Atiku Threw Away His Best Chance To Lead Nigeria Through Arrogance –Wike’s Former Aide

Marshal Obuzor, the former spokesperson for the immediate ex-Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not win the 2023 presidential election because the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar was arrogant.

In 2022, the PDP battled a series of crises and infighting following the appointment of Iyorchia Ayu as its national chairman and the subsequent election of Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate.

A group of five governors — known as G5 — led by Wike argued that Atiku’s election as the party’s presidential candidate goes against the agreement to zone the presidency to the south.

They insisted that Ayu must step down as party chairman if they were to back Atiku.

Attempts by party stakeholders to resolve the issues failed to yield desired results.

Atiku eventually lost the presidential election of February 25 to Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In the election, Tinubu polled 231,591 votes in Rivers as against Atiku who got 88,468votes – the first time since the fourth republic started in 1999 that PDP was unable to get 25 per cent of votes in the state.

In a statement sent to SaharaReporters on Sunday, Obuzor who served as the spokesperson for Wike alleged that Atiku was taking the frustration of his “30 years of failed presidential bid too far and the level that he has sunk politically, even Atiku will look Atiku in the mirror and pity Atiku for throwing away his brightest chance of ever becoming Nigeria’s President on the altar of political arrogance”.

Obuzor was reacting to the claim made by the former Vice President, through his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, that Wike, who recently thanked God for surviving a poisoning incident was not poisoned as he claimed but was sick owing to the intake of alcohol.

Obuzor said he “tumbled on an article in which the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, through his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, made a puerile attempt to rubbish the Thanksgiving Service by former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

“His argument was that Wike, who was thanking God for surviving a poisoning incident was not poisoned as he claimed but was sick owing to intake of alcohol.

“The statement is the ultimate display of childishness and reflects a hollow mind burdened, blinded, and driven by the pain and confusion of defeat. If not, how or why should what a former Governor says in his place of worship between him and his God be of concern to Atiku?

“Atiku’s statement should not come from any religious conscientious person as it is not only an insult to the church but to the idea of thanksgiving, which is also held highly in Islam.

“However, even if Atiku does not have the religious piety to guide his tongue, his appreciation of medical science and common sense should have been an adequate guide for him.

“He ignored the obvious fact that the poison verdict was from a medical diagnosis. It was also beside basic reasoning for him not to factor in the stated symptoms and nature of recovery to reach his verdict.

“It is worth mentioning that while the Ambassador Damagun-led National Working Committee of the PDP was at the thanksgiving event, taking steps towards reconciling the party members, Atiku seemed frustrated by the prospect of peace and forcefully moved in the opposite direction. If an unprovoked Atiku could say this much about the most significant reconciliation events in the PDP, one can only imagine the kind of advice the self-acclaimed unifier gives the NWC privately.

“At the end of the day, one cannot totally blame Atiku for showing this level of frustration as he has been contesting for President for the past 30 years and has been rejected by Nigerians in every electoral cycle from 1993 till date.

“With him fast fading into political irrelevance and leaving the scene as Nigeria’s portrait of electoral failure, Atiku cuts the figure of a frustrated man deserving of pity.

“As it is today, even if Atiku were to organise a thanksgiving for his life or even resurrect from the dead, he wouldn’t be able to attract the caliber of dignitaries and attention of Nigerians like Governor Wike did at his thanksgiving.

“Therefore, his frustration is understood and it is obvious that at the level he has sunk politically, even Atiku will look Atiku in the mirror and pity Atiku for throwing away his brightest chance of ever becoming Nigeria’s President on the altar of political arrogance.”