In a nutshell, the battle of who takes the mantle of leadership as the president of the most populous black nation (Nigeria) come 2019 is between our earlierfiance, People's Democratic Party (PDP) and current one, All Progressives Congress (APC).
Nigeria has been variously engaged to these two men and are now in a position to make their choice on which one to marry.
In this respect, she has to consider too many things: which one is capable of providing her shelter, security, feeding, clothing, jobs, respect for her dignity, and providing/planning for children born and unborn; respecting her life and responding to her while the need arises; respecting their code of conduct and showing her the much love and care she needed.
And from the above, she will take her decision. PDP has made the best choice by producing Atiku Abukakar as their party’s standard-bearer in the coming presidential election, his victory at the Port Harcourt primary put smiles on the faces of millions of Nigerians, both old and young, mothers and fathers.
That's why most Nigerians startedAtiku-lating: from villagers to students, fishermen and farmers, and people from all walks of life.
And that is the quality a good husband ought to have. And Atiku’s decision to choose Peter Obi as running mate increases the flames from the fire; it restores hope to Nigerians. Nigerians are anxiously waiting to vote-in a digital president, a man who had over 50,000 Nigerians on his payroll; two persons who had succeeded in their different endeavours; a president who commands full knowledge of the economy, a president who has succeeded in the educational sector as well as in trade/business sector, an employer of labour.
If you're proposing to a lady you have dated for three years and she frowned at you and your proposal, it means she has not benefited anything in that relationship and by all means wants to end it.
It means that the past three years has been characterised by pain, sorrow, hardship, deceit and dishonesty.
Did the current administration check or care about the reactions of Nigerians? Insecurity of lives and lack of sustainability has marred this administration. People are killed like chicken everyday; and nothing is done about it; the awful conditions of the economy, education, and depreciation of the naira are very worrisome. Yet, they can't do anything to help. Now, tell me, what is sustained?
It should be dawned on the current administration, that we got him a wife three years ago does not mean we have accepted to perform his conjugal duties.
He has to do his job, which definitely he's not doing or, at worst, cannot do. And we're not obliged to continue clapping for him even when it's clear that he's headed down on a wrong path.
If managing low oil price was all we needed in a president, we would have voted Gen SaniAbacha, even in his grave. Oil price was $15.5 per barrel when Abacha seized power and didn't go beyond $20 before he died; yet, he set up the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) and invested heavily in infrastructure, especially housing. In fact, at the time of his death in 1998 oil price had dropped to $12 per barrel, yet Abacha grew the foreign reserve from $1.6 billion in November 1993 to $7.7 billion in June 1998.
Nigerians now need Atiku/Obi, who seem to understand their plight and have agreed to restructure Nigeria, to revert fiscal federalism to enable each geo-political regionsdevelop at its own pace.
We need a digital president who understands the need to restructure this country, knowing full well that the restructuring, which we clamour for, will enable each region have the opportunity to create, develop sustainable and robust institutions; which would minimise or eradicate dependence on federation account.
The game of who runs this country is not a game of who runs a motor park or one of Abakaliki Rice Mills, but one to serve the motherland. It's a call to serve humanity with dignity and, maybe, with a sense of humour. It's a call everyone desires, but only a few were given the grace. It's not so much of the party involved, but one to symbolise the epitome of achievement. The presidency is the highest seat of honour in Nigeria. It should be for people with trackable record, not just hearsay.
Alhaji Atiku Abukakar (Waziri Adamawa) and his running mate, Mr Peter Obi, is the best choice with verifiable records. These are candidates marketable in all ramifications. Their success in managing economic and human resources speaks volumes, unlike the current administration who based their campaign strategy on propaganda, whereas as an incumbent administration, they are supposed to be sailing on the wings of their achievement.
Finally, a vote for Atiku/Obi is a vote for restoration.
Vote for restoration. Let's get Nigeria working again.
Comrade Nwokwu is chairman, Atiku Homegrown Development Initiative, Ebonyi State.
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