Atiku, Nyako romance and the 2015 agenda


The intrinsic nature of politics as interest- driven was played out recently in Adamawa State when the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, declared his support for the re-election bid of Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State .

Atiku had directed all his supporters in all opposition parties in the state to return to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to work for NyakoÕs victory in the April 14, 2012 governorship poll in the state.

Specifically, the former Vice President called on Senator Jubril Aminu, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, Chief Wilberforce Juta, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, General Anthony Haldu Hananiya, Chief Joel Madaki and Chief Medan Teneke, all of whom are founding members of the PDP in Adamawa State to back Nyako in the governorship election in the state.

The former Vice President advised all party members to work together and put behind the bitterness and grudges that go with contests for power. He said as the ruling party, PDP members should consolidate the party through unity and cooperation so as to help the elected leaders of the party to successfully execute the programmes of the party.

According to Atiku, unity is the pillar on which the success of any party depends and, therefore, urged all PDP members in Adamawa State to throw their weight behind Governor Nyako so that the party could grow from strength to strength. Atiku pledged to play a role in the reconciliation of all PDP stakeholders in Adamawa State ahead of the election while advising the governor not to rest on his laurels in the efforts to bring everybody on board and the need to sustain the reconciliation efforts already on course.

Atiku has remained one of the greatest politicians from the old Gongola region to command massive followership and goodwill across the nation. Before now, he had a firm grip of the state but his foray into the centre politics and the inability of his lieutenants led by former Governor Boni Haruna to hold the ground for him caused him a lot of personal and political losses in his adventures.

It must be recalled that in 1991, Atiku stormed the then Gongola politics with such gusto that when eventually the state was divided into Adamawa and Taraba, the former looked so much as a fiefdom to him to be taken at whims. He contested in 1992 governorship election but was disqualified by the Babangida regime for flimsy reasons.

Not done, Atiku went back into the trenches with all forms of alignments and realignments which ensued afterwards, heralding to the 1998 formation of new political parties and the forceful drafting of former President Olusegun Obasanjo into the presidential race; a race he ran alongside after quitting his governorship mandate already in his kitty.

Years of twisted adventure that climaxed with the intrigues of survival and relevance could best describe the eight years of Obasanjo/Atiku presidency with Atiku being the weeping and maligned partner particularly in the latter half of the tenure.

With this, his chances of living out his ambition was crossed using state organs and might, as it appeared his political dusk was imminent but nay, the Turaki Adamawa exhibited his survivalist propensity when he rattled the entire poliscope with his deft moves to clinch the PDPÕs sole presidential ticket at the January presidential primaries.

It took the combined forces of the government at all level, the factionalized North, and the nationÕs treasury to check this rampaging politician. All that is now history, but what is new today, is that Atiku, like a stubborn bacteria in the blood vessels is undone with; he is back into the trenches but this time, it appears he has mastered the contours and pit-holes which necessitated his defeat and is very willing to avoid all those mistakes of the past. Part of his early preparation, Sunday Mirror has learnt, is plugging all enmity holes he created in the past which helped put paid to his ambition.

First, Atiku has been warming up to most political leaders in the North including past presidential aspirants and opinion molders. Inside sources from the Aso Villa also confirmed that Atiku has maneuvered his ways into President JonathanÕs heart and has become a welcome guest any time in the Villa.

He has also remained indelible in the circle of the Northern Political Leaders Forum and other disgruntled elements who worked against him in the last presidential election in support of President Jonathan.

His fence mending gimmicks in Adamawa was symbolic. It must be recalled that his greatest challenges in the last election was from the home front. Governor Nyako led other heavy weights like Prof. Jubril Aminu, Prof Jerry Gana, Senators Jonathan Zwingina, Grace Bent and the likes of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Idi Hong to put spanners in his ambitions.

But this twist observers say, is capable of changing the political tempo in the state and redirecting permutations given the combined forces of some political gladiators who are bent on ousting the Nyako-led government in the next election. This is because before now, permutations never foresaw the possibility of this outcome, considering the humiliating outing of Atiku at the last PDP presidential primary.

Nyako, it was believed played a prominent role in scuttling AtikuÕs chances of picking the ticket he coveted much. But as the master of the game, just few months after, Atiku is turning round to endorse Nyako, a deft move that has left everyone guessing.

Commentators were polarized on what his motive could be. While some prefer to see sinister motives in TurakiÕs action, others celebrate him as a tactful politician who will stop at nothing in pursuing his ambition.

Governor Nyako as at the present appears to cherish the quality support of the Turaki but this is not to say that without the former Vice President, the governor wouldnÕt have continued his quest for his second shot, but such endorsement at the eve of the party primaries came as a huge relief to the former military officer turned politician.

The enormity of the crisis in the state had so much driven fear into the governor that recently on one of his visits to the National Headquarters of the party in Abuja, he told reporters that he mere wish to secure only single majority of the votes in both the primary and the general election coming up in the state on January 14, next year. Nyako who told reporters that he would not want to garner all the votes cast in both contests, however remained optimistic of victory, pointing out that the level of cohesion among PDP members in the state was his strong point.

Though he claimed that PDP is intact in Adamawa state, but investigation also has it that Congress for Progressive Change led by former military governor of Lagos state, General Buba Warwa as well as former governor of the state who now leads Action Congress of Nigeria, Boni Haruna are very much a potent opposition which a divided PDP may find a hard nut to crack.

Nonetheless, it is believed that AtikuÕs decision to root for Nyako may have been informed by President JonathanÕs decision not to seek reelection in 2015.

Being a shrewd politician, Atiku may have learned from the past and therefore decided not toy with the opportunity of mending fences with Nyako. With this cheery news, NyakoÕs camp came to life while declaring AtikuÕs endorsement of their principal as a confirmation of his developmental feat. They called on all party stalwarts to borrow a cue from Atiku, describing him as one of Nigeria Õs political assets.

This singular action of the former Vice President is believed to be a right step in the right direction and as it often said, there is always a payback day; and for Atiku, his will be so soon if he indeed throws his hat again in the rings come 2015.


http://nationalmirroronline.net/politics/24839.html