How is Atiku very corrupt?

Prior to this time, there was no stereotyping of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, as a very corrupt person in Nigeria. When then did this stereotype begin? How is Atiku very corrupt today? Atiku was Vice President to Obasanjo for good eight years. The deeply corrupt image he has today was painted by the same Obasanjo who was a beneficiary of Atiku’s politics. The love Obasanjo had for Atiku at the beginning that made him to choose Atiku as his running mate could have made him to pick Atiku as his successor in 2007 instead of late Umaru Yar’Adua had Atiku served his mandate as Adamawa Governor which he won.

Simply put, if Obasanjo did not pick Atiku as his running mate and may be preferred late Abubakar Rimi as running mate, the same Obasanjo could have chosen Atiku to succeed him since he loved him so much prior to 2007. The allegations of corruption against Atiku solely by Obasanjo have not been substantiated since 2007 when they left office to date. It is instructive to note that, Obasanjo, has a very big problem of human relationship management. He had issues with the five Senate Presidents, most governors, party leaders etc during his regime. The tag of a “deeply corrupt person” on Atiku by Obasanjo was borne out of the same human relationship management and domineering attitude of Obasanjo.

How is Atiku very corrupt? The only constitutional role assigned to the office of the Vice President is the Chairmanship of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting made up of the 36 governors of the Federation, CBN Governor, Minister of Finance etc. The National Economic Council plays an advisory role just like National Council of States forum as its decisions or resolutions are not binding on the President who is the chief executive of the country. Except the chairmanship of NEC, every other role the Vice President plays is at the mandate or discretion of the President.

Atiku also chaired the Council on Privatization on the express mandate of President Obasanjo with Nasir elRufai, who is the present governor of Kaduna State as Director General. Vice President and deputy governors are at the mercy of the President and the governors of the country. They do not have much constitutional roles to play unless assigned by their bosses. How then did Atiku controlled the economy between 1999 and 2007 and made more money corruptly than Obasanjo? Can a Deputy Governor make more money than the governor through corrupt means in any state? It smacks of weakness and incompetence for a President or a Governor to accuse his deputy of controlling the economy and making more money through corrupt means than him.

Atiku is not among the ten richest people in Nigeria. Most former governors and even serving ones are far richer than him, why then is this sordid brush of corruption painted on him since 2007? He has been without immunity since 2007 when they left office, why has he not been prosecuted before any competent court of jurisdiction? Many former governors and ministers have been successfully charged, prosecuted and convicted since 2007, why have successive administrations been unable to prosecute Atiku if there are corruption charges against him? Even Buhari’s government that mouths anti-corruption platitudes has not been able to pin him down on any corruption charges. President Obasanjo smeared Atiku’s image with corruption in order to stop him from succeeding him in 2007. He even tried to use various courts which were unsuccessful as the courts of the land discharged and acquitted Atiku. Chief Obasanjo does not need to entertain any fears about Atiku’s Presidency. If Yar’Adua, Jonathan and Buhari could not probe him, Atiku will not do that. Obasanjo has become a statesman nationally and internationally, even President Jonathan recently described Obasanjo as, “the boss of all bosses”. Atiku seems the most qualified to fly the PDP flag in 2019 presidential election going by his experience and political sagacity.

Ifeanyi Maduako, Owerri, Imo State.