Atiku is a sore loser, By Kassim Afegbua

On Sunday, 1st October 2023 Nigerians back home were celebrating the nation’s 63rd Independence Anniversary, whereas in far away Dubai, Atiku Abubakar who cannot visit the USA because of the Jefferson corruption case, was busy celebrating the verdict of a USA court concerning the release of school documents of President Tinubu to his counsel. Recall that in 2019, through some “arrangee process.” The US consulate in Nigeria allowed Atiku Abubakar to visit America for God knows what. Atiku’s Jefferson corruption case has been a recurring decimal in the story of his life, but he behaves oblivious to that, and he is going about talking about President Tinubu’s school documents Anyway, that is politics; a career in which supposed friends covertly and / or overtly, if necessary, try to undo one another; always putting themselves first. What Atiku Abubakar could not get through the ballot boxes on the 25th of February 2023 he wants to get by other means, or should I say, any other means. He’s been running from pillar to post trying to rake up mud to hit the fan to somehow unseat President Tinubu. His present workshop is located in far away America. I sum up Atiku Abubakar’s effort as the last kick of a “dying” horse, wanting to muscle all his energies to make a statement about the election.

His plot is all about discrediting the president of our country and creating negative media buzz to the point that the international community will be willing to be an accomplice in his power game, to unseat President Tinubu; maybe backing their position with the gale of coups in the West Africa sub-region in recent past. President Tinubu, as we all know, is no newcomer to the game of power; he surely understands the game and is following the Atiku bumper to bumper on this expedition. Those who complained about the annulment of the June 12 election are the chief proponents in favour of another annulment through the courts because they feel it might profit them and their aspirations. The courts cannot generate results of an election to unwittingly void the outcome of the election. The issues before the election Tribunal were exhaustively canvassed, and the judgment has remained unassailable; even though the petitioners have raised some grounds of appeal, just to justify their decision to head to the Supreme Court. As a nation with so many diversities, we must look at the bigger picture of the consequences of another annulment today, e.g, the economy. Our current statistics are very poor. Anything done now that dents us could push the nation into becoming a failed state.

If his ambition was indeed about helping the nation grow, and adding value, by now no matter his reservations about the election, he would have accepted the outcome and started helping the country move forward in whatever way that he can. As we know, some of those who seek office and power, want them solely for the sake of their selfish interest, while others seek them because of what they intend to bring to the table for our progress. The stability of the political atmosphere is important for the growth of the country. We can only achieve greatness when the right atmosphere exists for robust engagement of all. An attempt to use a US Court by obtaining documents from Chicago State University-CSU to discredit and hopefully cancel the election, in my opinion, is an overkill in Atiku’s struggle for power control. But on this score, he has failed woefully. The 8.7 million voters that returned President Tinubu at the election saw him as a better candidate than the others who also contested in the election. I believe that the judiciary cannot be armtwisted or bullied; whether by “all eyes on the Judiciary,” or by parading scandalous extraneous and belated evidence even if accurate, to blackmail the institution to buckle in their responsibility. The Atiku camp has set up a media committee to continue to generate media blitz to sustain the discourse. They hope to exchange the ballot box for the courtroom; legacracy instead of democracy. Some are even reasoning that a coup at this time has become their desire; but thank God the Nigeria Military has come out loud enough to pledge its loyalty to the constituted authority under President Tinubu.

This impure dirty politics, politics of an endgame of Atiku’s, who has been a perennial aspirant for the number one position for the past thirty-one years is an effort to clinch it by all means on account of his age and its setbacks for further attempts; he might not be able to seek election again, and his present effort must yield ground for him. So he desperately wishes. That is the whole idea; an idea encapsulated in political greed and self-grandeur. When given an opportunity, rather than argue his cases victoriously in court, this petitioner, during the tribunal proceedings went on a wild-goose chase; steering clear of what ought to be the gravamen of his petition, but instead went chasing shadows without any scintilla of supporting evidence, and was unable to substantiate his bogus claims. He, of course, lost! He needs to see that his burning desired outcome is a mirage. Now, knowing full well that following the provisions of the Electoral Act as I am made to understand, he may not be allowed to plead new grounds as a petitioner on appeal in the Supreme Court, as his matter has been adjudicated in the Appeal Court. Unhappy with this position, he is now on the next item on his list of “ how to become the president of Nigeria. “

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What forms an appeal to a higher court is predicated on disagreement arising from the verdict based on the earlier issues canvassed and not fresh pleadings. Even with his supposed “victory” in America on the CSU documents, he’ll be very lucky to be able to present any findings as a fresh pleading to the Supreme Court. The CSU some time ago stated clearly that President Tinubu attended the institution, and they also made public his transcripts. Even if the Supreme Court grants Atiku Abubakar the window to smuggle in any pleading, the issues will also be argued for relevance to the whole essence of the petition. This game of power has its own undercurrents. There are way too many movements involved in this whole drama; but what my crystal ball tells me is that Nigeria, under President Tinubu, will come out stronger. The present litigation is a huge distraction that should be knocked off once and for all to enable the president to focus on his vision and mission for our country. From the present narrative, it is crystal clear that President Tinubu won the election. This is why the petitioners have now left the shores of his not winning the election to the residence of saying he was not even qualified to run for election. The news is now awash with America and President Tinubu’s documentation; no longer about the election conduct. I guess their hope is to smuggle in fresh evidence and pleadings at the Supreme Court as a basis for appeal of the outcome of the Tribunal verdict. This plot will once again amount to nullity.

In concluding this piece, I advise politicians to learn to accept the outcome of elections no matter how painful it may be. Hopefully, there will be another opportunity for them to run for political offices. Making all effort to bring down the roof because an election outcome does not go in any particular direction is a sign of poor sportsmanship. I opined at the beginning of the election season that Atiku Abubakar’s aspiration ab initio was against the run of play, and that he’s jumping into the ring was trying to alter the applecart of our political stability on the North-South divide. All this man wants is to be pronounced and sworn in as president; that is his vaulting ambition. He is a desperate person, politically. The desire TO SERVE the country should derive from a sense of patriotism and nationalism and not that of self-aggrandizement. Also, the political stability of this great nation is superior to the aspirations of any citizen. A desperado, now sore loser of Atiku Abubakar’s emanation, is a toxic material and is not a healthy choice for the president of this nation. The algorithm of power equation in Nigeria must deliberately and consciously be nourished with wholesomeness to promote national cohesion and unity of purpose. What we desire is a good citizen, a patriot, a president that is able to bring peace, development, progress, and prosperity to our land; one who would unite us, thereby deepening democracy. We desire a president who would catapult the value of enthroning popular governments across the whole of West Africa. The 2023 presidential election has since been concluded. There is always a winner, and of course, there are losers; albeit, in the context of nation-building, everyone is a winner; if the motive is right. Atiku should identify with Tinubu’s victory, be a good sportsman, and shun these characteristics of a spoiltman he is displaying.