Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi on Thursday met with northern political leaders from across the 19 northern states as coalition talks intensify ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Naija News reports that the event organized by the secretariat of the emerging coalition, brought together hundreds of political figures under the banner of the National Political Consultative Group (NPCG) North in Abuja.
In his remarks, Atiku Abubakar, a leading advocate for opposition unity, reflected on his time in office with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He specifically recalled their response to the Boko Haram insurgency, citing the ultimatum issued to service chiefs to either quell the insurgency or resign.
“This ultimatum worked. The insurgency was put down within a few weeks or months. By the time we left, it was done. I was completely stunned. But after we left, it resurfaced,” Atiku stated, emphasizing that the issue was not fully addressed after their departure.
Atiku also highlighted the administration’s efforts to tackle police inadequacies, specifically mentioning the significant under-policing in Nigeria as reported by the United Nations.
“I went to the president and said, ‘Mr. President, Nigeria is terribly under-policed.’ He asked what we could do. I told him we had many closed police colleges across the states, and suggested reopening them and hiring more officers. And we did just that,” Atiku recalled.
Atiku went on to describe how the Obasanjo administration took an innovative approach to arms procurement for the police, bypassing cumbersome contract procedures and directly consulting with police officers and ambassadors to secure essential equipment.
However, despite these efforts, Atiku noted that Nigeria still faces a dire police-to-population ratio, with 340,000 policemen tasked with securing a population of 240 million. He pointed out the stark contrast with Egypt, which has one million police officers for its 100 million people.
“These are challenges we must face head-on,” Atiku stressed, underlining the need for comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s security sector.
Turning to education, Atiku reflected on the steps taken during the Obasanjo administration to improve access, particularly in the North. He cited the Universal Basic Education Act, which made primary and secondary education free and compulsory for all Nigerian children, and the introduction of an education tax to support education initiatives.
Atiku also became emotional while recounting a visit to Daura, the hometown of President Muhammadu Buhari, where he witnessed the extent of the Almajiri crisis.
He said, “I nearly shed tears. I landed at Katsina airport and from there to Daura, there were hordes of Almajiri children. This is the home of the former Katsina College where many of our first republic leaders studied. Today, it’s overrun by Almajirai—young boys in their twenties, thirties, and forties, from Katsina to Daura and back again,” he said.
“These are very serious issues. They’re not just about us, but about our children and grandchildren.
“As I tell my children, ‘I’ve lived my life, thank God. But this is about you and your kids. We must confront these challenges.”
