•APC used our money, influence to win •Aisha
Alhassan in Presidential Villa; says I stand by my worlds
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Romanus Ugwu, Abuja and Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo, DESMOND MGBOH
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of dumping him after using him as stepping stone to power.
He told the Hausa Service of the Voice of America (VOA) that he had been sidelined despite his efforts in ensuring that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was defeated in 2015.
Speaking from Yola in Adamawa State where he celebrated the Eid-el-Kabir festival, Abubakar who was one of the aspirants Buhari defeated in the APC’s primary enroute to becoming president in 2015 after three previous failed attempts said: “Honestly speaking, I’m still a member of the APC; I was part of all the processes, including campaigns until success was achieved. But sadly, soon after the formation of government, I was sidelined. I have no relationship with the government, I’ve not been contacted even once to comment on anything and in turn, I maintained my distance. They used our money and influence to get to where they are, but three years down the lane, this is where we are.”
But when contacted, the APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party had no official position on the claim.
Atiku’s position coincided with the stand of the Minister of Women Affairs, Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan, who, on Wednesday, declared support for the former vice president for the 2019 presidential election, even though he had not openly declared his intention to contest.
However, the Taraba State chapter of the party distanced itself from the position of the minister on the 2019 presidency.
In a telephone interview, the chairman, Alhaji Sani Shul said Alhassan’s position did not in any way reflect that of the party in the state.
“What Alhassan said was her personal opinion which she is entitled to as a person. This does not in any way translate to the position of the party in the state. Buhari is our president and he has our unalloyed support. We support him and his policies and would continue to do so,” Shul said.
Alhassan’s support for Atiku over Buhari has reportedly split the chapter.
Reviewing the performance of the Buhari administration, the Waziri Adamawa faulted the corruption war, saying too little had been achieved after over two years in the saddle.
“How many people were arrested, prosecuted and jailed? How much was recovered from the looters?” he queried.
He also made reference to the achievement of former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, during which he was vice president, in recovering stolen funds.
“When we came on board in 1999, I remember we recovered between $4.5 and $4.7 billion from those that looted under (late Sani) Abacha,” said Atiku.
He applauded Buhari on the successes recorded so far in the fight against Boko Haram, but added that a lot was yet to be done.
Though Alhassan was sighted around 2:24pm, yesterday, leaving the Presidential Villa, sources said she was neither seen by President Buhari nor Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
When cornered by reporters to throw more light on her remarks in the video that went viral, she referred newsmen to the interview she granted the BBC Hausa service, saying her position has noted changed.
“No, I have no comment. What will I say now? I have said all in BBC Hausa. Get someone who speaks Hausa very well to translate it for you.”
On her relationship with Buhari now, she replied: “How will I know? I have not seen the president but I don’t think the president is a naive person.”
Asked if she was confident that she could retain her job, she replied, “God gives and God takes. That is all and I have said it all in Hausa. You know that there is an end to everything.”
On Buhari supporters attacking her on social media, saying she was not loyal, Alhassan responded: “Let the will of God be.”
He utterance has sparked a gale of reaction, particularly among supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who described her as a traitor.
The Minister had in an interview with the BBC Hausa service, described Abubakar as her godfather, saying she did not mind losing her job for supporting him.
“Atiku is my godfather even before I joined politics. And again, Baba Buhari did not tell us that he is going to run in 2019,” she said.
“Let me tell you today that if Baba said he is going to contest in 2019, I swear to Allah, I will go before him and kneel and tell him, ‘Baba, I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve your government as a minister, but Baba, just like you know, I will support only Atiku because he is my godfather. If Atiku says he is going to contest.
“If because of what I said, I am sacked, it will not bother me because I believe in Allah, that my time has elapsed that is why… Baba is not a mad man like those calling for my sack. They have been sending it (video) and spreading that if Baba sees this I will be sacked.”