The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has vowed not to condone any form of cabal under his watch in a veiled reference to past activities of some powerful persons who were said to have wielded strong influence in the Buhari presidency which ends next year.
He assured that Nigerians that if they elect into office as the next president of Nigeria, he will form a government will not be manipulated by any group of persons intent on controlling the affairs of state.
Africa Today News, New York reports that a ‘cabal’ as ‘an English word frequently used in Nigeria to indicate that a coterie of politicians, and not the president, dictate the affairs of government.’
Recalls that wife of the president, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, had openly alleged that a cabal was controlling state affairs in Aso Rock, an allegation the president debunked in an interview with the VOA in 2019.
Vowing not to allow any cabal to detect the tune in the corridor of power if elected president, Atiku told the VoA Hausa service in an interview that he would run the show all through.
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‘You won’t find any cabal in my government. It is me: Waziri (Atiku) that will run the administration,’ Atiku stating while fielding questions from Aliyu Mustapha Sokoto, the head of the Hausa Service of the VOA during an exclusive interview at the station in Washington on Tuesday.
Atiku, according to the station, is visiting America to hold discussions with government officials on the issues of insecurity, economic drawbacks and the 2023 elections confronting the country.
Atiku told the VOA that in order to tackle the problem of insecurity, the overhaul of the constitution is imperative.
‘We would confront this issue by convoking a constitutional review so that states and local governments, to whom we intend to give the imprimatur to run their security affairs, would be able to do so. But this requires a rejig of constitution.
‘Before we embark on this, we intend to employ more boots on ground, especially in the area of policing and civil defence, all of which we want to equip properly,’ Atiku said.
The former vice oresident stated that his administration would work closely with the judiciary to ensure speedy trial of offenders, pointing out that he would support the imposition of death penalty for terrorism related offenses.
Although Atiku didn’t talk elaborately on his current relationship with his erstwhile boss, Olusegun Obasanjo, he, however, said his disagreements with Obasanjo back then when they were in office is one of the factors that cost him victory in his bid for the presidency in 2011.
On the printing of new currency by the Central Bank of Nigeria under the current administration, Atiku said he knows nothing about it.