Well, as expected, those he is writing about aren’t finding any of this funny.
We’ll stand the countdown with the latest missive: In the book titled, ‘The Accidental Public Servant,’ el-Rufai wrote that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar thought Obasanjo would not complete his tenure paving the way for him (Atiku) to assume the position of President.
El-Rufai said he had approached the former president Obasanjo to intervene in a disagreement between he (el-Rufai) and some Senators who allegedly demanded a N54m bribe before he can be considered favourably to assume the position of minister of the FCT.
“No, I am not handling this senators’ thing. I have done my part and nominated you. You should go and tell the vice-president about whatever has transpired. He will handle it,” El-Rufai claimed the former President said when he met with him on the demand.
El-Rufai reportedly wrote, “When I walked into Atiku’s office, he said, ‘Where are you going? You can’t leave. We are about to have the whole thing’.
“I was taken aback as I was not sure what he meant. What do you mean sir?”
According to the former minister, Atiku made mention of a marabout located in Cameroun who had always predicted with accuracy the results of all his political contests. He said the marabout had even foretold that he would win a governorship election in Adamawa but will not govern the state.
el-Rufai wrote, “And soon, it came to pass. Atiku won the election, but before he could take the oath of office, Obasanjo chose him to be his running mate.
“On the strength of this fable, Atiku appeared to have placed his faith in the predictions of this marabout.”
According to the el-Rufai, the former Vice President said, “Nasir, this mallam has been consistently right in his predictions.”
“Wow, that is very interesting sir, but what does this have to do with my resignation?” the former minister asked Atiku.
“Because the same mallam said that Obasanjo would not complete his term,” he quoted Atiku as saying.
So, why do you want to go? When I am President, we are going to take charge of this place and fix it and I will need you. You are one of my best people,” Atiku assured him.
Further narrating some of what transpired during the Obasanjo years, el-Rufai also recalled how Atiku in 2002, called a meeting with him (el-Rufai); Usman Bugaje, his political adviser; and the Publisher of THISDAY, Nduka Obaigbena present.
The meeting, he said, was held in Atiku’ guest house in Abuja.
el-Rufai said, “At the meeting, he (Atiku) told us that he had been having meetings for the past several months with two groups of politicians.
“One group (called G4) consisted of President Ibrahim Babangiga, and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, both of whom were former military heads of state, as well as Gen. Aliyu Gusau.
“The four of them had been meeting to review Obasanjo’s performance and they had concluded that Obasanjo’s first term up to that point had been a disaster. The National Assembly had twice tried to impeach him, and the four of them had just thought that Obasanjo should not have a second term.
“In their meetings, according to Atiku, they decided that since Atiku was the incumbent vice-president, he should have the first shot at the presidency.”
He said the meetings were allegedly leaked to Obasanjo by Babangida, who was also eyeing the presidency.
Reacting to these allegations, Atiku’s spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu, said, “The book is a tissue of lies. Marabout is a family phenomenon of the el-Rufai’s of this world.
“He, as a minister, has supported one of his brother to an errand to see marabout in Morocco, Mali, Senegal and Somalia.
“With this book, he is inadvertently opening his character and that of his family for the whole world to see.”
Act 1, Scene 1 – concluded.
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