Atiku as a model for
all democrats
By Odimegwu Onwumere
Sunday,
March 9, 2008
 |
•Atiku
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
|
The aftermath of the 27th December 2007 elections in Kenya
ought to teach all African politicians a great lesson. This
is because of the art of rigging elections and the sit-tight
gesture, which African leaders have solemnly embraced dearly.
Over one thousand people were reportedly to have died and
over thirty thousand others displaced in the ethnic civil
war that cropped-up in Kenya, which Mwai Kibaki and Raila
Odinga were the arrowheads.
In Nigeria, the opposition rather welcomed the alleged rigging
of the April 21st 2007 elections by the ruling Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) with repose on the court.
While Atiku and co. took their case to the court, unlike Kenyas
who took theirs to the abattoir, challenging the legitimacy
of the PDP-Yar’Adua’s presidency, social democrats
looked on with optimism to seeing one of the most difficult
challenges any nascent democracy must face. There was optimism
that the judiciary, which once celebrated accolades for its
untainted proceedings, would not haul the line of injustice
but the obverse was seen as the news.
After the Tuesday February 26, 2008 ruling by the presidential
election petition tribunal upholding the election of Yar’Adua,
many Nigerians have not commented on the ruling without mentioning
fraud. And Nigerians are today enveloped in fear that the
outcome of any courts, Atiku and co. might proceed to, would
determine the future of the country. And Nigerians are not
ready for any unfolding tragedy in Kenya and in many African
countries swimming in the pool of violence to repeat itself.
Before that election, Atiku whom Obasanjo was selected as
his vice in the 1999 elections and 2003 used every means or
methodology at the end of the second term to tarnish the name
of Atiku built over the years. Obasanjo didn’t stop
only on name assassination or tainting Atiku, he prevented
Atiku from running for the 2007 presidential election.
Obasanjo did this so that Atiku would not stop him from changing
the national constitution to allow him a third term. But because
Atiku was not a traitor, he had the interest of Nigeria at
heart, he opposed the Obasanjo’s heinous third term
plot with the support of the national Houses and the Supreme
Court also stood against Obasanjo’s falsehood against
Atiku. It was then that Atiku’s name was ordered by
the court to be put in the ballot by the INEC, headed by the
only tortoise called Professor (pharmacist) Maurice Iwu. This
happened on the eve of the election.
What else can a true patriot of a nation do to sustain his
country other than what Atiku did? Did virtually all the international
and local observer not denounce the election as fraud? But
instead of conflagrating the country just like Odinga’s
supporters did, Turaki Adamawa encouraged his supporters to
be calm and took to the court. But not all Nigerians understood
that Atiku and Buhari saved this country from doom that was
why they were name calling them.
Atiku has really shown that he stands for democracy. While
Obasanjo is called the PDP’s father of modern Nigeria,
Atiku is the father of Nigeria’s modern democracy. His
name is written on gold for posterity. Though he did not win
his case in the Tribunal. But Yar’Adua won. But as Yar’Adua
won the petition, Atiku won the peace? According to a saying,
"Conscience is an open wound which only truth can heal."
|
