10 Reasons Atiku Remains The Best Option For A Better Nigeria – Kalu
At a time Nigeria seems to be wondering in wilderness of political, economical and social blindness occasioned by over half a decade misrule of a political class that have proven to be bereft of administrative know-how to turn the fortunes of a naturally endowed Nation like Nigeria with human and capital wealth. This alone has remained a shocker to the world, and 2015 to date will continue to hunt the conscience of every sincere Nigerian that played a role in this grandstanding.
Then came the ray of light in 2019 as Alhaji Atiku Abubakar challenged the status quo with resolute onslaught to undo mediocrity and give Nigeria a new lease of life to be re-positioned to the path of progressive planning.
Before then, they came with campaign of slander, character assassination and media trial of nonexistent fraud. The challenge to proffer a case or initiate a legal process to address that (as a government fighting corruption) was met with silence as there was no offense in the first place. That propaganda too, like others like it, died a natural death.
While the hope of Nigerians was dashed in a broad day robbery that saw the cabals hang unto power at the detriment of the Nigerian masses in 2019, the man who has come on a mission to address the lapses of leadership in Nigeria with the intent of passing leadership to a younger generation, has not given in yet. The more reason why the spines of the purveyors are in jitters.
Let us look at the reasons why Alhaji Atiku remains the best option for 2023:
1. Since 2017, Nigeria had been engulfed in political hide and seek over who is in charge of Nigeria. The demise of former CoS, Malam Abba Kyari, put paid to the speculations. One thing is clear, the cabals do not have any plan to relinquish power even after 2023.
This is the role Atiku still owe to Nigerians, to snatch the power out of the hands of these heartless and spinless cabals and return it to the people. If you want to capture the strong man, set a stronger man against him. Nigeria needs a man capable, intellectually, politically, administrative, and economically to make the transition. That’s where Atiku fits in.
2. Having said that, let me quickly remind Nigerians that Alhaji Atiku presided over the National Council on Privatization after he was sworn into office as the vice president of Nigeria on 29 May 1999, he took up the responsibility of overseeing the sale of hundreds of loss making and poorly managed public enterprises in the country. These sales helped to revive the Nigeria economy from 1999 forward, consolidated and thrived under PDP till 2015 when we return back to the woods.
3. Atiku launched the South Africa-Nigeria Bi-National Commission. Atiku Abubakar with Jacob Zuma. He, alongside South African Deputy President,Jacob Zuma in 1991 launched the South Africa Nigeria Bi-National Commission. The economic benefits of that leadership prerogative has continued to thrive in MTN, Shoprite, Stanbic IBTC, to name a few.
4. Alhaji Atiku was instrumental to, as he strongly opposed the constitution amendment for third consecutive term for presidency In 2006, Atiku was involved in a bitter public battle with Olusegun Obasanjo, over his wish to amend the provisions of the constitution to run for presidency third term consecutively. Which the Nigerian National Assembly eventually voted against any amendments allowing Obasanjo to run for another term.
5. Atiku believes that education should be a priority. The American University of Nigeria (AUN) is a private university in northeastern of Nigeria. It was founded in 2004 by Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president. The school is the only American style university in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the same vein to foster the education in Nigeria, he introduced the Atiku Abubakar special scholarship offer which is tenable in Nigeria and oversea.
6. In his magnanimity, AAA has continued to show his belief in encouraging the youths to rise up to challenge of leadership by giving them lofty opportunities to thrive. This characteristics was highly exhibited during his last election in 2019 as youths play greater roles. His emergence as president in 2019 would’ve marked the beginning of a new era of youths in leadership.
7. He is a philanthropist interested in human capital development. Atiku believes that philanthropy is an investment which has multiplier effect. He sees development as “the effort to increase the productive capacity of a society, improve the people’s well being and expand the frontiers of freedom, while protecting the ecosystem for current and future generations. An individual’s success is deemed to be of limited social value if it does not lead to the success of others in the family, clan or community.’’
8. Alhaji Atiku while out of political corridor invested in companies and businesses that has offered diverse employment to many Nigerians and since a man can only offer what he has, there is no doubt that his becoming Nigerian president will mean creating of more jobs when he bring his expansively business oriented acumen to bear.
9. He is true democrat and a detribalized Nigerian who knows how to galvanize our diversity to prosperity. He has bagged many chieftaincy titles across, including being conferred with the chieftaincy title, Aare of Ire-Ekiti land in Ekiti state.
10. The Atiku Abubakar Foundation for the less privileged is a foundation which was founded earlier in the year 2019 to represent and assist the less privileged persons who are helpless in other to survive through legitimate means.
The list is unending.
To be continued…
Chief Dr Emeka Kalu is the DG, Atikulated Agenda Worldwide and Global Initiative for Good Governance