By Oyinkansayo Wole-Bodunde.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-governors Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, have stated their commitment to removing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from power in 2027.
Three of them spoke at a public lecture marking Amaechi’s 60th birthday in Abuja, themed “Weaponisation of poverty as a means of underdevelopment: A case study of Nigeria.”
Atiku mentioned the issue of poverty, stating an example from Kano where people were sleeping on the streets and under bridges. He said, “I never saw people sleeping outside or outside their shops because then, there were no bridges or flyovers. Recently, I saw people sleeping on the streets and under the bridges who were driven out by poverty.” Atiku emphasized that the current government is “weaponising poverty” and that their coalition aims to stop this.
Amaechi expressed his reasons for not supporting President Bola Tinubu in 2023, saying, “I told Tinubu in Yola, I will not support you; I will not work for you. I did not work for him; I did not vote for him. It was the issue of capacity.” He criticized the government’s handling of poverty and the economy. He said, “They are weaponising poverty by stealing the money they should have used to build hospitals and schools.” Amaechi also shared his experience of being detained in Germany due to his Nigerian passport. He said, “I’m ashamed; I was detained in Germany for 30 minutes. I did nothing; I was going for a medical check-up.”
El-Rufai expressed disappointment in Nigerians for electing leaders who do not serve the people’s interests. He said, “We are in this coalition to put Nigeria back on the right track.” Cardinal John Onaiyekan advised politicians to view their role as a service to God, focusing on uplifting citizens’ lives.
The Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, shared his experience of encountering poverty firsthand since becoming Emir. He said, “Many of the elite in Nigeria do not know what poverty is. As an economist and former CBN governor, I see the numbers. I did not know poverty until I became Emir.” He questioned whether leaders truly care for the people or just about ruling. He asked, “Do we actually love the people, or do we just love ruling over them? What are our priorities?”
Prof. Usman Yusuf attributed the country’s multidimensional poverty to corruption and bad governance, emphasizing the need for citizens to demand better leadership. Dr. Chidi Amuta, the guest lecturer, noted that Africa’s democracy has been stunted due to poor people being subjected to formal democracy without economic empowerment.
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-governors, and other notable politicians.
