… say ‘blood is thicker than water’
- Former VP made us first class chiefs – Traditional rulers
- Buhari has failed our people – Adamawa PDP
- Atiku won’t win in his polling unit – APC chieftain
- ADC is PDP’s biggest stumbling block in Adamawa – Analysts
Kinsmen of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 general elections, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, might have resolved to settle for their own son, instead of their in-law, President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, in the forthcoming election.
Lending credence to the adage that says “blood is thicker than water”, a week-long investigation by the Point has revealed that the people of Adamawa may have decided to work for the success of the former vice president in next year’s presidential election rather than that of Buhari, their in-law. The President’s wife, Aisha, is from Adamawa State.
We stand here today to declare our support for our son… He has proven himself in the previous appointment he held at the national level and we believe in his ability to revamp the economy, resuscitate our ailing security apparatus and unite our people
Atiku’s emergence as the opposition party’s flag bearer in the 2019 presidential election had thrown political leaders in the state into initial confusion over who to support between their kinsman and their in-law. Findings revealed that even the Governor of the state, Jibrilla Bindow, was also caught up in the political dilemma over where to pitch his tent, with Atiku, who is generally believed to be his political godfather, now in the presidential race.
Governor Bindow, The Point, gathered, was cautious in dumping Buhari for Atiku when the PDP selected his godfather as its candidate for the 2019 presidential election, but might have been encouraged to go all out for Atiku, following his recent experience with the APC leadership during the just-concluded primaries. Insinuations had been rife that Buhari was determined to sacrifice Bindow’s second term bid for Dr. Mahmood Halilu Ahmed, his wife’s brother, by allegedly positioning him as the next governor of the state. But the move appears to have crashed like a pack of cards, as Halilu Ahmed was defeated in the state’s APC governorship primaries. Meanwhile, close associates of the governor and other indigenes of the state had since been jubilating over the emergence of Atiku because, according to them, Adamawa will benefit more from an Atiku presidency than a Buhari presidency.
I know that ADC in the state, even though they are in the Coalition of United Political Parties, will not ask people to vote for Atiku, if he supports Fintiri, a man who impeached their father. They have made it very clear to some of us
Sources close to Governor Bindow in Yola, the state capital, said the general belief in the state was that Atiku had the required gusto, experience, technical profundity and a robust war chest to confront the ruling party, come 2019.
These, they said, explained why the people of the state had been rallying support for Atiku instead of Buhari.
A lawyer, Muhammad Mustapha, an indigene of Adamawa State, told our correspondent that, though he supported and voted for Buhari in the last elections, he and his family members had since resolved to vote for Atiku if he emerged the PDP presidential candidate.
“Don’t let people deceive you. Blood is thicker than water. Governor Bindow’s camp was just making a political statement when they said Adamawa would vote for Buhari. It was all about the APC governorship ticket. We want someone to make us proud in the North as a leader. Enough of the feelings that we can’t do it right as northerners. Then, let me ask you, would you prefer power to be in the hands of your in-law rather than your own son? It’s simple. Which one would benefit you more? Then, Atiku has all it takes in terms of know-how to take Nigeria out of this pit.”
The controversies surrounding the just – concluded primaries of the ruling APC in the state were also listed as pointers to the not-too-rosy relationship between Governor Bindow and the leadership of the APC, more so, as supporters of the governor had indicated their readiness to dump the ruling party in solidarity with Bindow and Atiku.
Atiku’s supporters had trooped out in large numbers to celebrate and also demonstrate their loyalty and support to the former vice president.
Supporters of the PDP presidential candidate, made up of youth groups, elders’ forum, among many others, were seen moving around the streets of Yola, the state capital, chanting political slogans such as PDP Adamawa sai Fintiri, Nigeria Sai Atiku.
Reacting to the development, a PDP chieftain in the state, Hon. Iliya Aguwa, said the youths and the elders, among others, were only demonstrating their support and loyalty with happiness over the victory of the former vice president, who recently emerged as the presidential candidate of the PDP.
He said, “They have every reason to celebrate. We stand here today to declare our support for our son, our party member and our presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. He is a man of the people and the man we can trust.
“He has proven himself in the previous appointment he held at the national level and we believe in his ability to revamp the economy, resuscitate our ailing security apparatus, unite our people and rekindle the trust of Nigerians in the affairs of the Government in Nigeria.”
“It is no longer news that the former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is contesting for the 2019 presidential election with acceptability all over the country. We thank him for listening to the clarion call from Nigerians. The youths of this country will surely cast their votes for him,” he added.
The PDP groups condemned the abysmal failure of the President Buhari-led administration of the APC, saying the government could not live up to expectations after making series of campaign promises to Nigerians.
Aguwa maintained that the era of sickness or non-productivity had passed, noting that the time had come for the healthy ones to take charge of the affairs of the country.
“We are in a serious quagmire today. The Buhari APC government has created more harm for us than providing solutions to the key issues bedeviling the country and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Wazirin Adamawa, is coming to solve our economic problem, the security challenges, among others,” he said.
Another chieftain of the party, Mr. Ayuba Teri, also expressed confidence that Atiku would win, saying the non-performance of the APC government had given the Nigerian people the opportunity to challenge the change and vote PDP back to power.
“We did it before and we shall do it again. The PDP track records will speak for us. They are there to see and it’s left for Nigerians to compare and contrast the present administration and the previous administration of PDP, as the APC has become a failure. With the Wazirin Adamawa as our presidential candidate, the job is 95 per cent done,” Teri said.
ATIKU MADE US FIRST CLASS CHIEFS – TRADITIONAL RULERS
The traditional rulers were, however, careful in commenting on the development, but agreed, largely, that Atiku would enjoy the support of his kinsmen.
One of them, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Atiku made them first class chiefs in their various domains when he was vice president.
“When he becomes president, we will enjoy more. Atiku is a man of the people,” he declared.
WHY GOV BINDOW’S APC MAY WORK FOR ATIKU
With the choice of Atiku, Governor Bindow finds himself dangling between the proverbial “devil and the deep blue sea” as his quest to realise his political dream of clinching a second term come 2019 becomes emboldened after securing his party’s ticket. His opponents, Dr. Mahmood Halilu Ahmed and Mallam Nuhu Ribadu have, however, argued that he got it through crooked means.
Atiku’s victory came at a time Bindow was smarting from a vicious attempt by President Buhari’s in-law to wrest the party’s ticket from him and the Governor, according to a political analyst in the state, must have been nurturing a psychological hatred for Buhari for giving the opportunity to his in-law to supplant him.
Sources in the state said, Bindow, in a bid to free himself from the dangerous incursion of Buhari’s in-law, had run from pillar to post in search of reprieve, which did not come.
Bindow reportedly decided to outsmart the party after he had exhausted all efforts to get higher intervention.
The governor was said to have summoned courage and confronted the seeming behemoth by deploying the factor of incumbency at his disposal, which fortunately saved him from political oblivion when he reportedly got the APC gubernatorial committee to dance to his tune by making him the candidate of the party even though in what has been described as questionable circumstances.
A close associate of the governor confided in our correspondent that Bindow’s recent travails in the hands of Buhari’s in-law and his conspirators were the worst he ever faced since his sojourn into the murky waters of politics.
He added that the severity of the aggression had, on many occasions, made the governor to break down in tears as he never bargained for such humiliation.
Naturally, Governor Bindow, according to an impeccable source, had vowed “to show Buhari what Bindow is made of by ensuring that Buhari is defeated in Adamawa State.”
Dependable sources in the Government House, Yola, said the governor was planning to show Buhari the same experience he was made to go through during the primaries.
ANOTHER ROAD BLOCK FOR BUHARI
According to political analysts, apart from the fact that Buhari is an indigene of Adamawa State by virtue of marriage, he also has people like Admiral Murtala Nyako, his military friend of many years to rely on.
But a top APC party executive, who asked not to be named, owing to the sensitivity of the issue, said that it might be tough, this time, for Buhari to have the kind of support he had in the past because the political situation in the state had changed.
He said, “The Admiral Nyako that people are talking about, who I’m not disputing his hold on his people, is now in another camp. I read in the newspapers, and I also know that he is now in another camp. I think he is now the Chairman, Board of Trustees of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s African Democratic Congress. They are also old time friends.
His son, Senator Abdul-Aziz Nyako, is even the gubernatorial flagbearer of ADC in Adamawa State. Obasanjo, the father of ADC, has publicly forgiven and endorsed Atiku, and he is even campaigning for him already. These, together with the fact that Adamawa people will prefer their own son to be President, rather than their inlaw, are clear signs that it will be very tough for APC in this state to win in the presidential election.”
STUMBLING BLOCK IN THE WAY OF FORMER VP
However, rosy as the situation appears currently for the former Vice President, there are indications that he may face a tough battle in his efforts to win in his state.
Sources close to the governorship candidate of ADC in Adamawa State, Senator Abdul-Aziz Nyako, said Atiku might face a big problem if he supports Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri, the PDP governorship candidate in the state.
A party leader in Adamawa APC, who spoke in confidence to our correspondent, said, “Atiku will need to work on the ADC in the state. They are very strong with the Admiral Nyako and Senator Nyako connections. Don’t forget that Fintiri was a key player in the impeachment of former Governor Nyako, the Admiral. Atiku will face a big puzzle that he may not be able to crack so easily.
“I know that ADC in the state, even though they are in the Coalition of United Political Parties, will not ask people to vote for Atiku, if he supports Fintiri, a man who impeached their father. They have made it very clear to some of us, who are their colleagues in politics, and we understand. How Atiku solves this puzzle will determine the direction of votes to a large extent.”
‘ATIKU WON’T WIN IN HIS POLLING UNIT’
An APC chieftain in the state, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, owing to the fear of persecution, said Gov. Bindow was no longer popular in the state.
He told our correspondent that, like before, it would surprise many people that President Buhari would win with a wide margin, even in Atiku’s polling
unit.
He said, “There are a lot of factors you consider in politics. Yes, Atiku is our son in Adamawa, but we have other sons contesting under various platforms in APC and other parties. Our voters are largely illiterates. Once they hear go, to tell them come will be very difficult. Buhari, by my own standards, has done the best he can for this country. People should not mislead others because of selfish interest. Having said this, I don’t have anything against Atiku being President, but I know Buhari will win him even in his polling
unit.”