Time to get honest about Buhari; he’s a dictator- Atiku

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n light of the tragic events and fights in the ruling APC party, it’s time to start calling things by their name, and refer to Nigerian ruler President Muhammadu Buhari as what he is — a dictator, says former APC financier and chieftain Atiku Abubakar.

The former vice-president said Buhari had become a dictator of sorts in the APC such that nothing could be done without his permission, arguing that that was why the party had failed to progress in the last two years.

“After Buhari won the election, he was no longer interested in the party that made him President. Every activity stopped and not even the party chairman, Chief John Oyegun, could take any decision. Atiku said he had advised the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, to make some changes, claiming that the APC chairman continually refused to take action.

“I called Chief Oyegun a few times to tell him that our party was dying slowly but he told me that he would not do anything unless he got a clearance from the President.

“At a stage, I gathered about 18 prominent members and began to meet in the hope that we can re-energise party activities, but some people lied to the President that I wanted to use the forum to launch my presidential campaign.

“That forum became simply dead on arrival. No BoT (Board of Trustees), no NEC (National Executive Committee) meetings, as stipulated in our constitution.

“The party became a one-man property. Everyone grumbles behind the President but they are too timid to raise a voice against the illegalities being perpetuated.

I should be bold enough to know what I want, and can do so at my age. So, I decided to leave.”