By Akindele Ayekooto
After IBB annulled the first set of party primaries in SDP and NRC, where it was obvious for Yar’adua (Shehu) and Ciroma(Adamu) to emerge respectively, he also proscribed the duo among others from participating in politics. Yar’adua then sponsored Atiku to run in his stead. Kingibe, the SDP chairman, backed by majority of the SDP governors, also threw his hat in the ring. Abiola, a business mogul from Abeokuta also joined the race.
The SW approached Yar’adua to support MKO Abiola, citing the fact that the zone also supported him in the annulled primary. But Yar’adua insisted on the first ballot and said that issue of support should be postponed until the first ballot is counted. Therefore, at the SDP Convention in Jos, 3 ballots were shared for each delegate. Vote for 3 candidates. Atiku wanted SW candidates to vote for him as the second person to Abiola. After the results were counted, Abiola narrowly came first, Kingibe second and Atiku third. Atiku was angry.
Then came the Second Ballot. Atiku was planning to scuttle Abiola’s chance by instructing his people to vote for Kingibe. If Atiku was allowed to do that, Abiola would lose in Jos. Atiku was 100% determined to stop Abiola at all cost. The SW leaders attempted to convince him, he refused because he knew that him not coming second in the first ballot wouldn’t make Abiola consider him as running mate, so instead, he would rather scuttle Abiola’s chances despite the fact that doing so as well won’t make him Vice President of Kingibe too. He wasn’t going to change!
A notable SW Leader then placed a call to Shehu Musa Yar’adua, who was in Kaduna. He couldn’t come to Jos due to his political ban by IBB. SW leader reminded Yar’adua of their enormous support for him during the annulled primaries and how they abandoned Falae to support him. Yar’adua promised to come to Jos that same day. Despite the terrible state of Jos-Kaduna road at that time, Yar’adua got to Jos that night because the second ballot was on the following day.
Yar’adua lodged at one of his associates guest house in Jos. The following morning, the following SW leaders were at the door of Yar’adua knocking……Lamidi Adedibu, Dosu Oladipo and MKO Abiola. The knocking was hard…..”Minini?” Yar’adua shouted. The leaders replied “We are the one (with all names mentioned)”. Yar’adua opened the door but before the meeting started, he sent for Atiku Abubakar. Atiku was ushered in thereafter. In that room, there was no chair, only one bed. Yar’adua, Adedibu, Abiola sat on the bed while Oladipo and Atiku sat on the rug.
Yar’adua looked at Atiku, and the two began to converse, not in English, not in hausa. It was in fulfude! They spoke for 30 minutes until Atiku began to cry. Eventually the conversation changed to English, Atiku didn’t stop crying, he was determined to ruin Abiola’s chance but Shehu had prevailed forcefully on him. Abiola stood up, dragged Atiku up from the rug, Abiola used his agbada to wipe off Atiku’s tears. It was time for convention. Abiola won!
RIP MKO, RIP Yar’adua, RIP Adedibu. Longlife Atiku and Oladipo. Longlife the Federal Republic of Nigeria 🇳🇬
Happy Democracy Day.