ATIKU ABUBAKAR, THE SEPTEMBER 24TH DECLARATION?

Icheoku says Atiku Abubakar, like any other Nigerian citizen reserves the right to seek any office in the land including the presidency of the Federal Republic. Therefore Icheoku does not begrudge the Adamawa State native for once again readying himself to throw his hat in the ring to contest the presidency of Nigeria in 2015. Like in 2007 and 2011 when he contested and lost respectively to late Umaru Yar'Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, there is no crystal ball to see if the result this time will be any different. However that does not preclude or stop him from at least trying; there is nothing wrong with that especially since quitters don't win.

Anyway, Icheoku says there is a certain issue the Turaki of Adamawa needs to settle before Nigerians and the International community can seriously see him as a contender worthy of their respect. It is called the Obasanjo Challenge. Atiku Abubakar must first take up the OBJ challenge and lift the weighty monkey of corruption off his shoulder before he can earnestly offer himself as an acceptable candidate for the presidency of Nigeria. Recall that Olusegun Obasanjo, his former boss, categorically swore that on his watch that Atiku Abubakar can never be president of Nigeria.

According to Baba Iyabo, Atiku Abubakar is putridly corrupt and such a sewer of corruption is not a good personality to lead or be the president of Nigeria. To buttress his point, OBJ challenged Atiku to take a flight to JFK and see the red-carpet reception the FBI will give him. Icheoku laments that till date, Atiku Abubakar has not taken up Obasanjo on this, rather he has ignored the challenge, hoping that like everything in Nigeria, it will soon fade away, filed away in their ever forgetful short memory bank? To date, Atiku Abubakar has neither denied the alleged nor had he made any vehement protest to either clear his name or distance himself from the allegation. A matter made worse because the United States of America Senate still has an open warrant for Atiku Abubakar, pending a voluntary appearance to defend or his forcible arrest upon sight.

According to the criminal complaint, Atiku Abubakar was involved in corrupt money laundering activities wherein he caused to be to be laundered sums totaling over $40 million dollars through the United States banks between 2000 and 2008. Continuing, Atiku Abubakar used one Jennifer Douglas as a point person in moving large sums of money from ghost offshore corporations into the United States. A 2008 civil complaint by the United States Securities and exchange Commission also alleged that Siemens AG of Germany, doing business in Nigeria, also paid Atiku Abubakar bribes totaling $2million dollars. It is on record that Siemens has since pleaded guilty and paid criminal penalties to the US government for several bribery charges including Atiku's.

Atiku Abubakar was also involved in a massive corruption at Petroleum Technology Development Fund PTDF where from large sums of money was equally laundered through US banks using phony companies Guernsey Trust Company Nigeria Limited, LetsGo Ltd and Sima Holding Ltd, companies which Atiku Abubakar had interests in and operated by proxy. When Jennifer Douglas was arrested and questioned for all the staggering transfers, she confessed that she was a conduit for Atiku Abubakar and only made commissions for helping him launder the money.

Atiku Abubakar equally transferred a total of $14million dollars to American University in Washington DC to purchase naming rights and consulting services for his Nigerian American University in Adamawa?

Atiku Abubakar's catalogue of corrupt practices was also implicated during the trial of US Congressman William Jefferson of Louisiana, who was another agent of Atiku Abubakar. Recall that the Congressman was found guilty for aiding and abetting a foreign state official's (Atiku Abubakar) corrupt practices in the United States and is currently serving a long prison sentence. Recall also that a sum of $90,000 in cash was found in the Congressman's freezer, part of his proceed from Atiku Abubakar bribery. So what did Atiku Abubakar do when he learnt that the FBI is closing in on him to arrest, indict and prosecute him for corruption? He bolted away from the US in the middle of the night, abandoning his multi million dollar mansion home in Potomac Maryland, never to return to the United States ever again for fear of prosecution and long prison sentence.

Atiku Abubakar knows that the US is an equal opportunity prosecutor and their prison home to everyone regardless; that was you commit the crime, you will do the time and their law knows no Turaki of Adamawa before whom to bow and tremble? This is the story that has made Atiku Abubakar a fugitive from justice in the United States of America today.

Icheoku says who else would know better of all these but Baba Iyabo himself, the reason he swore against Atiku Abubakar' presidency and challenged Atiku to visit the United States of America if he does not fear a long incarceration. Icheoku hardly agrees with Baba Iyabo but on the occasion of his dare to Atiku Abubakar to visit America, Icheoku is  on lock-step with OBJ and says Atiku prove your innocence, take up Baba's challenge NOW.

Icheoku laments that Nigerians always complain about their leaders but are always complacent in choosing who leads them. In a more civilized and morally-hinged society, a person with the baggage of Atiku cannot and would not be dreaming of the presidency of the country; not with so many uncleared allegation of gross corruption pending against him. Icheoku recalls when Gbenga Obasanjo first blew the whistle, during the privatization process which Atiku as vice president then headed, that Atiku is trying to buy up all Nigerian assets at understated prices, that he was scolded by even his father Olusegun Obasanjo for making his government look bad. But it is equally on record that OBJ never denied as incorrect or untruth the information let out of the bag by his now estranged son. Icheoku says this is the man, Atiku Abubakar, who is readying himself to become Nigeria president?

The other problem with Nigerians is that to them the end always justifies the means; hence no one ever pauses to ponder how Atiku Abubakar made his money? Nobody knows anything about his educational background or in short any other thing about him except that he was a Custom officer, then what? Nigerians first heard about Atiku Abubakar during the Buhari regime when his ADC Jokolo was involved in a 53 suitcases scandal. Thereafter he was forcibly retired from the Customs and he went into some cargo clearing and forwarding. Subsequently he delved into politics, joining Shehu Yar'Adua's PDM and later won Adamawa State's governorship from where Obasanjo picked him to be his vice president and the rest is now history. Icheoku says a man with this many lacunae in his curriculum vitae is readying himself to become president of Nigeria?

What Icheoku  is trying to say is that Atiku Abubakar's only glaring and most meaningful business is CORRUPTION, CORRUPTION and CORRUPTION and such ALONE does not qualify him for the highest office in the land, period. Anyone in doubt should please tell Icheoku the road traveled of Atiku's wealth - how did he acquire his stupendous wealth? What product does Atiku manufacture or make or produce? What "app" code did Atiku write? What construction or supply company does Atiku own and whoa re his employees? What tax bracket is Atiku in and what are his sources of income? And this is the man gunning for Nigerian presidency, Icheoku asks?

But hey, like John the Baptist in the wilderness, Icheoku can only warn but have no way of influencing many of the zombies that populate Nigeria, many of whom hunger and the desire to make some money have driven to near stupefied senselessness. But regrettably, people who lack conviction, moral fortitude and the courage to do the right thing would readily bend over for Atiku if he pays the right price? Icheoku says if Atiku Abubakar could pay the purchase price for the presidency, Atiku Abubakar would rule Nigeria, regardless; only for Nigerians to later complain that Atiku is an incurable kleptomania? But now that they still have the chance to do something to stop Atiku, they will not; but are waiting and positing themselves to partake of the Atiku bonanza in form of campaign largess.

Nigerians, Icheoku warns that Atiku Abubakar is not good for you; never been and will not be in the future. A man who selfishly hops around political parties, scheming, just to aggrandize his own personal goals is not the kind of leader Nigeria desires and/or deserves. Yesterday Atiku was a PDP vice president; the other day Atiku was ACN presidential candidate, the day after he crawled back to PDP and today he went back to his vomit in APC and again seeking the presidency? Icheoku queries what manner of a man is this Atiku Abubakar to whom anything goes well that will yield him the presidency of Nigeria? Icheoku asks why does Atiku find it convenient to hover around political parties looking for an easy ingress into Aso Rock, but would not help to do the heavy lifting building political parties and fighting electioneering campaigns require?

Icheoku queries why does Atiku Abubakar not want to work and fight for the presidency or walk the talk to get there but is prostituting himself to sneak into Aso Rock? Icheoku will not be surprised if Atiku Abubakar rushes back to the PDP when the APC presidential primaries is fought and won. Icheoku is emphatic that Atiku Abubakr too will meet the Tom Ikimi's treatment because Tinubu does not forgive nor forgets; and will not preside over an APC that will fly an Atiku Abubakar's presidential ticket. Icheoku's consolation is that Nigerians appear to know the empty corrupt suit called Atiku Abubakar very well. They have severally, twice, rejected him in the past and will readily do the same come 2015, assuming the phantom of his APC presidential candidacy becomes a dream come true. So until then, Icheoku will continue to "dey laugh" with the once again quest for Aso Rock Atiku Abubakar. Hopefully he will share some proceeds of corruption to Nigerians in form of campaign expenses. Icheoku says "walahi talahi bana ji Atiku Abubakar; kai, wanaa ba acha u. Atiku no be am!