They both joined Shehu Musa Yar’adua Group called People’s Front of Nigeria PFN. PFN later merged forcefully with People’s Solidarity Party PSP of AZika and the marriage was pronounced by IBB’s decree.
Tinubu contested and won a Lagos senatorial election. But when IBB banned all old generation politicians just to disqualify Yar’adua, Yar’adua put Atiku forward to run for President. Prior to this time, Tinubu had jettisoned his Senate Presidential ambition to pave way for a Southern President. At the Jos convention, Abiola and Adedibu had a long meeting with Yar’adua to drop his boy Atiku from the race so that Kingibe would not defeat MKO in the primary. Yar’adua initially refused until people like Adedibu, Tinubu, Oladipo etc reminded him how they supported him against southerners before IBB disqualified him. Yar’adua eventually surrendered and Atiku backed down, not willingly.
IN 1999, Atiku won Adamawa Governorship Election, Tinubu won Lagos Governorship Election. OBJ picked Governor Elect Atiku as running mate, therefore, Atiku never had the opportunity of showing his capabilities to transform Adamawa. Whereas, Tinubu grabbed the opportunity and turned Lagos to 4th Economy in Africa while Adamawa became a den of terrorism until Buhari dislodged the terror. Boko haram that terrorised the state was formed in Borno during the regime of OBJ and Atiku but became a global worry under GEJ.
After 2003 election, when Obasanjo was molesting Atiku, Atiku ran to Tinubu his PFN brother for safety, he got it. Tinubu formed and funded a political party when OBJ technically expelled Atiku from PDP. Tinubu gave Atiku the platform. However, Atiku left thereafter to rejoin the PDP because Atiku couldn’t cope with the little beginning of the AC,
he wanted a ready made party. Tinubu must have told himself “Atiku is not following Yar’adua’s ethics. Yar’adua was never a political olosho”, Tinubu’s trust for Atiku evaporated. And when Atiku lost in the PDP again, he was stranded. Tinubu and Buhari formed APC, immediately Atiku saw APC, he left PDP officially and ran to Tinubu again. Buhari was afraid that Tinubu would jilt him for his PFN ally, despite many assurances, Buhari was sceptical until after Tinubu kept his promise at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos. That was when Atiku also realised that he has lost Tinubu’s trust!!! Atiku again went back to the PDP after the general elections.
Atiku has been moving in and out of the PDP like a celebrity marriage, whereas Tinubu has never been a PDP man for one day. Atiku is unstable politically, Tinubu is not just stable, his words are bankable, ask Buhari. Atiku is unlike Shehu Musa Yar’adua, ask Tinubu, ask OBJ and ask Nysome Wike.
2023 has brought the two students of the same teacher into a single contest, who actually got the best training and adhere strictly to it? Who has the magic wand of Tafida? Nigerians have to make a clear choice between faithfulness or Promiscuity. Between Selflessness and Selfishness. Between Tinubu’s Lagos Performance and Atiku’s VP performance. Between Tinubu’s ExxonMobil records and Atiku’s Customs Records.
Between a Dubai based politician and a Lagos Based National Leader!!!
FEBRUARY 2023……
Ayekooto Akindele wrote from Abuja