An Open Letter to His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, the Wazirin Adamawa.

May I plead your indulgence sir, to write and advise you on the present political realities in Nigeria. Considering the way you operate, I am sure that your stockpile of intellectual surrogates is limitless, hence you may not have time to read and heed to the advice of a political lightweight like me.

Sir, I supported you in 2011 before the PDP presidential primary election of that electoral cycle. I did that based on the principle of equity and fair play. However, you lost the ticket to incumbent President Jonathan. The President strode to victory in the general election. A very big political lesson was obvious from Jonathan’s victory: the North cannot win a presidential election against a Southern incumbent that has the support of the entire South.

Before the 2015 presidential election, you pulled out of the PDP to join the APC. That was your second political goal of the 4th Republic. Your first goal was your battle against Obasanjo, a confirmed “Walking Illegality” of extreme pedigree. You contested the APC ticket and lost to Buhari at Teslim Balogun Stadium. Buhari went on to win the general election and another obvious political lesson was learned: a Northern challenge against a Southern incumbent can only succeed with the backing of at least one political zone from the South. I hope I’m making sense to you, Sir.

Then we arrived quickly at the 2019 presidential election. You were well prepared for the challenge. In fact, the entire Southern wing of the PDP conceded the ticket to Northern Nigeria. If you recall, sir, you assembled us at POLA (Political Academy), a political think tank established by Sen. Gbenga Daniel, located in Shagamu, Ogun State. You arrived with Mr. Peter Gregory Obi and declared your intention to run for the 2019 presidential election. We all supported you and backed you all the way to the congress venue in Port Harcourt. Tambuwal, solidly backed by then Gov. Nyesom Wike mounted an unprecedented challenge and was at the verge of defeating you until that early morning intervention led by Gen. Mohammed Gasau, who flew into Port Harcourt that primary election morning. Eventually, you lost the general election.

Your Excellency, the story of 2023 is still very fresh in our collective memory. Your refusal to allow the South to secure the PDP ticket is the bane of the political opposition in Nigeria today. A divided opposition made it easy for the Emilokan Enterprise to snatch and run with the votes.

Sir, while I acknowledge your individual right to contest the 2027 presidential election, my admonition to you is: that statesmanship entails giving up on your individual interest in pursuit of the public good. You have an opportunity to support a trusted, serious, and capacity-imbued candidate in the person of Peter Obi to defeat the Emilokan Enterprise. I expect you, sir, to write your name in gold by heeding my advice and retire in glory from politics after Peter Obi’s victory in 2027.

Sir, there’s no Northern presidential candidate that is capable of defeating the Emilokan Enterprise, including you. If Peter Obi is not on the ballot, Tinubu will sweep the entire Southern Nigeria. He will win at least 4 States in the North Central and record significant votes up North. That will be enough to deliver Aso Rock to him.

However, with you and Northern support, Peter Obi will win the 11 States of South East and South South, mount a good challenge in parts of South West, win at least 3 States in the North Central, and mount a good challenge in the core North. This will deliver victory to Peter Obi and deliver Nigerians from the grip of the Emilokan Enterprise.

Your Excellency, time beckons on you to leave a lasting legacy to generations unborn.

Yours truly,

Sir. Kelechi Jeff Eme, The Cicero of Mbaitoli.

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