Atiku’s destiny will probably be determined by voters, argues
PAUL IBE
Akin Osuntokun’s newest intervention, titled “Atiku Abubakar Cannot Heckle His Way to the Presidency,” printed 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 vital to excavate alleged personal conversations from over twenty years in the past in an try and disqualify former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from searching 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 instructed President Olusegun Obasanjo that Atiku couldn’t rule Nigeria. This is exactly the kind of story by moonlight that should not have any place in critical political evaluation.
According to the account, Babangida allegedly pretended to have forgotten his keys, returned to Obasanjo’s personal research and whispered a warning about Atiku. We are then invited to deal with this extraordinary recollection of a supposed personal trade as a definitive evaluation of Atiku’s presidential suitability.
But the place is the unbiased 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 personal 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 mentioned in personal 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 along 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 supply management superior to that of the incumbent administration.
These weren’t nameless whispers behind closed doorways. They have 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 details reasonably than cherry-pick episodes that reinforce his most popular conclusion.
As for Babangida, any critical examination of his evaluation of Atiku should account for the complete historical past of their political relationship, together with subsequent engagements, reasonably than elevate an uncorroborated comment into an everlasting verdict. Neither Obasanjo nor Babangida holds a hereditary franchise to find out who could govern Nigeria. Whatever they could have thought of Atiku at totally different factors of their political lives, the ultimate authority belongs to the Nigerian voters.
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 authentic topics of political scrutiny, they have to apply equally to all candidates, together with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They can’t immediately turn into disqualifying issues just because the candidate beneath examination is Atiku Abubakar.
Age doesn’t confer competence, however neither does it robotically extinguish it. The acceptable questions concern judgment, capability, coverage, integrity and the flexibility to assemble a reputable governing group.
Atiku has provided Nigerians his expertise in public administration, financial administration, enterprise improvement and nationwide management. These credentials are open to authentic 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 vital to nationwide cohesion. But zoning is a political association, not a constitutional prohibition in opposition to certified Nigerians searching 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 determine how these issues ought to affect their ballots.
Osuntokun’s try and 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 may be 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 isn’t calling a president by his identify. It is the rising tendency to deal with authentic 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 reduction has reached peculiar 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 individuals. In a democracy, presidential ambition is neither granted nor extinguished by the approval of political columnists.
On January 16, 2027, Nigerians could have the chance to look at the competing candidates, consider their information, think about their proposals and train their constitutional proper to find out who governs them. They won’t 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 will probably 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
