As Nigerians go to poll on Saturday, it appears the choice is between the presidential candidates of the two dominant parties, President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). LEKE SALAUDEEN look at the antecedents of the two candidates.
Nigerians with Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will file out on Saturday to elect a new president, who will direct the affairs of the country for another four years. Although 71 candidates are jostling for the highest office in the land, the race has been narrowed down to two main contenders. They are President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar , the standard flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Both of them represent the two dominant parties in the country.
What is unique about the two candidates is that both of them are from the north. They are Fulanis and Muslims. Buhari is a retired military officer while Atiku also retired from Nigeria Customs Service.
During his military career, Buhari had been Governor of the old North East which had been broken into Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba and Gombe States. He was also a minister for petroleum. In 1983, Buhari and the late Major General Tunde Idiagbon were selected to lead the country by middle and high- ranking military officers after a successful military coup that overthrew the civilian administration headed by Alhaji Shehu Shagari.
There was no religious crisis during his tenure. Despite the fact that people have often regarded him as a religious fanatic, he has proved not to be one. For instance, he exempted Christian military personnel from performing duties on Sundays. When he was asked to exempt Muslims from duties on Fridays, he replied saying the Bible says Christians should rest on the seventh day and asked Muslims to show him where the Qur’an says they should rest on Fridays.
Buhari, as military Head of State, fought against corruption relentlessly by initiating a campaign called War Against Indiscipline. He sentenced all corrupt governors and ministers under the Shagari administration to jail. This, however, affected some innocent ones who found their names linked with corruption, but were later discharged and acquitted by the court. The most significant part was that Shagari and his vice Alex Ekwueme were locked up while they were been investigated.
As a politician, Buhari unsuccessfully ran for the office of the President in 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections. He had lost hope of winning election. But, luck smiled on him when the APC gave him the presidential ticket in 2015. He won the election by more than 2.5million votes. The incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat before the results from all 36 states had been announced. The election marked the first time an incumbent president was defeated in Nigeria.
While serving as Chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), Buhari refused to collect allowance. His reason was that his inner mind couldn’t let him as he is already drawing pension from the government. He remains a “folk hero “ to some for his vocal opposition to corruption
He supervised the establishment of the existing refineries. He built and operated two petrochemical refinery during his short stay in power.
Born on December 17, 1942 in Daura, Katsina State, Buhari was raised by his mother following the death of his father when he was only four years. He began his military bjourney at the age of 19 when joined the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) which was later renamed the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
Atiku came into political lime light in 1998 when he was elected Governor of Adamawa State. While still Governor-Elect, he was selected by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as his running mate. The duo won the election in February 1999 and Atiku was sworn- in as Nigeria’s second democratically elected vice president on May 29, 1999.
His second term as Vice President was marked by a stormy relationship with President Obasanjo. His bid to succeed his principal was rebuffed. It took a judgment of the Supreme Court to allow Atiku to contest in 2007 after he was initially disqualified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the grounds that he had been indicted for financial misconduct by an investigation panel set up at Obasnjo’s behest.
The Supreme Court ordered INEC to restore Atiku’s name onto the presidential ballot. He ran on the platform of the Action Congress Of Nigeria (ACN), having quit the PDP on account of his disagreement with Obasanjo. He lost the election placing third after Umaru Yar’Adua and Buhari.
The Nation
Buhari, Atiku: who will Nigerians choose?
LEKE SALAUDEEN by LEKE SALAUDEEN February 18, 2019
Buhari, Atiku: who will Nigerians choose?
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As Nigerians go to poll on Saturday, it appears the choice is between the presidential candidates of the two dominant parties, President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). LEKE SALAUDEEN look at the antecedents of the two candidates.
Nigerians with Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will file out on Saturday to elect a new president, who will direct the affairs of the country for another four years. Although 71 candidates are jostling for the highest office in the land, the race has been narrowed down to two main contenders. They are President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar , the standard flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDPP). Both of them represent the two dominant parties in the country.
What is unique about the two candidates is that both of them are from the north. They are Fulanis and Muslims. Buhari is a retired military officer while Atiku also retired from Nigeria Customs Service.
During his military career, Buhari had been Governor of the old North East which had been broken into Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba and Gombe States. He was also a minister for petroleum. In 1983, Buhari and the late Major General Tunde Idiagbon were selected to lead the country by middle and high- ranking military officers after a successful military coup that overthrew the civilian administration headed by Alhaji Shehu Shagari.
There was no religious crisis during his tenure. Despite the fact that people have often regarded him as a religious fanatic, he has proved not to be one. For instance, he exempted Christian military personnel from performing duties on Sundays. When he was asked to exempt Muslims from duties on Fridays, he replied saying the Bible says Christians should rest on the seventh day and asked Muslims to show him where the Qur’an says they should rest on Fridays.
Buhari, as military Head of State, fought against corruption relentlessly by initiating a campaign called War Against Indiscipline. He sentenced all corrupt governors and ministers under the Shagari administration to jail. This, however, affected some innocent ones who found their names linked with corruption, but were later discharged and acquitted by the court. The most significant part was that Shagari and his vice Alex Ekwueme were locked up while they were been investigated.
As a politician, Buhari unsuccessfully ran for the office of the President in 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections. He had lost hope of winning election. But, luck smiled on him when the APC gave him the presidential ticket in 2015. He won the election by more than 2.5million votes. The incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat before the results from all 36 states had been announced. The election marked the first time an incumbent president was defeated in Nigeria.
While serving as Chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), Buhari refused to collect allowance. His reason was that his inner mind couldn’t let him as he is already drawing pension from the government. He remains a “folk hero “ to some for his vocal opposition to corruption
He supervised the establishment of the existing refineries. He built and operated two petrochemical refinery during his short stay in power.
Born on December 17, 1942 in Daura, Katsina State, Buhari was raised by his mother following the death of his father when he was only four years. He began his military bjourney at the age of 19 when joined the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) which was later renamed the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).
Atiku came into political lime light in 1998 when he was elected Governor of Adamawa State. While still Governor-Elect, he was selected by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as his running mate. The duo won the election in February 1999 and Atiku was sworn- in as Nigeria’s second democratically elected vice president on May 29, 1999.
His second term as Vice President was marked by a stormy relationship with President Obasanjo. His bid to succeed his principal was rebuffed. It took a judgment of the Supreme Court to allow Atiku to contest in 2007 after he was initially disqualified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the grounds that he had been indicted for financial misconduct by an investigation panel set up at Obasnjo’s behest.
The Supreme Court ordered INEC to restore Atiku’s name onto the presidential ballot. He ran on the platform of the Action Congress Of Nigeria (ACN), having quit the PDP on account of his disagreement with Obasanjo. He lost the election placing third after Umaru Yar’Adua and Buhari.
Atiku was banned from travelling to the United States for corruption. He was implicated in an international bribery scandal along with William Jefferson and one of Atiku’s wives, Jennifer. In January 2017, the U.S. government in a statement said it would need the consent of Atiku before it can disclose the true state of his immigration status to the U.S. Atiku had always claim that his visa was still being processed. However, in recent times, Atiku in company of Senate President Bukola Saraki visited the U.S . with the aid of Brian Ballard.
Atiku’s first foray into politics was in the early 1980s, when he worked behind the scenes on the governorship campaign of Bamanga Tukur, who at that time was the Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority. He canvassed for votes on behalf of Tukur, and also donated to the campaign.
Towards the end of his Customs career, he met the late Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua who was second in command when Obasanjo was military Head of State. He was drawn by Yar’Adua into the political meetings that were held regularly in Yar’Adua’s Lagos home. In 1989, Atiku was elected National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Front of Nigeria (PFN), Yar’Adua’s political association. The PFN was denied registration by the Ibrahim Babangida administration. Atiku joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) one of the two parties decreed into existence by the regime.
He had his first presidential run in 1992 when he contested for the SDP presidential ticket. Atiku came third in the primary won by M.K.O. Abiola of blessed memory.
He won a seat to represent his constituency at the 1989 Constituent Assembly set up to decide a new Constitution for Nigeria.
In 2006, Atiku was involved in a bitter tussle with his boss, Obasanjo, who wanted to amend certain provision of the Constitution to pave way for his third term in office. He said Obasanjo in an attempt to justify his third term bid told him that “I left power 20 years ago, I left Mubarak of Egypt in office; I left Mugabe in office; I left Eyadema in office; I left Umar Bongo and Paul Biya and I came back and they are still in power, and I just did eight years and you are asking me to go, why?” Atiku said he told Obasanjo that Nigeria is not Libya, Egypt, Cameroun and Togo. I said you must leave; even if it means both of us lose out , but you can’t stay.
Culled from THE NATION
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