Posted by By FEMI BABAFEMI on
Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has cautioned Nigerians against going to sleep with the administration of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua which he described as a continuation of the government of the immediate past President Olusegun Obasanjo.
•Atiku says Yar'Adua not different from Obasanjo
Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has cautioned Nigerians against going to sleep with the administration of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua which he described as a continuation of the government of the immediate past President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Atiku who spoke during an interaction with the media in Abuja said his call for caution was based on the fact that all the elements of the Obasanjo's administration are still very much around.
'Yar'Adua's government is the same PDP government under Obasanjo. It is a continuation of the elements of Obasanjo's administration. What is surprising there? It is a continuation of the Obasanjo's PDP administration. Nothing different," the former vice president declared.
Atiku who contested the last April polls as the Action Congress (AC) presidential candidate, the result of which he is presently contesting at the election tribunal also took his kinsman, Prof. Jubril Aminu to task over the control of Adamawa politics.
Though he said he was not ready to join issues with Aminu because he is not his match, he nevertheless described him as 'a political nonentity" who does not deserve his comments. Aminu had in his recent media interviews ruled out the possibility allowing Atiku to return to PDP in the spirit of the on-going reconciliation effort in the party.
Atiku who said he has already taken politics as his career assured that he is ever ready to face the electorate in a fresh election if the presidential election tribunal decides to order for a fresh poll.
On the EFCC, he said the commission should not be allowed to continue its excesses but should be properly contained and ensure it operates within the ambit of law since it is a creation of law. He spoke further on these and other issues.
Why I stayed long abroad
What kept me away for so long was my knee injury. It was so complicated. I was told by my doctor that I had a very fact recovery. Usually it will take not less than one year to attain the level of recovery I have attained now.
We won't miss Rimi, Na'Abba
No. Absolutely we won't miss them and I was not jolted by their return to PDP. This is because at least one of them hinted me before I traveled that he was looking for a job. I am not surprised at all.
And certainly their exit won't have any effect on the structure of AC because the structure of AC is solidly on ground. Indeed we lost a few members who chose to go with their political godfathers and that is the nature of Nigerian politics but we also gained more people on the other hand.
Jibril Aminu is a political nonentity
I am not aware of any overtures being made to me to return to PDP. At least, nobody has contacted. I don't want to comment on Professor Aminu's comment on me because I know he is a political nonentity. So I don't want to comment on him. I am not in any way his mate to join issues with him.
Between me and Yar'Adua
Yar'Adua and I belong to the same family. We remain in normal communication. That is different from our political divide. It is my party's position not to participate in his government of National Unity. Why do you need a GNU when you have about 80 to 90 per cent of the National Assembly members. The fact that he is asking for Government of National Unity puts a question mark on his credibility.
Yar'Adua erred on Niger Delta crisis
Unfortunately the crisis in the Niger Delta is a historical one. May be he knows something that is not open as president that is making him to blame opposition parties for the Niger Delta crisis. It's not our culture in AC to promote violence. Our culture is the rule of law.
I have forgiven my adversaries
As far as I am concerned, politics is my career and I am not going to allow anybody to destroy my career and that formed the basis of my hard fight towards the end of my tenure. But then in the last few months when I left office, if you know the number of phone calls and text messages I have received from people telling me ‘sir you have been too good to me but I have been very very unfair to you but please forgive me. Everyday I get that from people including former governors. There was a particular one I told I have forgiven but I told him the rest is now left between him and those people he has killed.
No regret working with Obasanjo
Absolutely I have no regret working with him because I now know Obasanjo very well. Nobody in the country has worked with Obasanjo for eight years. I have done that and I now know him probably more than anyone else.
Nigerians should demand their right
Nigerians should demand their rights from their leaders. They should ensure those who want to lead them are there to work for the welfare and development of this country. They should screen those who are aspiring to lead them to know those who have their interest at heart.
Problem with PDP
The problem with PDP is that it is not democratic. Remember the first case that we went to court over Ali's chairmanship. The court said Ali was not elected but he has remained there in spite of the court pronouncement.
My saddest moment in government
Actually, the collapse of democracy within PDP was my saddest moment in government. Democracy has since fled PDP. The party lost internal democracy and if as a ruling party, there is no internal democracy, then there is no way the government formed by the party can be democratic.
Obasanjo and Yar'Adua's
government the same
Yar'Adua government is the same PDP government under Obasanjo. It is a continuation of the elements of Obasanjo's administration. What is surprising there? It is a continuation of the Obasanjo's PDP administration. Nothing different.
Nyako's government a puzzle
Yes, I agree that is a puzzle to me that Nyako is busy sharing port folios among his wives rather than serving Adamawa people. It is really unfortunate. It is a puzzle.
EFCC must operate under rule of law
Definitely, the Federal Government's policy on rule of law has created some caution in EFCC, it has cut down its excesses. Nobody is saying EFCC should not fight corruption, but it should fight corruption within the ambit of the law because the commission itself is a creation of the law.
I'm ready for fresh election
I am ready and prepared for a fresh election if the tribunal orders for fresh election. I have said before that politics is my career so I am ready any time.