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Former Vice-President of Nigeria Atiku Abubakar
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday added to the cracks tearing down the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) when he said that he has been sidelined by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari despite using his contacts and resources to help the APC defeat his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2015 presidential election. Atiku spoke on Voice of America, VOA, Hausa Service.
Atiku’s allegation came a day after one of his many political protégés, Aisha Alhassan, the Minister of Women Affairs said she would dump Buhari for Atiku in 2019 because Atiku is her godfather. The disclosure by Alhassan has created disquiet in the APC which has been undergoing internal crisis since it came into power.
Many believe that Atiku who is nursing a presidential ambition, may be on his way back to his former party, the PDP, which has listed him as one of the estranged former members that must be brought back into the opposition party. The Adamawa chapter of the party had in July set up a committee to woo Atiku back to PDP.
In an interview aired during the morning programme of the Voice of America, VOA, Hausa Service, Atiku seemed to hastened the process of his return to PDP when he said he was marginalized in the APC by the Buhari government which he claimed he helped to ride to power in 2015.
He said: “Honestly speaking, I’m still a member of the APC; I was part of all the processes, including campaigns until success was achieved.
“But sadly, soon after the formation of government; I was side-lined, I have no any relationship with the government, I’ve not been contacted even once to comment on anything and in turn, I maintained my distance. They used our money and influence to get to where they’re but three years down the lane, this is where we are.”
The former vice president however reserved some kind words for the Buhari regime.
“Yes, there were successes but not comprehensive success because the Boko Haram miscreants are still very active, killing our people and many local government councils in Borno and Yobe are under their firm grip. People cannot dare go back to their dwellings
“This thing baffles me; I never imagined that Nigeria will fight a protracted battle with Boko Haram for five years. At a time, we fought the Biafra war, which was more complicated because of the terrain in the South but the Biafran soldiers were roundly subdued in 30 months. But here we’re, fighting an endless battle with the Boko Haram and there’s no end in sight.”
While commending the government in the fight against corruption, he said a lot more needed to be done and should be done.
“How many people were arrested, prosecuted and jailed? How much was recovered from the looters?
“When we came on board in 1999, I remember we recovered between $4.5 and $4.7 billion from those that looted under Abacha,” he said.
Recall that soon after the formation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by the Obasanjo-Atiku government, it was Atiku who provided the seed money for the take-off of the Commission.
