2023: Nigerians Must Look Beyond Atiku And PDP

A hawker

I would love to begin with this. Supporters of Buhari allege that those who support Atiku have lost hope in Nigeria by choosing to go back to PDP rule. 

On the contrary, it is those who support Atiku that still

have hope in Nigeria because, we believe Nigeria can be better than this.

When Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was declared winner of the 2011 Presidential election, I cried for two days. I knew it was going to be another four years of stagnation, decay, hopelessness and bloodshed; especially in Northern Nigeria.

Like every other person, I looked forward to the 2015 elections. In the build up to the elections, I went out to perform duties that people ordinarily get paid for just to make sure Muhammadu Buhari came out victorious that time around; my sacrifices paid off.

Unlike many other northerners, I did not vote for Buhari to become President of Nigeria, I voted for Nigerians to live better lives. As is obvious, Buhari failed in every single promise he made and those who have the interest of the nation at heart withdrew their support.

By some mysterious reasons, Buhari maintained his popularity; especially in the north. Support for Buhari became a cult. Almost anyone who criticized Buhari became a pariah among his peers even as things went from bad to worse. So it dawned on me, if our country is to make progress and if democracy is to survive, Buhari has to go. My vote against Buhari was a protest vote.

I never believed anything spectacular would happen under an Atiku Presidency but, I knew for sure; we would have been able to point out the flaws of the government without being called corrupt, sinners or even Shiites.

Atiku Abubakar was vice President of Nigeria under Obasanjo for eight years. He was part of every bad policy that has culminated in Nigeria being in the state it is in today. Mention his name and the ill winds of corruption begin to blow. Nothing about Atiku shows that he has any plans for a Nigeria that will be for everybody irrespective of class. Voting Atiku was a Hobson's choice.

It is rumoured that Atiku spent 40 billion naira on his campaign. This money clearly went to the pockets of a few individuals to buy them over. Can you imagine the number of strategic community projects that would have been successfully executed with that money? Can you imagine how many common men would have been touched?

Atiku wouldn’t have had to buy anybody over; the masses would have been willing to lay down their lives for him. All the same, Atiku contested and under very murky circumstances in an election marked with fundamental irregularities; Buhari was declared winner of the 2019 Presidential elections.

It is however imperative that we give Atiku every legitimate support he deserves in his pursuit for victory at the electoral tribunal which will in fact be a victory for Nigeria.

If the Nigerian constitution is to maintain its legitimacy, if the Nigerian masses are to maintain their rights to demand good governance without fear, if democracy is to be preserved; an Atiku Presidency is more desirable than what we currently have under Buhari.

We must however not get carried away by the struggle at the courts. We have four years to prepare for another Presidential election in 2023 (God spearing our lives). We must use this period to conscientiously and strategically select a candidate that has proven himself to have a plan forward.

We must come to terms with the fact that we only voted for Atiku because there was no better option. We must also destroy the belief that elections in Nigeria must be determined by PDP and ex-PDP members (APC) or by people who have held public office at one time or the other.

We must open our eyes to the fact that none of these groups hold the key to our salvation as a nation; they are there to salvage themselves, families and interests.

Finally, we should know that we owe it to ourselves, our families and generations unborn to uphold the spirit of justice, fairness and communal good in our country.

I pray the Almighty God gives us the firmness and resolve to strive for the good of our country by every legal means necessary despite the height of the tides of criticism and scorn that may come against us.

If I am alive with you in 2023, we will jubilate and celebrate the liberation of our country together. If I am not, I trust that you will keep the dream alive.

                                                                                                                                                            Yours truly

                                                                                                                                   Ibrahim Maigida Abdullah