Aliyu Abiola, a son of the
widely-acclaimed winner of the June 1993 presidential election, MKO Abiola, has
endorsed the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku
Abubakar, ahead of the fast approaching February 16 election.
This was as he described
Abubakar’s contribution to Abiola’s emergence as the presidential candidate of
the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in 1992 as selfless.
In a letter titled “The truth
about H. E Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Waziri Adamawa” made available to Dele
Momodu’s The Boss newspaper, Aliyu stressed that history must not be distorted
or sacrificed on the altar of self aggrandisement.
While urging Nigerians to come
out en masse and vote Abubakar, Abiola’s son said: “Nigeria needs a
thoroughbred democrat not a converted one; someone that has a track record as a
businessman not someone who has admitted to not having any business. Above all
we need a President that understands international trade.”
The letter which Aliyu personally
signed reads: “My name is Aliyu Abiola. I am the son of late Chief MKO Abiola
and a student of History as well as a lover of truth.
“As a man maligned, vilified and
most times wrongly criticized in spite of his great philanthropy and support
for worthy causes in Nigeria and across the globe, I understand the
misconception and false allegations a successful man is subject to.
“Having said that, I want to
start by saying I have never met either H. E. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar or
President Muhammadu Buhari before so I don’t want my stand to be viewed from a
partisan perspective or self interest hence the title THE TRUTH ABOUT H. E.
ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR, WAZIRI ADAMAWA.
“I find this piece very important
because we live in a country where history is optional in the Nigerian
education system and in an era where opinions of most youths like myself are
shaped by rumours, fake news, propaganda, half truths and sometimes outright
lies. It is therefore, important we go back to the archives so we are not
misled or misinformed.
“I am writing this article as
someone whose family has contributed immensely to the democratic struggle of
this nation. However, the truth remains that every struggle comes through a
process, and in a democratic setting we all know what the process is. Again,
politics being a game of numbers, a man desirous of anything has to work with
men of like minds to achieve his objectives.
“Before the military junta of
General Ibrahim Babangida cancelled the freest and fairest elections in the
history of this country, my late father was the candidate of the SDP (Social
Democratic Party) and that was only possible due to the support he received
from H. E Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Waziri Adamawa and his PDM block during the
party’s convention in Jos in 1992.
“H. E. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar
sacrificed his presidential and even vice presidential ambition for the late
martyr and icon of democracy as my father later came to be known. This is very
important because Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is presently being wrongly portrayed as
a man who is overtly ambitious and uncompromising, but history and track record
shows otherwise. It is therefore necessary for men of goodwill to speak up in
defence of truth and history so that a man like H. E. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar
Waziri Adamawa will not be robbed of his place in history or crucified on the
altar of propaganda and lies.
“Nigeria’s hard earned democracy
is at the verge of collapse as democratic institutions are failing; court
orders are not being respected even as judges are being harassed. Our
population is growing at 4 per cent per annum while the economy is barely
growing at 2 per cent per annum. Again, hunger has increased in the land to the
extent that stealing of female underwears (pants) is now the most profitable
business for our youths.
“It is my considered opinion that
Nigeria needs a thoroughbred democrat at this time not a converted one; someone
that has a track record as a businessman not someone who has admitted to not
having any business, and above all, we need a President that understands
international trade as we all know that the Customs service, which Atiku has
been part of, is an arm of the finance ministry which deals mostly with foreign
trade. During an interview with Charly Boy when he was asked what he feared
most in life, my late father replied without hesitation or equivocation,
‘poverty’. It is for this reason that the Nigerian youths must vote H. E Alhaji
Atiku Abubakar, Waziri Adamawa for president to get Nigeria working again.”
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