It was swift and unanimous. The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the appeal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate in the last general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar against the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The seven-man panel unanimously agreed with the no-case submission of President Buhari. There was no dissension. Neither did the ruling take time. It happened in less than an hour with the Supreme Court Justices opting to offer explanations for their decision on a date to be later announced.
The ruling has finally put paid to Atiku’s legal battles to be President. But there are always other routes. Which of them will Atiku take to actualise his presidential ambition?
Will he start preparing for another shot at the post in 2023? He would be 76 then. Won’t he be too old to contest for the presidency? How old is really old considering President Muhammadu Buhari won reelection at 76 in the March poll.
If Atiku chooses to contest in 2023, what about the zoning issue? Will the north retain power after eight unbroken years at the helm of affairs? What happens to the aspiration of the South to take over in 2023?
The South East and South West are very vociferous it must be their turn in 2023. Will Atiku break the unwritten zoning code and railroad his way to the presidency?
Then, will the former Vice President remain a force to reckon with in PDP politics come 2023? There are many PDP governors nursing the ambition of becoming either President or Vice President? Will they consider Atiku big and influential enough in the party by then to give up their ambitions?
Or will Atiku leave the PDP to form another party strong enough to realise his presidential dream? If he goes that route, won’t he be perceived a perennial deserter having left the PDP for defunct Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) in 2007? In 2011, he was back in the PDP from where he joined the APC in 2014. By 2018, he rejoined the PDP to pick the presidential ticket.
How will the voters perceive Atiku if he offers himself again for election? Won’t they consider him a perennial aspirant without the winning dice?
There is no doubt Atiku has much musing to do on what really is next after his latest political setback. (The Nation)
