DEBATING ATIKU'S STRENGTH AND WEAKNESSES

INTRODUCTION

First Published on this Blog on September 8, 2013, and on my Facebook on September 8, 2017. Following the victory of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the recent PDP Presidential Primaries, an elderly friend on Facebook who participated in the debate during its initial publication in 2017, revisited the essay. \That prompted another round of debates, as you can see below. After reading this short essay and the accompanying debates or discussions, you will no longer search for the origin of ATIKULATE. It all began on my Facebook Timeline by Yours Truly. Happy reading.

Atiku's Strengths and Weaknesses is an excerpt from a 2013 essay on The Progressive Option.

"Since the exit of President Obasanjo, Atiku is the only political leader on the scene who can articulate his motivations in power - what his goals are as a President."

"His clarity of thought on public affairs is outstanding. I want to be very frank and honest here; the fact that the materials on his campaign website or his published interviews were put together by advisers or consultants is irrelevant. Irrelevant because his opponents cannot boast of similar contents or thought it prudent to put together similar materials."

"How can you be an effective performer if you cannot conceive or develop a coherent narrative for the office that you seek to occupy? I have no doubt in my mind that Atiku is much better than his peers in that aspect - that is, on "why I want to be President." 

"His major weakness, allegations of corrupt practices aside, is his unwillingness to ruffle heads or be seen to be overtly antagonistic. 

He should have taken a lesson from South Africa's main man, Jacob Zuma, on how to game the process legitimately. When Zuma's time came, he stood firm - no scandal manufactured by man or self-inflicted can take my title away from me. He was battle-ready, emerged onto the scene gallantly like a true warrior and got his Presidential title." 

"For instance, when Obasanjo was using EFCC and INEC to disqualify and un-disqualify Atiku years ago from running for the Presidential ticket under PDP, he should have taken his fight to the street - the people. He did not do that, and he paid for it badly." 

"Atiku is a management and administrative strategist. No question about that. But politically speaking, he is no Mr. "If You Tarka Me, I Will Daboh You." That is the number one problem he must first overcome.

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