2023: Atiku In Fresh Trouble After Aides Assault Journalists

By James Orji

For Atiku Abubakar, a Presidential aspirant under the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, it’s one week one problem.

Barely a week after the PDP Presidential hopeful ran into controversy over his decision to delete a tweet where he had condemned the brutal murder of Deborah Samuel, a Christian student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto,  by Islamic fundamentalists who accused her of blasphemy, the former Vice President has ran into another storm. This time his problem is not with a tweet he inexplicably deleted, it is with Journalists who he gave a raw deal.

According to reports, the former number two citizen ordered journalists out of the Plateau State Secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, when he visited on Monday to meet with the State leadership and delegates to solicit their support for his 2023 Presidential bid.

Atiku had arrived at the PDP Secretariat where he met journalists who were, naturally, there to cover the event. But to the shock of all present, especially the Journalists, Atiku ordered them to leave. “I have no business with you here. I came to see the delegates, not you”, Atiku a serial Presidential candidate, said.

Following his order, his security aides went on rampage, chasing the shocked journalists away. In the process they damaged a number of gadgets belonging to Journalists.

Some reporters who were subjected to brutality by Atiku’s action, and his disposition to Journalists who had helped him in his stormy political career, were left wondering what pushed him and his Aides to behave in such an uncivilised manner.

“It’s so unfortunate that someone who has benefitted immensely from the media allowed Journalists to be subjected to this kind of humiliation. Even when you don’t want them to cover an event, there’s a way to do it instead of unleashing your security Aides on them to beat them up,” one of those who witnessed the incident said.

Atiku, who is contesting the Presidential seat for the fifth time was, last week, taken to the cleaners by many Nigerians over what they described as his cowardice. He had earlier condemned the gruesome murder of Deborah who was stoned to death by her school mates for an alleged blasphemy but Atiku later recanted, took down his tweet, when some Islamic Fundamentalists threatened not to vote for him in the 2023 Presidential election if he gets the PDP ticket.

“There can not be a justification for such gruesome murder. Deborah Yakubu was murdered, and all those behind her death must be brought to justice. My condolences to her family and friends,” Atiku said in his tweet.

He later took down the tweet, and claimed he did not authorise it. He, also, allegedly, fired a Media Aide over it.

However, not a few people who followed the development expressed shock at Atiku’s reaction, Many said his ability to lead the country as Commander- in- chief, is in doubt.

The country, his critics say, need a fearless leader who will deal with issues objectively without pandering to religious or ethnic sentiments. He has not been able to defend his action since then, no matter how much he has tried. Said one of his loyalists: “He has dealt his credibility a bad blow.”