Atiku Abubakar knew he had it coming when he kicked both President Umaru Yar’Adua and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday and, as anticipated, the reaction a day later was a throw back to the knock-downs and drag-outs between him and former President Olusegun Obasanjo when they were in the Villa.
Aso Rock has withdrawn security details attached to the former Vice President, in what Atiku loyalists see as an attempt to clamp down on dissidents and copy Obasanjo who muzzled opposition.
“An order issued to the police on Wednesday directed the immediate recall to Police Headquarters of (his) Aide-de-Camp (ADC) and orderly. Policemen posted to guard his two homes in Abuja have also been recalled while the escorts covering his movement were also recalled to Police Headquarters in Yola,” a statement issued by Atiku Campaign Office confirmed on Thursday.
Atiku was not notified of the action, the statement added.
It came within 24 hours of Atiku’s scathing criticism of Aso Rock’s handling of electoral reform and of his prediction that the PDP would self-destruct utterances that have clearly rankled with Yar’Adua and PDP hardliners.
But this threatens to portray Yar’Adua as a hawk, against his celebrated dovish stance on issues, including control of the PDP apparatus.
“For daring to criticise government’s handling of the electoral reform and the near absence of governance in the country, Yar’Adua ordered the withdrawal of security escorts to Atiku,” the statement lamented.
“(It) came barely 72 hours after the PDP launched an acidic attack on Atiku’s person and character, in which the party’s Publicity Secretary, Rufa’i Alkali, crudely described him in the meanest and disrespectful terms.”
The statement said two of the policemen attached to Atiku who were recently promoted were requested to report at Force Headquarters (FHQ) for ‘confirmation’ of their new rank of Inspector on Thursday, but they did not return to their duty post.
“When the withdrawal order came at about 4 p.m. on Wednesday, (Atiku) enquired at FHQ and was told that this was a directive by the Presidency following a decision by the Federal Executive Council.”
Atiku himself said on Tuesday he believes that a desperate government can resort to desperate measures, including physical elimination of opponents.
But he reiterated that “we are all stakeholders in the Nigerian Project. It is our Constitutional right to raise concern over the way the PDP government has been running the affairs of this country. We will not be intimidated by the actions of a few desperate people in power to rattle us.”
However, Yar’Adua’s Spokesman, Olusegun Adeniyi on Thursday denied that the Villa ordered the withdrawal of Atiku’s security details.
“It is unfortunate that the name of (Yar’Adua) would be dragged into who guards or does not guard the house of anybody, even if such a person is a former Vice President”, said Adeniyi, who insisted that Atiku “still enjoys all the police orderlies he is entitled to by law.
“I appeal to the media handlers of (Atiku) that this recourse to cheap propaganda is very unhelpful, even for the man whose cause they think they are promoting.”
Adeniyi said Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, is in a better position to explain the withdrawal of the security details of Atiku, since he does not fall within the category of those not entitled to such.
He, however, noted that FHQ is implementing the recommendations of the Police Reform Committee, which “specifically recommended that policemen be withdrawn from people not entitled to such protection. This decision was ratified by the Council of State.”
Okiro too explained in a statement that the decision is in keeping with the wishes of “the National Council of State (which) resolved that special police protection be withdrawn from certain categories of Nigerians who are not entitled to it, (and) directed the streamlining and downsizing of such personnel, a decision (that) was further approved by the (FEC).”