By Nze Amb. Val. Onwuka, JP (Oyi)
There comes a point in every political season when bitterness loses its disguise and reveals itself for what it truly is.
The latest attack on Atiku Abubakar by Babachir David Lawal is one of those moments.
What Nigerians witnessed was not principled criticism. It was not an ideological disagreement. It was not even political analysis.
It was the angry rant of a frustrated political actor who has suddenly realized that events are moving beyond his control.
The emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the overwhelming choice of delegates at the ADC Presidential Primaries has changed the political equation in Nigeria. Across the country, citizens who are tired of hunger, insecurity, unemployment, economic collapse and governmental arrogance are beginning to rally around a credible alternative.
That growing momentum is evidently giving sleepless nights to men like Babachir Lawal.
The turning point appears to have come when respected economist and statesman, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, publicly aligned himself with Atiku Abubakar and declared his readiness to join forces in rescuing Nigeria from the disastrous experiment that has become the APC government.
That singular moment sent shockwaves through certain political circles.
For Babachir Lawal, it appears to have triggered a complete loss of composure, and opened up the cesspool of insufferable hatred for Atiku Abubakar.
The man who once occupied one of the highest offices in the land but left under the dark cloud of the infamous grass-cutting scandal suddenly found his voice. Unable to hide his disappointment at the growing coalition around Atiku, he abandoned reason and embraced reckless accusations, innuendos and outright falsehoods.
His outburst bears all the hallmarks of a man whose clandestine calculations have collapsed.
The truth is that Babachir’s political relevance has been on life support for years.
His greatest contribution to national discourse lately has been occasional appearances designed to manufacture controversy and attract media attention.
Unfortunately for him, Nigerians have moved on.
The country is facing the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades. Families are struggling to survive. Businesses are collapsing. Young people are fleeing the country in despair. Farmers cannot safely access their farms. The naira continues its painful decline while government officials celebrate statistics that bear no resemblance to the suffering on the streets.
These are the issues that matter.
Not the tantrums of a disgruntled political hatchet operative desperately seeking relevance.
The irony is impossible to ignore. A man whose public service record remains stained by allegations of corruption now seeks to lecture Nigerians about leadership and integrity.
A man whose name became synonymous with one of the most embarrassing scandals of the Buhari era now wants to position himself as the guardian of political morality.
Nigerians are not fools.
They understand exactly what is happening.
As Atiku Abubakar’s acceptability rises across party lines, as more stakeholders embrace the ADC platform, and as the Rescue Mission gains momentum, those who fear change are becoming increasingly desperate.
Babachir Lawal’s latest attack is therefore not a sign of strength.
It is evidence of panic.
It is evidence of fear.
It is evidence that the coalition for national recovery is striking nerves in places many never imagined.
The response of ADC faithfuls and patriotic Nigerians should be simple.
Ignore the noise.
Ignore the bitterness.
Ignore the political mercenaries whose stock-in-trade is confusion and sabotage.
The future of Nigeria cannot be held hostage by the wounded ego of one man.
Babachir Lawal’s insults belong in the dustbin of political irrelevance, alongside the failed calculations that produced them.
The Rescue Mission must remain focused.
The destination is too important.
The stakes are too high.
And Nigeria’s suffering people deserve far better than the distractions of a cheap, corrupt and unstable hatchet man whose greatest fear is that a new political reality is emerging without him.
The train has left the station.
No amount of bitterness, blackmail or political vandalism can stop it.
Nze Amb. Val. Onwuka, JP (Oyi)
