Atiku: When ambition becomes cancerous
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is yet again, one politician to watch ahead of 2027 general election. But this time, the election will either make or mar the Adamawa-born former Nigeria Customs boss. Many critical observers agree that when the history of the next election will be documented, his name will occupy a prominent place in the events that played out. But certainly, either of two things will happen to Atiku. He will either rise above his limitations or fall permanently into oblivion and abyss of politics in the country.
Like in virtually every election cycle since 1999, Atiku is already restless again ahead of the 2027 presidential poll. Though he has not openly declared his ambition, his body language suggests that he wants to throw his hat yet again into the ring for the presidential race. If he does, (which is likely, even when many Nigerians pray, he doesn’t), it will be his fifth attempt to clinch the exalted seat. At 78, with a political career spanning over three decades, his insistence on running again in 2027 has become a major talking point as Nigerians move towards another general election. Not a few posit that Atiku’s obsession to be president of Nigeria has become like cancer which metastasizes before it consumes its victim.
In an overview by Artificial Intelligence, it says that ambition, while often seen as a positive trait, can indeed be destructive if unchecked. It can lead to misery, self-destruction, and the sacrifice of one’s well-being for the sake of achievement. Excessive ambition can also result in sacrificing one’s values, neglecting relationships, or becoming consumed by a relentless pursuit of goals, ultimately leading to unhappiness.
Apart from his supporters who still believe in him, Atiku’s persistent pursuit of Nigeria’s presidency, despite multiple failed attempts since 1993 has become an irritant in the nation’s political space.
Many political observers are no more comfortable with Atiku’s refusal to step aside for younger, more dynamic leaders in a country with a median age of 18.
CONSPIRACY THEORIES
The former vice president’s quest to throw his hat into the ring for the exalted office has this time, thrown up a lot of projections, permutations and conspiracy theories.
HE’LL SUPPORT OBI
One of the very ordinary and simple theories is that Atiku is just playing politics and may just support Peter Obi in 2027. Those who romance this view argue that Atiku’s activities ahead of 2027 may just be a smokescreen to confuse his major opponent, President Bola Tinubu on the plans of the opposition. The permutation is that the former vice president knows that his last chance was in 2023 and that virtually all odds will be against him in the next election. In 2027, Atiku will be 80 years, and many Nigerians would not be comfortable to have an octogenarian succeeding President Tinubu who is a regular visitor to medical facilities abroad. Not a few Nigerians also feel that having contested for the exalted position since 1993, it would amount to desperation to still aspire for the presidency in 2027.
The argument by many critical observers is that Atiku’s track record as a serial contender is a testament to his inability to overcome his limitations as a candidate. It is for that reason that he lost elections repeatedly in 1993, 2007, 2015, 2019, and 2023. Since 1999, Atiku has left the PDP on three different occasions — each time to further his presidential ambition.
Since leaving the vice-presidency seat in 2007, he has joggled five parties from PDP, AC(N), PDP, APC, PDP and to ADC and each was geared toward the one office that has always stayed just beyond his reach.
Interestingly, his serial failings are not a result of some grand conspiracy, but because Nigerians have consistently rejected his vision, or lack of it.
Following his trajectory in politics, there are those who posit that the best option for Atiku is to leave the stage by throwing his weight behind Peter Obi in 2027. In their estimation, such a decision is an honorary path, as that would give him a father figure and improve his status as a statesman in the event of Obi winning the next election.
Not a few believe that if Atiku can stomach his ambition and ego to support Obi in 2027, the ruling party would find the combination a hard nut to crack. With the former Anambra governor’s growing national acceptability, overwhelming youth support, and that from Atiku’s political structure, it would be history for the APC which has failed to meet the expectations of Nigerians in virtually all indices of development.
However, as the clock ticks towards 2027, many critical observers are waiting to see if Atiku can jettison his ambition and support Obi.
Atiku’ll GIVE 2027 HIS LAST SHOT
For close watchers of Atiku’s body language and style of politics, he is most unlikely to give up his ambition for any other person. He has demonstrated that one ambition he would like to fulfil in life is to become the president of the country.
Many commentators believe that in 2023 that the presidency was unofficially zoned to the South, he scuttled it in PDP because of his vaulting ambition.
The PDP adopted a rotational presidency as a method to promote national unity and address perceived marginalization. This arrangement, while not constitutionally mandated, has been informally practised to rotate the presidency between the North and South of the country. The goal is to ensure that all regions feel represented and have a sense of belonging.
Following Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, the PDP sought to address the issue of power contestation and feelings of marginalization, particularly between the North and South.
It was based on the belief that the arrangement would foster national unity by ensuring that all regions have a chance to produce the president.
In 1999, the PDP saw the emergence of Olusegun Obasanjo, a southerner, as president, and Atiku Abubakar, a Northerner, as vice president.
Despite all the perceived inherent advantages, Atiku who has once benefitted from it worked against it in 2023. His candidacy has consistently fractured opposition unity, as seen in the PDP’s internal crises and Obi’s defection to the Labour Party in 2023.
ATIKU and TINUBU PLAYING GAMES
One of the remote conspiracy theories is that Atiku knowing that he has no chance of winning the 2027 presidency may have reached an agreement to play the spoiler role against Obi in the next general elections. A school of thought believes that President Tinubu and Atiku had been long-standing friends and business allies who have many things in common. The calculation in many quarters is that Atiku may have struck a deal with the President to achieve a predetermined goal in 2027.
Some observers argue that Peter Obi may after all be contesting against two friends whose interests on many fronts overlap.
Dumebi Kachikwu, the ADC’s 2023 presidential candidate, called Atiku and his allies “greedy old men” who have “nothing new to offer Nigerians.”
He said this isn’t just rhetoric but a damning indictment of a politician whose ambition outweighs his innovation.
“Atiku’s platform, whether under PDP or now ADC, leans on vague promises of fighting corruption and improving governance—promises he’s recycled for decades without a clear, actionable blueprint. His tenure as Vice President from 1999 to 2007, while not without achievements, was marred by allegations of corruption and power struggles with then-President Obasanjo, hardly the resume of a transformative leader.
One of his spokespersons in 2023 and now President Tinubu’s aide, Daniel Bwala has said his former principal and ex-Vice President may never become Nigeria’s president, despite years of contesting for the top office.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Bwala, who was Atiku’s spokesperson during the 2023 presidential campaign, said the former vice president has likely exhausted all opportunities to realise his ambition.
“In all honesty, I have expressed my opinion that it may never have been destined by God for him to be a president in Nigeria because he has done everything he needs to do to be president, and he did not win the presidency.
“2023 was the biggest opportunity that my former principal, Atiku Abubakar had. He will never have that kind of privilege again,” he said.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Felix Morka, has criticised Atiku for resigning from the PDP.
Reacting in a post via X on Wednesday, the APC spokesman said Atiku is driven solely by his selfish and obsessive presidential ambition, adding that he is never willing to commit to the hard work of building his party or resolving its internal crises.
Despite the obvious hurdles before Atiku ahead of the election, the question is -will he hearken to the reality on ground or submit again to his undying ambition to be president of Nigeria? Only time will tell.
