Former Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku late last month left the All Progressives Congress (APC), a party he joined before the 2015 elections in the aftermath of the crisis that trailed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2013.   

He was not the only defector from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the period. Governors on the platform of party such as  Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano, Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, Murtala Nyako of Adamawa and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers States defected and joined the APC. They had all staged a well-orchestrated   walk out during the PDP national convention in Abuja. Many have opined that the defection of Atiku, the five governors and other chieftains of PDP at the time, among other things, led to the defeat of PDP in 2015 General Elections.

PDP was prescient in its reaction when Atiku left.  Speaking at the time, Deputy National Chairman, Uche Secondus, a top contender for the party’s chairmanship seat in Saturday’s convention said Atiku was on a voyage and the PDP would be willing to rescue the former VP after his voyage. “When they leave, they go on a voyage and they come back and we see them. I can tell you that they will go and come back. We are waiting for Atiku (to) go on this voyage and to come back”.  Atiku’s voyage in the APC seems to have ended.

The fact of Atiku defecting from the APC did not come as a surprise. The signs that he would leave the party had clearly manifested since the party came into power. Apart from his often-cited ambition to rule the country which would have been difficult to realize in 2019 on the platform of APC, as the signs are already manifesting that President Mohammadu Buhari would go for a second term in office, which would terminate in 2023, putting paid to Atiku’s ambition. Atiku, like others who rallied to ensure the Buhari success in 2015, have all been sidelined.

But surprisingly, APC has tried to down play Atiku’s defection. The party chairman, Chief Odigie Oyegun said there was no cause for alarm. “Let nobody fear that the defection of the former Vice-President is going to lead to any deluge. Don’t ever be afraid that there is going to be any massive defection. As a matter of fact, the contrary is the case; the APC is growing in strength on a daily basis”.

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There had also been snide remarks from the president in the aftermath of Atiku’s defection.  At an event in the Presidential Villa shortly after the news of Atiku’s defection broke, President Buhari had turned to Oyegun, “accept my sympathy for losing a senior member of your party.” The remark attracted laughter from the people present. To them, it seems Atiku’s defection is good riddance…

How time changes. I recall that when Atiku left the PDP in 2013, Buhari and top chieftains of APC had visited him in Abuja to plead with him to join APC. Among those who visited him then were APC leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, known to have also been sidelined before the present reapproachment between him and the president, Chief Bisi Akande, interim Chairman of APC, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff; Borno governor, Ibrahim Shetimma; former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu; Sen. Annie Okonkwo; the current Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, former Benue governor, Sen. George Akume; Musa Gwadabe; former governor of Kaduna State, Lawal Kaita and former Speaker, House of Representatives and Katsina governor, Hon. Aminu Masari. Such was Atiku’s importance to the APC at the time.

I have taken time to detail what took place since the former Vice President left the PDP for the APC and his third time return into the PDP. One of the issues I want to take up is the reaction of the APC to the defection especially that of President Buhari and Chief Oyegun. Oyegun had said the party was aware of Atiku’s plan to defect adding that it did not come as a surprise. He went ahead to state that the party would not be affected. It is either he is blowing hot air on the matter or he does not know what he is talking about. Atiku is not a political light weight. Apart from being an astute politician, he has a large political following. Is it not because of his huge electoral value that all of them went to woo him in 2013? So what has changed? It was the same arrogance the PDP displayed when five governors and other party chieftains defected from the party in 2013. We know the story today. If APC knew Atiku had cause to leave the fold ever before the decision became public why was his concerns not addressed? The president did not help the situation with his jocular remarks. I pray this does not come back to haunt all of them.

On Atiku’s ambition which is an open secret, as much as I do not have anything against it, Nigerians should also be cautious, that is if he eventually secures PDP ticket. His ambition should be interrogated. We should not fall into the same trap of the past. President Buhari contested for the presidency on three different occasions before he was fourth time lucky. We all thought that with the number of years he was outside, aspiring for the plum job, he would have a prepared blue print which he would have kept updating over the years until the job came his way.

We were wrong. He never had any blueprint, whether on the economy, education, or any area for that matter. Atiku’s ambition has been known since 2003 in the second term of his Vice presidency, how prepared is he for the presidency? Does he know the problems of the country? What are his solutions for them? He has spoken about the non-involvement of youths in the present administration, what are his own plans to involve the youths? It goes beyond saying that youths would be involved, Nigerians need specific, and that applies for any other persons interested in any of the elective offices. That is the only way we can break out of the cycle of non-performance and all promises cancelled by political office holders.