ATIKU, EL-RUFAI VOW TO RESCUE NIGERIA FROM POVERTY, GOVERNANCE CRISIS. (PHOTO).

 Atiku, El-Rufai Vow to Rescue Nigeria from Poverty, Governance Crisis

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai have announced their commitment to forming a coalition to address Nigeria’s deepening poverty and governance challenges. The declaration was made on Saturday during a lecture marking the 60th birthday of former Minister of Transportation and ex-Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, in Abuja.

The event, themed “Weaponising Poverty in Nigeria,” brought together prominent figures to discuss the nation’s worsening socio-economic conditions. Atiku accused the current administration of deliberately using poverty as a political tool, stating, “This particular government is weaponising poverty.” He revealed that he, alongside other political leaders, including Amaechi, is part of an alliance to reverse this trend. “We are in an alliance to ensure we don’t allow this trend to continue,” Atiku said.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s past, Atiku noted the stark contrast with today’s realities. “When I was growing up in the North, Kano was the most prosperous state. I never saw people sleeping on the streets. But today, people are sleeping under bridges, driven by poverty and insecurity,” he said. He further alleged that efforts by the Kano State Government to assist destitute individuals were halted by directives from Abuja, claiming, “They were called to Abuja and told to stop it.”

Atiku vowed to resist these policies, saying, “You may call me a conspirator, but we will continue to conspire with Amaechi to minimize poverty and stop the state from weaponizing it.”

Echoing Atiku’s concerns, El-Rufai described Nigeria as being in its worst state since its formation in 1914. “We are working and conspiring to build a coalition to take Nigeria back on track, because it is off track,” he said. However, he disagreed with Atiku’s claim of deliberate weaponization of poverty, instead attributing Nigeria’s challenges to incompetent leadership. “We hand over leadership to people who are simply incompetent. They grab power but don’t know what to do with it,” El-Rufai stated. He urged Nigerians to prioritize competence in choosing leaders during the 2027 elections, emphasizing the need for leaders with “capacity and commitment.”

In a contrasting perspective, Amaechi argued that Nigeria’s problems stem not from its leaders but from its citizens. “Nigerian leaders and elites are not the problems of Nigeria. The problem is the followership. No Nigerian leader cares for you, and the reason is because you will do nothing,” he said. Referencing recent protests, he noted, “You protested; at the end of the protest, the president announced an increase in the price of fuel because you will do nothing.”

Expressing frustration with Nigeria’s stagnation, Amaechi questioned the nation’s direction, stating, “We don’t want to move the country forward. If you’re not ashamed, I’m ashamed.” He concluded with a poignant challenge: “I look at Nigeria and ask myself, what are we actually doing here? Do we really want to be a country?”