VP Atiku: RunAway Presidential Candidate of the Active Crooks (AC) Party.

Immediately after the general elections of the 2003 in which the PDP won and "captured" more than two thirds of all contested posts across Nigeria, a sane observer would have expected the loosing parties to come together and form a true ideological based political party capable of defeating the PDP in another general election. But that was not to be; all we have had so far is more proliferation of mushroom political parties. All we have heard in the news since the last few months is fake amalgamation of the mushroom parties namely, DPA, PPA, ACD, AC and a host of others which if all added together is still not capable of wrestling power from the ruling PDP  in  a free and fair election. To make the matter worse, most of these mushroom parties are sponsored by a couple of tyrants who are determined to further ruin the nation if given a chance.

This is what bring us to the title of this article: VP Atiku: RunAway Presidential Candidate of the Active Crooks (AC) Party.

The AC, Action Congress Party aka Active Crooks Party consists mainly of people who can be categorized into 3 differents groups namely: The Crooks; The Dejected; and The Wannabes (CDWs).

The Crooks: These are most of the present members who have been indicted for one financial fraud or another, they include Gov. Tinubu who has been complaining about the supposed acts of dictatorship of President Obasanjo whereas, he himself has just imposed his Chief of Staff as the beneficiary of governorship ticket for 2007 to the chagrin of other better qualified members of his AC party. In addition, we have read in the news how Governor Tinubu and his immediate family members operates foreign accounts in violation of the Code Of Conduct Rules.

The Dejected: These group includes the former governors of the AD party such as Segun Osoba, Lam Adeshina, Bisi Akande as well as those who have been played out of the mainstream of the PDP for one reason or another, they include PDP former chairman Audu Ogbeh, Iyorchia Ayu and VP Atiku. This group formed the plank of those I have labelled as "Prostitutians" Political Prostitutes, they are the ones who have no ideological base whatsoever; their motive have been and will always be, to remain relevant in the political arena so that they can occupy one position or another for their own selfish interest.

The Wanabees: These are the symphatizers to the two other groups, they are the ones who hope to benefit in one way or another if their party, AC wins any post in the upcoming elections. These are the loudest amongst the party members because they are not in any political party, therefore cannot be accused of being corrupt, yet. They are the ones who goes about town singing the perceived one sidedness of the anti-corruption drive of this present administration.

The head of the Active Crooks Party, VP Abubakar Atiku has been known to be the main financier of AC party and other mushroom parties which have finally come out of the closet to endorsed him as presidential candidate of the AC party. These parties, about 8 of them plus the AC, which consisted of about 6 parties together makes about 14 political parties which had hitherto existed as different political parties and accepted INEC funding as well as cost of manpower. The questions listed below should be asked of the VP Abubakar Atiku:

1). One should ask VP Atiku if it is morally okay for him to have sponsored these many political parties in the first place if not intending to deceive and fraud the Nigerian people?

2). Why is it that all of the aggrieved members of the PDP who have fallen out of favor with the party are the ones who formed the back bone of the AC party?

3). Why does he, VP Atiku refused to resign his Vice Presidency in order to concentrate on his future/immediate ambition of the Presidency in 2007?

4). Is it true that VP Atiku has something to hide hence, running from being arrested by the EFCC and thus "vacationing" in the USA?

5). Did he not believe in the ability of the Judiciary to be impartial when deliberating on such cases as may be charged of him? If not, why did he run to the courts in all other instances seeking justice from perceived wrongs done unto him? Did the courts not ruled mostly in his favor in most of those cases?

6). After he had accepted the candidacy as the presidential flagbearer of the AC, why did he not resign his present position as the Vice President of the FGN?

7). Since he, VP Atiku is aware that the President would declare the office of the Presidency vacant once he, VP Atiku joined the AC party, why did he still continue to cling to the VP's position when he knew that he would be setting off a Constitutional Crises in the nation? Did he want Nigerians to suffer the consequences of his own selfish ambition?

8). Why did the VP Atiku at this time of our nation's development still find it necessary to vacation in foreign land when there are many other suitable places within Nigeria such as Obudu Cattle Ranch, where he could have enjoyed his vacation? Is this act of patriotism which is expected of our leaders?

9). God forbid, If VP Atiku should become President of the FGN, will he continue to maintain $2M mansion in the USA as well as continue to enjoy his "deserved" vacation in the same place?

10). How many ordinary Nigerians has benefitted from his tremendous wealth and how many could have enjoyed same with the vast amount of money being put to waste as estacode, which the VP Atiku just accepted before jetting off to the USA for vacation?

11). What Ideology; conservative, liberal or in-between does the VP Atiku stands for, and what ideology does his party, AC stands for?

12). God forbid, if VP Atiku becomes president by accident, will he declare his assets publicly and would he ask his party members to do the same?

These are some of the questions that must be asked of VP Atiku and his Active Crooks party members, for he, VP Atiku has already got wind of the impending arrest before he RunAway to America from where he intends to continue to forment trouble for the good people of Nigeria. The truth is that the people are tired of bad and incompetent leadership; of cowards who starts trouble and fled; of over ambitious persons who wants to rule by all means for selfish reason; of political parties formed to serve individual selfish interests; of no ideological base political parties; of closet dictators who parades the land as "Latter Day Democrats"; of semi-illiterates who pretend to be intellectuals. The Nigerian people are sick and tired of recycled garbage as leaders who wants to continue with the status quo ante. 

I urge you Nigerians to urge our present crop of leaders to give us ideological base political parties of not more than 3 in numbers, and selfless leadership to emerge from within them. As it is now, both the ANPP and its sister party AC do not have candidates who deserve our serious consideration for support in 2007 general elections. Both VP Atiku and his proposed vice, Phil Agbasi as well as Gen. Buhari and his Vice nominee, Edwin Ume-Ezeoke are not suitable for the office of the President and Vice President of Nigeria in 2007. For this reason alone, we should not start again to cry foul if the PDP wins in 2007 as in 2003 when Gen. Buhari refused to accept defeat as if he truly defeated the incumbent President in that election. As the popular sayings go, "it is only a mad man that does the exact same thing over and over again while expecting a different result."

I'll advice VP Atiku to come back home and finish his vacation, I just hope that it is not at the den of the tiger himself, Chairman Ribadu of the EFCC. I further suggest to him, that should that be the case, his legacy will not be kindly concluded without seeing the end of the journey he has set for himself. For the AC party, I hope its leaders will revisit their primary election, which endorsed VP Atiku, and make the platform available to a reformer such as Pat Utomi hoping that that would give the PDP a good electoral battle for its money.

Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria and May Allah Bless her people, Amen.

The writer, Adebayo Animashaun is not affiliated to any known political party in Nigeria or America, he is an observer who calls the game according to the play. He can be reached by email: aniade@yahoo.com

Robot  # 1 | 25.12.2006 05:47

VP Atiku: RunAway Presidential Candidate of the Active Crooks (AC) Party. Immediately aft...Read the full article.

denker  # 2 | 25.12.2006 07:49

thank you my dear for the 12 questions....!don't mind all these wannabe lawyers/political analysts at the village-square...indeed! where is gwobe and my dear prof. mobolaji...we need answers to the questions ooo...!

edoji  # 3 | 25.12.2006 10:21

The Atiku Abubakar phenomenon has raised an issue which is very fundamental to our existence as Nigerians with free moral choice. Should we be free to elect our leaders or should leaders be imposed on us? President Olusegun Obasanjo has made corruption an issue in Nigerian Politics, and for this he has to be commended. He has equaly succeeded in making Atiku Abubakar appear to be a crook in the eyes of Nigerians. One would have thought that Nigerians as mature adults and an enlightened electorate, a people that have demonstrated political sagacity unequaled in Africa in resisting the imposition of dictatorship would be allowed to either accept or reject Atiku Abubakar as their leader in a free and fair election. From his testimony before the Senate commitee investigating the PTDF scandal, it is clear that our "corrupt Atiku" is NOT the only guy that has soiled his hands in the cooky jar! In view of that explosive testimony I have one question to the above writer: WHO IS AFRAID OF ATIKU ABUBAKAR? Let me make my stand clear. I do not believe that at this point in time, the man Atiku Abubakar is the president Nigeria needs. If anything, we need a leader with integrity, who has not been tainted with the stigma of corruption. That having been said, in view of the fact that Atiku remains unindicted by a competent court of law: (1)I still reserve my right to choose him or reject him in a free and fair election. (2) Atiku Abubakar still reserves his right to aspire to the highest office in the land. (3) He still retains his right to remain innocent untill proven guilty. These are fundamental human rights, and we abridge them at our peril!

udokaamah  # 4 | 25.12.2006 13:00

I totally associate myself with the opinion raised by the author of this article. And i totally agree with the name he called Atiku; " a recycled garbage". I am yet to see any record of career or political success that can be credited to Atiku Abubakar, the man who would be president. Based on his own biography, he has bounced from one career to the other. He was once a nurse and then became a customs officer and metamorphosed into a "politician" (is that a career?) and 'bam' vice president. Suddenly, he thinks it is his 'turn' to become the president. What a mess! Atiku Abubakar needs to give Nigerians an account of his stewardship at the Nigeria Customs Service. What innovations did he introduce? What are his subordinates/superiors saying about him? How did he manage the resources he was entrusted with? What is the source of his wealth? Atiku Abubakar has been a fatal mistake in governance based on his present record as the vice president. He has shown that he is not loyal. He is not a team player. He has no integrity. If as he alleges he was aware of massive looting of PDTF funds by Obasanjo and his boys, why did he not blow the whistle? Why is he crying out now after his dirty laundry is out in the open. Anyone can become a visionary in hindsight I am not suggesting that blind loyalty is a virtue. The most a loyal person who has any integrity would do is resign, if he disagrees with the direction or decisions that is made by the administration he is a part of. Atiku, the opportunist, would not resign. Rather he wants to run down the government and make it look bad. That is not the heart of a leader. Nigerians need to get angry at clowns and snake oil salesmen posing as leaders. They have wasted our land, raped our wifes and daughters and destroyed our dreams. Woe to the land where servants ride on horses and kings walk on foot.

I Love Nigeria  # 5 | 25.12.2006 14:15

Mallam/Ogbuefi Adebayo Animashaun! alias wordsmith! Active Crooks and recycled garbage Ha ha ha.... You make me delirious with pleasure and it has nothing to do with the Christmas Champagne! Recycle-Garbage the title for my article for Babangida, until he had a rethink and I shelved my efforts on him. Many thanks Bayo!

IgoTalk  # 6 | 25.12.2006 21:02

Great analysis. The current position of the 'opposition' parties gives us cause for grave concern. What we have is nothing but a crop of dead and expired politicians who seek to keep us in pepertual slavery by recycling themselves and their ilk. I have chosen to identify with the political campaign of Prof Pat Utomi on whatever platform he chooses to run. Even if all he garners is 100,000 votes nationwide, I will applaud him for his resilience, dedication and continued focus on a better Nigeria. Too bad none of the so called 'opposition parties' with semblances of nationwide structures have refused to realise this. God help Nigeria in 2007 and always!

bambo  # 7 | 27.12.2006 10:56

Can some one please tell me, whether Ken Nnamani can continue as Senate President if he decides to decamp to another party? since the argument is that we voted the man and not the party.