identify turn into a constitutional offence or a measure of political desperation? Bola is the President’s identify, not an insult. Those who regard its use as an affront ought to clarify why the substance of public accountability issues much less to them than presidential titles.
The actual political air pollution just isn’t calling a president by his identify. It is the rising tendency to deal with official criticism of public officeholders as an act of disrespect. What Nigerians require from political commentators is a looking out examination of governance. How have the administration’s financial insurance policies affected family incomes? What has occurred to the buying energy of wages? How safe are communities? What measurable aid has reached abnormal Nigerians?
These questions deserve extra consideration than an alleged dialog about misplaced keys in Aso Rock greater than twenty years in the past. Osuntokun is entitled to his preferences, prejudices and political conclusions. He is even entitled to consider that Atiku shouldn’t be President. What he isn’t entitled to is the pretense that his private judgment constitutes the decision of the Nigerian folks. In a democracy, presidential ambition is neither granted nor extinguished by the approval of political columnists.
On January 16, 2027, Nigerians can have the chance to look at the competing candidates, consider their data, think about their proposals and train their constitutional proper to find out who governs them. They is not going to be required to seek the advice of Osuntokun’s most popular political historical past earlier than casting their ballots. Atiku Abubakar doesn’t require Akin Osuntokun’s permission to hunt the presidency, any greater than Bola Tinubu requires his endorsement to pursue re-election.
Both should submit themselves to the sovereign judgment of Nigerians. Ultimately, Atiku’s presidential destiny might be decided by the votes of Nigerians, not by Akin Osuntokun’s biases, recycled anecdotes or tales by moonlight. That is democracy. And that’s the verdict that issues.
Ibe, Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar, writes from Abuja
