ADC’S presidential campaign council replete of political clowns & discredited politicians, by Kola Amzat 

When the head is rotten, do Nigerians expect otherwise from his political faithful and adherents?

Do we expect Turakin Adamawa to populate his party’s Presidential Campaign Council with decent, credible and people of exemplary character? This would be a mirage! It would never happen!

This really accounts for the composition of the party’s Campaign Council with politicians that are politically bankrupt.

Let’s run through the political antecedents of the Turakin Adawawa which to all intents and purposes, is STAINED with corruption and financial infractions:

The ex-vice president is a widely acclaimed political figure with malfeanse and an incredibly long list of financial improprieties.

His, is a very questionable and unbelievable unsavoury political antecedent, as well as civil service records tainted with corruption.

He had served in the Custom Services at the same time when he was hugely involved in engaging in high-octane smuggling businesses within Idi-Iroko and Imeko corridors, acts that completely run contrary to the Civil Service ethics, traditions and procedures.

From the Customs, he was shown the exit door after a panel of enquiry found him totally culpable and guilty of allegations of impropriety involving the Nigerian Intels Services, originally a wholly owned Nigeria Company before the ex-vice president was accused to have balkanized it.

Even though his dismissal as a result of the above infractions was converted to retirement with the influence and intervention of his political benefactor, the late Sheu Yar’Adua, the lid had already been blown open.

Of course Nigerians would never forgive Atiku for the havoc he wreaked onto the nation during the privatization exercise, selling all the country’s monuments and key assets to his cronies and phoney companies, while presiding as Chairman of Privatization exercise.

There are other financial misdeeds and revelations that gave him out as high-tech and corruption personified.

The Jefferson case that indeed knotted him into the deep ocean of profligacy and money laundering, coupled with the findings of of the EFCC on the PTDF under his stewardship, are a cesspool of corruption which in a saner clime would have caused him to be prosecuted and ultimately convicted for a long-term jail.

Also, following the damning revelations and expositions of Atiku’s former aide-Michael Achimugu, the Turakin Adamawa ought to have bagged life in jail, cooling his feet forever at the correctional centre.

But, this is a country of contradictions where impossibilities occupy the seat meant for possibilities; where saints are crucified; and hugely guilty ones are voted into power and authority.

Of course, ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo’s damning submissions on Atiku is food for thought for Nigerians.

The retired General characterized Atiku as possessing a high propensity for corruption, a tendency for disloyalty, poor judgement, and a readiness to sacrifice the national assignments for selfish gains. What other revelations are Nigerians waiting for to call off Atiku’s bluff?  

So why should Nigerians expect that Turakin Adamawa would populate his Presidential Campaign Council with men and women of proven integrity & conduct, morally uprightness, with selflessness and accountability as their watchwords? It would never happen!

Nigerians are therefore less-disappointed with ADC’s Presidential Campaign Council with funny names like Nasir El-Rufai, Dino Melaye, Ireti Kingibe, Lauretta Onochie, Dele Momodu and coy. What an assemblage of clowns!

It’s in the public domain that El-Rufai’s reign in Kaduna was never salutary as it was tainted with human blood.

His regime was characterized with wanton destruction of property and human carnage, leaving on his trail several hundreds of victims, particularly people in Southern Kaduna on account of his persistent inflammatory pronouncements and declarations, wholly targeting Kaduna South people with rhetorics aimed at deepening ethnic and religious fissues.

During his reign as governor, he derived maximum pleasure in demolition of political opponents’ properties. He reveled, and with immense joy in demolishing markets and other means of citizenry livelihood.

El-Rufai arbitrarily dismissed numerous traditional rulers and district heads. This he executed with reckless abandon.

One of his trademarks in governance was periodic retrenchment of civil servants in thousands, and deliberately withholding their benefits.  

In his height of glory, El-Rufai was practically defiant to the Judiciary arm of government. He never obeyed court orders. He also made education exclusive to the privileged fews.

The climax of his discredited regime was the squandering of $500 million loan facility he contracted for numerous projects on behalf of Kaduna state, as well as embezzlement of about ₦485 billion of the state hard-earned resources, the infractions that have NECESSITATED his present travails.

This is the man that incongruous Atiku Abubakar has made  Deputy Chairman of ADC’s Presidential Campaign Council.        

Dino Melaye is another political figure with a very shady and questionable past.

Some years ago Sahara Reporters reported that he didn’t have a degree from Harvard University as he claimed. Some few days after, he made an appearance in one of national TV programs and embarrassed Nigerians with a dubious claim that anyone who had attended an Institution for two weeks course and obtained a certificate was a GRADUATE.   

Was it not the same Dino Melaye that jumped out of the police vehicle, feigning death, and thereby causing pandemonium in Abuja, when he was apprehended by the security team for being in possession of illegal arms and even aiding the kidnappers and funding criminality?

Nigerians recollect vividly that he had severally featured with many luxury and very expensive cars, women in nudity, and also having in possession of bundles of $100 been thrown around and flaunted, in a country where poverty level is simply horrendous.

The Kogi born politician once made spurious claims and allegations of assassination plot, as well as threatened to beat up and impregnate a female Senator.

Of course, Nigerians are living witnesses to how ignominious and disgraceful his stint in the House of Reps ended; he was stripped and bundled out of the national assembly and was never allowed to return for that legislative cycle.

This is the man Atiku has assigned a key role of mobilization of voters  in ADC’s Presidential Campaign Council.

As for Ireti Kingibe, this is one Senator that was accused of withholding and diverting huge funds meant for campaign activities during the recently concluded FCT local government elections.

She was accused by ADC bloc within the FCT that she indeed assembled all the ADC aspirants for the purpose of bribing them after they’d all lost the elections, making passionate appeals to them to cover her misdeeds.

Of course, Wike Nyesom-FCT, minister had harsh words for the senator.

He branded her as illiterate and affirmed that she would never make her way back to the senate chambers. Wike went further that when the time comes, she would pack her bags out of the senate chambers, affirming to her that the FCT electorates have already resolved to return APC candidate-Phillip Aduda to the Upper Chamber in her stead. Interestingly, this is one of Atiku Abubakar’s best eleven.

Meanwhile, Ms Lauretta Onochie who also made the ADC Presidential Campaign Council has long remained a very controversial political figure, a development that once necessitated her rejection by the senate for the Federal appointment she nominated by the deceased president-Muhammed Buhari.

Infact, President Bola Tinubu disbanded the Board and Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) led by her, and in its place, appointed new board members headed by Chiedu Ebie from Delta State.

There were justifiable and cogent reasons for the above decision by the president.

Instructively, incongruous Madam Lauretta is also one of the key figures Atiku is casting his loins.

Nigerians could see for themselves those who populate the membership of ADC’s Presidential Campaign Council.

This is a party desirous of taking the mantle of power and authority from the ruling party-APC.

It’s important to re-emphasise that the ADC party is an accidental arrangement, hijacked from the original founders.

Since the party came into existence, it’s been a regime of controversies, as the party have been completely overwhelmed with litigations left, right and centre.

Are Nigerians not curious that the party’s National Secretary, as well as Publicity Secretary not listed and involved in the Presidential Campaign Council?

Are Nigerians also not embarrassed that David Mark, the party National Chairman is just a figure head, with absolutely no power and authority whatsoever?

ADC starts and ends with Atiku Abubakar. This is the party that wants to rule Nigeria! This is how Atiku Abubakar would be conducting proceedings at the Villa, if he ever makes it to the presidency!

Never!Never!!Never!!!

Kola AMZAT (FCA, FCIB, ACS, ACTIN, MBA, Bsc),

Lagos based Financial & Management Consultants,

09077509348.