UNMASKING THE MAN, ATIKU

By NBF News

The Atiku Abubakar Organisation has been busy in recent times. The office is doing everything to recreate the image of the Adamawa-born politician as a 'democrat', who has served his father land 'meritoriously'.

In one of the many advertorials sponsored by the obviously well-funded campaign organization, the campaign office claimed, without batting an eyelid, that Atiku, 'single-handedly nurtured, nourished and protected Nigeria's democracy'

Also, responding to questions as to the source of his stupendous wealth, one of Atiku's spin doctors also wrote; 'many know that Vice President Atiku Abubakar is a wealthy man. They also know that he had acquired considerable wealth prior to the time he became the nation's number two man.'

Atiku himself told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that he had become stupendously rich 'through wise investments, hard work and sheer luck of being in the right place at the right time'. Hmmn!!!

Being at the right place at the right time indeed. Yes, while it is not in doubt that Atiku has served Nigeria in different capacities at different times, many Nigerians would want to ask: what manner of service did Atiku render?

Lest we forget, before Atiku became the Vice President in 1999, he had spent about 20 years as an official of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), where he became a Deputy Comptroller General, last rank before the organisation's overall boss .

Recently, Atiku moved his United States of America (USA)-based wife, Jennifer Douglas, and his children to Dubai, United Arab Emirate. In a recent interview, he was asked the reason behind such move and Atiku said Jennifer, his fourth wife, only went to Dubai to take up a job offer. What he failed to say, however, is that there is the threat of a US arrest warrant hanging on both his neck and that of his wife, Jennifer.

But how can he expect us to forget so easily the many controversies that trailed Jennifer's days in the US?

How can Nigerians also forget that barely few months after becoming the Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku violated part one of the fifth schedule of the 1999 Constitution which prohibits public officers from having foreign bank accounts and owing assets abroad.

In a blatant disrespect for the law of the land, Atiku bought a mansion in highbrow Potomac, Maryland for $1,750,000 (one million seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars) in the name of the controversial Jennifer Douglas.

Dibiana, of National Stability platform, is based in Abuja.