Why Nigeria needs to be re-structured

Why Nigeria needs to be re-structured
Post Date September 1, 2018
Comments 34 Comments
Author
Category Democracy, Nigeria, Politics, The Economy, Uncategorized

In a recent interaction in the United States, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo asserted that the “problem with our country is not a matter of restructuring…and we must not allow ourselves to be drawn into the argument that our problems stem from some geographic re-structuring”.

It is a surprise that the Vice President would take such a position and, in particular, fail to appreciate the connection between Nigeria’s defective structure and its underperformance.

It is unhelpful to reduce the construct of “Restructuring” to a geographical …

Read More »

How jobs, stronger economy can unite Nigerians, stem sectarian strife

How jobs, stronger economy can unite Nigerians, stem sectarian strife
Post Date March 12, 2018
Comments 23 Comments
Author
Category Agriculture, Business, Democracy, History, Leadership, Nigeria, Personal Thoughts, Politics, Security

Over the last few months, our nation has had to reopen a fresh chapter in the conversation on internal security, peace and unity in the wake of renewed violence in the North Central and North East of our country. These sad episodes have not only led to questions by young Nigerians (and Nigerians as a whole) around the effectiveness of our security structure, but also questions about the integrity of Nigeria’s unity.

Unity is not something we just have because we are Nigerians, or because someone …

Read More »

Black Panther – A good film with many lessons for Nigeria

Black Panther – A good film with many lessons for Nigeria
Post Date March 5, 2018
Comments 28 Comments
Author
Category Democracy, Education, Leadership, Security

Over the weekend, I joined my children to watch the much talked about ‘Black Panther’. It was a good film, and I was happy they took me to see it. However, I came out of the movie theatre a little upset.

When the first scenes came up, and I saw “Sambisa Forest” I was unhappy that the only reference the film makers could have for Nigeria was a negative one, but I was later encouraged by the thought of Africans solving African problems. That is a …

Read More »

Dear I Go Dye, You Are Right, But We Can Fix Nigeria Together

Dear I Go Dye, You Are Right, But We Can Fix Nigeria Together
Post Date December 7, 2017
Comments 115 Comments
Author
Category Democracy, History, Leadership, Nigeria, Personal Thoughts, Politics, The Economy

Dear I Go Dye,

I read your post on Instagram. It was hard to miss it because it was on every major news website. I would like to say that you were mostly right. The questions you raised in your post are similar to the ones I have been asked by other young people on social media, so I am replying this not just to you as a person, but to all young Nigerians who have asked similar questions.

Firstly, you are right. The Nigerian youth have often …

Read More »

Restructuring for A United and Progressive Nigeria

Restructuring for A United and Progressive Nigeria
Post Date July 19, 2017
Comments 49 Comments
Author
Category Democracy, Nigeria, Personal Thoughts, Politics, Speeches, The Issues

This is the transcript of my speech at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka on the occasion of the Senior Staff Club Lecture Series on Restructuring Nigeria/Award of Excellence in Good Governance on me and my Investiture as Life Member of the Senior Staff Club, University of Nigeria,  Nsukka.
Wednesday 19th July, 2017.

 

Protocol:

 

Let me begin with a rhetorical question: why do I, Atiku Abubakar, favour a restructured Nigeria?

The answer is simple: because I am proudly Nigerian and favour a united Nigeria that offers every man, …

Read More »

Congratulations, General Muhammadu Buhari as #NigeriaDecides

Congratulations, General Muhammadu Buhari as #NigeriaDecides
Post Date March 31, 2015
Comments 23 Comments
Author
Category Democracy, History, Leadership, Nigeria, Politics

Congratulatory message by Atiku Abubakar, GCON, former Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the election of president-elect, His Excellency, General Muhammadu Buhari.

My hearty congratulations to His Excellency, General Muhammadu Buhari, for being elected the next president of our beloved county, Nigeria. You have led our party, the All Progressives Congress to an unprecedented victory within two years of it’s official formation, and in so doing, written the most important chapter of our democracy.

The great Nnamdi Azikiwe once wrote that “history will continue to vindicate the …

Read More »

At Easter, we must imbibe the spirit of love, wherever we may come from

At Easter, we must imbibe the spirit of love, wherever we may come from
Post Date April 19, 2014
Comments 10 Comments
Author
Category Democracy, Leadership, Nigeria, Personal Thoughts, Security, Uncategorized

As we celebrate the Christian season of Easter, I would love to enjoin Christians, and indeed all Nigerians, to internalise the spiritual gains and benefits of the season for an improved society. This is the only path to enthroning a Nigeria where the basic human rights of the rich and poor are respected and upheld, and where citizens can dwell in peace and safety.

We need to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers and, above all, make sacrifice an integral part of our existence. That is …

Read More »

My PTDF Story

My PTDF Story
Post Date March 25, 2014
Comments 40 Comments
Author
Category Democracy, History, Nigeria, Personal Thoughts, The Economy

I was recently mentioned in a tweet by a follower, @naigerian, who was asking about alleged mismanagement of PTDF funds. For the benefit of @naigerian and other citizens of Nigeria, I will explain how the PTDF was designed to work, and what happened during my time in office.

In order to understand the issue of the PTDF, I should point out that the laws establishing PTDF was designed such that the fund itself could not be directly spent. The PTDF as a fund could only be drawn …

Read More »

Free Secondary Education the way to go for Northern Nigeria

Free Secondary Education the way to go for Northern Nigeria
Post Date March 9, 2014
Comments 10 Comments
Author
Category Democracy, Education, Nigeria, Personal Thoughts, The Issues

On March 3, I read a piece of news which has given me great joy, in the midst of all the bad news coming out of Northern Nigeria. The governors of Northern Nigeria have decided to abolish school fees in secondary schools across the region.

I remember back in the year 2000, while serving as Vice President, I convened the Northern Education Summit, at which far reaching recommendations were made. As the highest ranking elected leader form the northern states, I saw it as my responsibility …

Read More »

Have You Registered With APC?

Have You Registered With APC?
Post Date February 9, 2014
Comments 15 Comments
Author
Category Democracy, Leadership, Nigeria

What you need to do:
Go to the nearest INEC polling center to you with two passport photographs. There will be an APC registration center there. You must be at least 18 years of age to be registered.
Find the nearest polling booth to you HERE

When:
From Wednesday 5th February to Wednesday 12th February 2014

Why you need to register:
1. An opportunity to join a platform for truly positive change in Nigeria, and become part of an exciting community of change agents.
2. An opportunity for you to move from talking to doing #GetInvolved
3. As a …

Read More »

2014: My thoughts on Nigeria, politics, elections and social media

2014: My thoughts on Nigeria, politics, elections and social media
Post Date January 11, 2014
Comments 27 Comments
Author
Category Democracy, Leadership, Nigeria, Personal Thoughts

2014 is an important year for Nigeria. 100 years ago this year, what is today known as Nigeria came into being, after the amalgamation of the territories known as the Northern and Southern Protectorates.

It is also an important year for the world, being the centenary of the start of the 1st World War.

For me personally it marks the silver jubilee of my retirement from the Nigeria Customs Service, as Deputy Director, the second highest office in the Service. On the 28th of April 1989 I …

Read More »

Never take unity for granted

Never take unity for granted
Post Date January 1, 2014
Comments 7 Comments
Author
Category Democracy, History, Leadership, Nigeria, Personal Thoughts, Security

As we mark the centenary celebration of the amalgamation of the Lagos colony with the Northern and Southern Protectorates by the British Colonial occupier forming one country, Nigerians need to pat each other on the back for we have truly come a long way. However, we must redouble our efforts towards building a stronger and more united Nigeria rather than concentrating energies on division or breakup.

The recent clamor by some of Nigeria’s leaders for a renegotiation of the continued being of Nigeria are dishonest and …

Read More »

Nigeria has potential to kick out poverty

Nigeria has potential to kick out poverty
Post Date October 18, 2013
Comments 7 Comments
Author
Category Democracy, Nigeria, The Economy, Uncategorized

Yesterday (October 17), in honour of the United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, I asked the people of Nigeria to support our young people and the future that lies ahead. In our young men and women lies the capacity to eradicate poverty and to change the path of Nigeria’s future for the better. In our government lies the capacity to help them achieve it.

Poverty does not simply have one solution; rather it requires the concerted application of many solutions. Nigeria has vast …

Read More »

At Independence, a problem-solving approach

At Independence, a problem-solving approach
Post Date October 1, 2013
Comments 18 Comments
Author
Category Democracy, Education, Leadership

As we celebrate the 53rd anniversary of our independence as a country we cannot ignore the crushing weight of our challenges as a country.

Understandably, there are a lot of complaining voices. And I’m speaking from experience, as a former political office holder now active on Facebook and Twitter, and often the object of a lot of anger and frustration.

When you’re a University student forced to sit at home for months, due to no fault of yours, I realize that it is difficult to understand why …

Read More »

I will never stop fighting for democracy. Here is why…

I will never stop fighting for democracy. Here is why…
Post Date September 15, 2013
Comments 128 Comments
Author
Category Democracy

On the night of April 19, 2007, I sat with the head of my media team in a long conversation over dinner. It was a light-hearted conversation about many things: family, religion, and history. We joked about a recent visit by a friend, and the recent pranks by his youngest child. Everything but politics.

This might sound strange because that was two nights before the 2007 Presidential Elections, and we were about to lose. It was my first, and only, run in a general election for …

Read More »

Social media may yet change governance in Africa

Social media may yet change governance in Africa
Post Date August 18, 2013
Comments 65 Comments
Author
Category Democracy

I have recently had to answer many questions from friends and contemporaries, seeking to understand why I decided to join social media and expose myself to potential fire from young Nigerians. This is mostly because people who have known me for a long time know me to be a rather quiet person.

But the reality is that over the last months, I have learned that the positives of social media participation far outweigh the negatives.

Social media is where young people, the bulk of Nigeria’s population, gather …

Read More »

OPED: Atiku Abubakar: Nigeria must allow every citizen to vote

OPED: Atiku Abubakar: Nigeria must allow every citizen to vote
Post Date August 1, 2013
Comments 0 Comments
Author
Category Democracy

Originally published in the Daily Post
Image Credit: www.ap.org

By Atiku Abubakar

Democracy is not bestowed on a society over night. It is a process by which the citizens and their government perpetually negotiate over the tenants upon which that society operates. By 2015, Nigeria will have been on its democratic journey for 16 years, and despite progress towards a more democratic future I fear that apathy towards the arduous journey has set in and we are swiftly losing the sight of our goals…

 

… it is imperative that every Nigerian citizen of …

Read More »

OPED: Atiku Abubakar: Reform and reconciliation

OPED: Atiku Abubakar: Reform and reconciliation
Post Date June 23, 2013
Comments 2 Comments
Author
Category Democracy

Originally published in the Daily Post

By Atiku Abubakar

… I am one of the founding fathers of the PDP. I cannot afford to be indifferent to these regretful developments within my party whereby people are treated according to their loyalty to certain interests. The selective suspension and restoration of party membership, the preoccupation with all sorts of designs for 2015 and the escalation of sectarian and tribal threats over the up-coming election is embarrassing for the image of our Party and our country. These can only …

Read More »