By Pascal Oparada
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, is not leaving any stone unturned in his quest to actualize his ambition of becoming Nigeria’s next president.
In a open reply to comedian, Francis Agoda, popularly known as I Go Dye, Atiku succinctly articulated his achievements while he served as Vice President under President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007 and his desire to provide a better deal to Nigerian youths.
I Go Dye had, in an open letter to the former Vice President on Instagram, accused him of whipping up sentiments in order to lure the youths into voting for him.
I Go Dye said, “Don’t use sentimental empathy on the youths to express your political ambitions”.
The comedian said Atiku has benefited from Nigeria immensely, having been in the Customs for 20 years and retiring as a Deputy Director.
I Go Dye said, “Your bucket sure looks good having been employed as a youth at 23 years of age”.
Atiku took on I Go Dye point for point. He said the comedian is right because the older generations have failed the youths.
“Firstly, you are right”, Atiku told I Go Dye. “The Nigerian youth have often been taken for granted, and almost every leader in our history has taken young people for granted. But it’s important to point out how this started — for people like me who saw Independence; our leadership was mostly driven by young people. Then came the coups, and the civil war, and then more coups.”
Sounding Millennial
Atiku kept up the conversation by sounding millennial. He said for any leader to successfully understand the Nigerian youth they have to understand what drives them.
“I tell people my age that to understand young Nigerians, we need to understand the difference between Nigerian and Naija. Naija embodies the hopes and dreams of young Nigerians, the country they love and long to go home to when they are abroad. Naija is the country that brings them pride in music, film, comedy, fashion, and technology. It is the country of Wiz Kid, Asa, DavidO, Tuface, the Olympic Bobsled team, Iwobi and Don Jazzy.
“Nigeria on the other hand, is the country of their parents, the country where leaders are constantly failing them, of Boko Haram, of herdsmen violence, of recessions and joblessness. Our young people need us to make our country live up to the aspirations of Naija by fixing the problems associated with Nigeria”.
Left in the cold
The comedian had accused Atiku of not doing enough to help the youths while he served as VP.
On this Atiku said while he served as Vice President, he was in charge of the economy and assembled the best economic team the country has ever had. He said he brought in many young people to serve in then government.
“I think it’s important to address the accusation about my tenure as Vice President, that I did nothing for young people. Firstly, as VP, I can only be judged on the responsibilities I was given. A VP obviously is not the driver of government. For example, you can’t blame Prof Osinbajo for all that is going on with the current government. He can only do what he’s allowed to do.”
The former Vice President went on to reel out his achievements while he served under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
From privatisation to the telecomms revolution, Atiku told the comedian the important roles he played.
He said he couldn’t do much in the second term because he was largely frozen out in the government because he prevented Obasanjo from getting a third term in office.
Atiku said the events in Zimbabwe has vindicated his earlier position with Obasanjo.
On Intels.
The comedian said Atiku fell out with the current government largely because of his interests in Intels, a logistics company owned by Atiku.
“The current revocation of the NPA contract with Intel, your company, is the major issue, I Go Dye said.
Atiku said Intel was formed to address the logistics problem in the oil industry in Nigeria and that he never believed it could grow to where it is today. He said the bulk of the workforce in Intel are mainly young Nigerians.
Atiku extended an invitation to the comedian to visit him and take a tour of his many companies.
The former Vice President had in a broadcast, where he announced his defection back to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC of failing Nigerian youths by not creating enough jobs.
Atiku has been known in times to court the attention of young Nigerians, especially those in the arts, sports and entertainment.
He congratulated Wiz Kid on his recent achievements at the recently concluded MOBO awards, where the musician scooped the Best International Act award.
He also congratulated the Nigerian Bobsled team which qualified for the Winter Olympics billed to take place next year in South Korea.
His latest engagements with I Go Dye, a young Nigerian, is seen as an effort to draw in the youth populace.