The former Vice President Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and Civil Societies led by the Centre for Anti- Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) have engaged in war of words over alleged corruption indictment and his qualification for 2019 presidential election.
Alhaji Atiku said that his desire to become the next President of Nigeria in 2019 was unsettling the elites in the country because he knows them in and out and would stop all avenues through which they short-changed Nigerians.
Atiku, in a response to an enquiry by Nigerian NewsDirect said there were 10 basic reasons the elites in the country did not want him to become the President.
READ ALSO : Okorocha Bans THISDAY, Vanguard Correspondents from Govt House Activities
The first reason is that he will appoint the best Nigerians for the best result no matter their background and he will fight corruption strategically because he knows them (elites) inside and out. The Turaki of Adamawa, who spoke through his spokesman, Mazi Paul Ibe promised to restructure Nigeria for peace to reign and allow the younger generation to grow no matter the background.
Other reasons Atiku claimed elites did not want him to do was to rebuild the economy in entrepreneurial ways and Nigeria’s education system hence, the children of the poor can as well get the best education without going abroad.
Atiku also vowed to block totally all the economic leakages, which the elites do not want and he will raise new economic giants through entrepreneurship and capacity building, He also said he would create a new set of brilliant and infotech-inclined leaders and would put Nigeria to be among the world economic giants.
“They don’t want this” the former Vice President said. However, the Executive Chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL), Debo Adeniran insisted that Atiku lacked moral right to stand for Nigeria’s presidency.
“Atiku is just grandstanding, he has not cleared his name of monumental fraud that happened in Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) under his watch” Over N20 billion was alleged to have been diverted then but Atiku insisted that his boss then, former President Olusegun Obasanjo raised the allegation because he was against his (Obasanjo’s) third term bid.
Adeniran said Atiku was not the type of President Nigeria needs now.
“Nigeria needs a President who has integrity and possesses a track record of fighting corruption and must ensure equitable distribution of wealth and opportunities in the country irrespective of tribe, religion and background”.
READ ALSO : Another $1.5bn Diezani Loot Traced To Swiss Bank, EFCC Men Jets Out To Dubai To Inspect Her N7bn Mansion
In a similar manner, the Executive Director of Centre for human rights and conflict resolution, Lokoja, Comrade Idris Abdul noted that Atiku as an experienced politician is in a good position to contest but pointed out that his past deeds in government may not favour his candidacy.
“His (Atiku’s) past activities in the government and the allegations of corruption speak volume” Abdul told Nigerian NewsDirect.
In his contribution, the National Publicity and Publication Secretary of Campaign for Democracy, Comrade Lanre Ogunyinka said the best President that Nigeria should always have, and which all good
democratic people must crave for, is the constitutionally qualified Nigerian, endowed with good intelligence, robust health with firm knowledge and understanding of the intricacies of redemption of the nation from the triple blight of poverty, disease and want and who is ready to always uphold the tenets of law and respect the fundamental rights of the citizenry irrespective of their class or creed.
More importantly, is ready to be just and fair, fight corruption without fear or favour and of course, be God fearing! He must rule by example and always a listening President.
Meanwhile, the bottom line of all these is that, he must be the candidate duly elected by the generality of electorates. Consequently, if it is Atiku or any other candidate that meets the constitutional requirements to be fielded, and so, consequently voted for by the people, that, remains the VERDICT, and it is essentially important that such a people’s decision be sacrosanct and must be respected.
READ ALSO : EXPOSED: The Southwest Governor Secretly Funding Nnamdi Kanu's IPOB Terrorist Group To destabilize Buhari's Govt. Named
So therefore, it is evident that it is not the job or responsibility of an individual, group or party decision ultimately, but the civic responsibility of the generality of electorates to judge and determine who is fit or want to be the President.
Ogunyinka also called on EFCC and other anti-graft agencies to prosecute Atiku if he is guilty of corruption as he is currently challenging them before the court of public opinion.
“The government should bring Atiku and all indicted corrupt government officials to court irrespective of how close they are to the government, this will boost anti-corruption fight of the present regime” Campaign for Democracy said.
Another public commentator and social Activist, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani advised Atiku to abandon his ambition to become the country’s president and start grooming future leaders.
“Atiku has suffered serious political damage because of perception which may be right or wrong, but people see him as a corrupt man and his candidature will be very difficult to sell to Nigerians” Auwal told Nigerian NewsDirect
However, Atiku said his political detractors are against campaign of calumny against him. ”If anyone has evidence against me, tender it now or shut up forever,” Atiku told his critics.
He went further: “It is sickening to continue to regurgitate allegations of corruption against me by people who have failed to come forward with a single shred of evidence of my misconduct while in office.
“People, who have no initiative, personal resourcefulness and ideas about wealth creation, always assume that a man cannot build himself without stealing. “People who are bereft of ideas about entrepreneurial spirit always think that everyone else is a thief like them.”
He added that it was morally offensive for people who despised honest labour to become judges in the courts of public opinion.
The Waziri Adamawa explained that though he had not been convicted of corruption by any court in the land or elsewhere, his political enemies had been parading a fake morality to fool gullible Nigerians.
“Despite previous desperate efforts to link me with corruption, the William Jefferson trial in the United States ended in 2009 without indicting me or linking me to corrupt activities,” he said.
The APC Chieftain maintained that he didn’t become a Vice President in 1999 as a pauper, noting he had been a successful investor throughout his retirement life.
“If Atiku is a thief merely because of his resourcefulness and successful investments, my political enemies should tell Nigerians the sources of their own stupendous wealth,” he added.
Culled from Nigerian News Direct
READ ALSO : IPOB: Falana Knocks Obasanjo, Attacks Jonathan For Their Hypocrisy
Are you an artiste? Do you want your music to go viral and reach a large number of audience? Promote your music and Submit your story on Ujuayalogusblog.com by clicking here. For Advert Inquiries Tel/+44(0)7590363984 Subscribe to Ujuayalogusblog.com News!
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 2015-2017 @ Uju Ayalogu's Blog NIGERIAN NEWS
For More: Visit Us at Uju Ayalogu's Blog
No comments:
Post a Comment