PDP finally ‘Atikulated’

The encomiums and jubilations have not ceased pouring in following his victory at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Primary held at Port Harcourt, Rivers State a fortnight ago.

That topic appears to be a closing line of a statement made and indeed it will soon be found to be so, in practical terms in Nigeria, all things being equal.

As far as imaginative comparison is concerned, the landside victory which Atiku Abubakar, Turaki Adamawa, had over the other 11 presidential contestants, is remarkably reminiscent of the victory Nigeria Super Eagles had over Argentina during Semi Final match at the 1996 USA Olympic tournament.

Atiku’s victory speaks volume on the tentative outcome of the fast-approaching general election in Nigeria come next year February 2019.

Without controversy, the coast is clear for him. The die is cast, apparently. The mirror that sees beyond our nose seems to have foreseen things to his favour.
 
It all started so roughly, almost un-predictably for him. Yes, indeed in this life, no amount of success or achievement is truly realised on a platter of gold.

There are valleys, barriers, distractions, disruptions, detractors, – all rightly regarded as the wilderness experience, which the sojourner must encounter.  
Abubakar tried many waters. Yes, he went hither and thither, perhaps trying to gain equilibrium in his resoluteness for the political consolidation.

The issue of party defection and cross-carpeting in Nigeria is not the exclusive to him.

That cliché that “the end justifies the means” and another saying that ‘the people deserves the leaders they get at any point in time’, are quite instructive here. 

The 2019 general election in Nigeria would give all Nigerians an opportunity to reflect.

Nigerians who are bold will tell each other that this great nation has never had it so bad, PDP, the party on whose platform the next president may  emerge, too, had its own wilderness experience.

It provided a platform for the return to democratic government in Nigeria in 1999 and stepped  aside after 16 consecutive years in power. 
 
But now, from the benefits of hindsight, it is very obvious that the then main opposition party pre-2015 and now the incumbent party All Progressives Congress (APC) was not really adequately prepared to take on the reins of power and national responsibility. 
 
The failure is huge, calamitous and barely irreparable. But with God on the side of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), nothing shall be impossible.

Nigerians shall no longer be slaughtered in their homes and business places while others are famished to death.

Our economy shall recover, not on our television screens and newspaper pages only, but also  evidently on our bank accounts, on our individual and family dining tables, and indeed, on our entire well-being.

We shall, for once, be proud to belong to Nigeria as not just a potentially great country but become one during our lifetime. 
 
To the call to salvage Nigeria, Abubakar must respond patriotically, passionately and perseveringly.

To the service to all Nigerians irrespective of your religious association, political affiliation and regional and sectional identity and social status, he is imbued with the altruistic motives and readiness to render.

He has come well-equipped for the onerous task and audacious job, only let Nigerians offer him the rare opportunity, by voting for him massively on the presidential election day.
 
• Steve Obum Orajiaku, a freelance journalist, wrote from Lagos. 
steveobum@gmail.co