He has spent more time abroad than in Nigeria in the past six months. What is actually happening to Atiku Abubakar, former Nigerian vice-president?

His most recent public appearance in Nigeria was on April 26. That was the day he mounted the soapbox in Yola, Adamawa State to endorse the candidature of Ibrahim Bapetel, who was the Action Congress, AC, gubernatorial candidate in the state’s re-run election. His most recent public speech was also on that election which he condemned as “a cruel joke.”

Since then, Atiku Abubakar, immediate past vice-president of Nigeria and AC’s candidate in the 2007 presidential election, has virtually lived outside Nigeria. His absence from the Nigerian political scene and his long sojourn outside the country has given rise to speculations that he had gone into voluntary exile.

But last week, Atiku rejected that suggestion during an exclusive telephone interview with Newswatch from his base in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, UAE. “I am not in exile. I have not left Nigeria and I have no intention of doing so,” he said. He said he is a staunch Nigerian patriot who believes in the country.

His major reason for spending a long time in UAE is because Jamila Jennifer Abubakar, his Igbo wife, lives there now. “She has taken up a job as assistant professor of Political Science at American University of Sharjah.  I am visiting the family,” Atiku said. The university was founded in 1997 by Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, the ruler of Sharjah province. Jennifer, a former journalist with the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, is also the founder, president and CEO of Gede Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Washington DC. It also has an office in Abuja.

Atiku has three children with Jennifer, his only wife presently residing outside the country. His three other wives and some of his children are living in various parts of Nigeria. Titi, his first and most senior wife, was born in Ilesha and she is a Roman Catholic. She lives and conducts her private business from Abuja. She is still sustaining the Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation, WOTCLEF, her non-governmental organisation.  Together, they have four children. Atiku has two other wives, Rukayat, who lives in Adamawa and is the daughter of the Lamido of Adamawa, a monarch  and Fatima, a lawyer, based in Lagos. He is the Turakin Adamawa, a traditional title in Adamawa State.

Even from his base abroad, Atiku keeps a tab on activities in Nigeria. Newswatch learnt that he monitors political activities in the country through his associates, especially the proceedings and judgements at the various election tribunals around the country.

Atiku’s decision to stay abroad has served many purposes, both for him and some prominent Nigerians. One person who has taken advantage of it is Olusegun Obasanjo, former president and Atiku’s estranged boss. Three of Obasanjo’s very close political associates secretly went to England to meet Atiku at various times in April this year. They are Andy Uba, the former senior special assistant to Obasanjo; Abdullahi Adamu, former governor of Nassarawa State and Peter Odili, former Rivers State governor. All of them had the same message for Atiku: that Obasanjo was desirous to mend fences with him.

Since their administration ended in May 2007, Obasanjo has spoken directly with Atiku on telephone once. It was after Obasanjo’s emissaries had visited Atiku in England.  Atiku's  reaction to Obasanjo’s olive branch is that there is no fence to be mended. “(Former) President Obasanjo and I have no fence to mend as far as I am concerned,” Atiku said. He also took time to explain what actually happened between him and Obasanjo while they were in office: “We had a political disagreement. That was not unexpected. But as for who was right or wrong, time will tell.” He also told Newswatch that his reaction to the overtures does not mean that he is rigid. “No, I’m not being rigid at all. Time will eventually decide,” he said.

Disaffection arose between the two politicians in 2006 over Obasanjo’s attempts to amend certain provisions of the constitution in order to elongate his tenure. It damaged both men’s political and personal relationship. The National Assembly eventually voted against the amendment that would have given Obasanjo a third term. Shortly after, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, accused Atiku of embezzlement of N71,123,250,000 belonging principally to the Petroleum Development Trust Fund, PTDF, September 18, 2006. The PTDF was established to revamp Nigeria’s infrastructure. In his defence, Atiku said he spent the money, with Obasanjo’s approval, to fund the 2003 Obasanjo/Atiku presidential campaign.

Another controversy which Atiku also weathered successfully was the Bill Jefferson bribery allegation scandal in America. In August, 2005, a report by the BBC World Service mistook Atiku as the intended recipient of a bribe as part of a scheme involving Jefferson to promote Nigeria’s adoption of internet technology from iGate Inc. an American firm. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, Jefferson allegedly told an informant that he would need to give Atiku $500,000 to help secure contracts. Atiku was absolved of any wrong doing because there was no evidence whatsoever that the former number two citizen received nor asked for bribe.

Jefferson had collected $100,000 from a business partner to give to Atiku, but $90,000 of the marked money was later found in  Jefferson’s house wrapped in a foil and neatly tucked away in a freezer.

Atiku is still very unhappy with the attempts to rope him into the recent Independent power inquiry. He was summoned by the panel, but could not appear before it on the appointed day because of flight problems. He was about boarding an airplane on the next day to come to Nigeria when he was told the invitation had been cancelled.  The invitation was cancelled because Obasanjo had declined to appear. “But I feel terribly disappointed (at the panel’s disclosures). I never believed President Obasanjo would have done those things they said he did. But they said he did them, they know better,” he said.

There are no dull moments for Atiku during his sojourn abroad. Newswatch spoke with him while he was in UAE where he spends most of his time. But two days after, he left for France before returning to UAE. He is busy re-organising his businesses which he said suffered long neglect while he was vice-president.

Atiku has established new businesses in Nigeria. He has diversified into the water and beverages industry with the establishment of Faro Water, a water treatment and marketing company. It produces bottled water. Faro beverages has just begun the production of Faro juice. It is in a partnership between him and some American companies.

His business interest has spread also to the media. He has concluded arrangements to float a daily newspaper to be based in Abuja. He has also set up and activated Radio-Gotel in Yola, Adamawa State capital and Atiku’s state of origin. Equipment for Gotel Televison, also in Yola, have been installed and the station would commence operations in the next few weeks. The radio and television stations are to break the monopoly enjoyed by government-owned media which have held sway in the six states in the North East area for a long time. These media outfits are the first privately-owned stations in the zone.

Atiku’s typical day in UAE starts with early morning prayers which he does on a chair rather than on a mat. He sits on a chair to observe the prayers five times a day because he cannot kneel and touch the ground with his forehead as is customary because of his injured knee. Atiku had slipped and injured his knee while exercising just before the 2007 elections. He still attends hopital for physiotherapy. He no longer walks with the aid of a walking stick. But, he still exercises caution in folding or bending the leg until his physiotherapists give him permission to do so.

One topical issue about Atiku’s political future is his relationship with the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP. Atiku was a founding member of the party. In fact, he was a member of Peoples’ Democratic Movement, PDM, the nucleus of the PDP. Between 1999 and 2003, he was fully in control of the party to Obasanjo’s discomfiture. Obasanjo was particularly irked that he found it difficult to secure his party’s nomination in 2003 without Atiku’s support. After winning the primaries, he delayed announcing Atiku as his running mate for a time.

In his second term, Obasanjo decided to whittle down Atiku’s influence in PDP. He replaced the party’s national chairmen with his loyalists and arrogated enormous influence to himself by amending the PDP constitution. Atiku’s loyalists like Boni Haruna, former Adamawa State governor and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, former Bayelsa State governor were tried for corruption charges because of their loyalty to Atiku.

At this juncture, relations between Atiku and Obasanjo became bad. With Atiku’s opposition to Obasanjo’s third term bid, relations between the two politician broke down totally. Obasanjo accused him of disloyalty and attempted removing him as the vice-president. When he did not succeed, he set in motion a chain of events that led to Atiku’s expulsion from PDP. The AC later offered him its platform to contest for the 2007 presidential elections.

Atiku has recently come under intense pressure to return to PDP. A number of PDP chieftains have reached out to him and have pleaded with him to return. But when he spoke with Newswatch last week, he was not categorical on what he wants to do. He said he would return to PDP if certain conditions were met. “PDP must imbibe internal democracy. All the other founding fathers must be persuaded to return to the party. Electoral reforms should also be accepted by the party. INEC (Independent Electoral Commission) must also be reformed,” he said. He added that only a proven example of “commitment to all these by PDP  could make me consider rejoining PDP.” He insisted that PDP must become democratised once more because “the PDP constitution was illegally amended.” Atiku also said he supports other party stalwarts like Adamu Ciroma who wants those illegal amendments reversed and a return of the party to constitutionalism. He said he has not been formally contacted by the PDP to return to the party. Inside PDP, there are people opposed to his return. This explains the reluctance in formally inviting Atiku back to the party fold. Though some powerful individuals within the party have been appealing to him to return to the party through separate private meetings in Nigeria and overseas, PDP has not met with him officially to ask for his return to the party. The Peace and Reconciliation Committee headed by Alex Ekwueme has not met with him either.

Newswatch was told that it is not every PDP bigwig that wants Atiku back in the party. Sources said some people who think that his return could eclipse their political visibility and influence in the party are opposed to the overtures for him to return. These include Jubril Aminu, a PDP senator from Adamawa State and General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, a former military president who is still interested in becoming the country’s ruler once more. A source said IBB would not want Atiku to return to the PDP fold because he knows Atiku represents a formidable opposition to him in the party. On the other hand, Aminu has granted interviews where he expressed his opposition to the idea. Some pro-Atiku members in PDP say it is curious that Ekwueme’s peace and reconciliation committee never met with Atiku.

                Their opposition is not deterring other PDP bigwigs from asking for Atiku’s return to the party. Atiku is being courted because of his political influence which has endured. His control over the political structures in northern Nigeria is still intact. This is made possible with his continued chairmanship of PDM established by Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, the late general and elder brother of President Umar Musa Yar’Adua.

Even though he is far away from home, Atiku is in constant touch with lawyers handling his appeal over the 2007 presidential election He is also said to be working hard towards re-building and re-positioning the AC. His goal is to make AC a formidable political party that would enthrone good governance in Nigeria. This involves making contacts and embarking on initiatives that would strengthen the party. Lately, he has been reviewing the party’s performance in the 2007 elections and designing strategies that would strengthen the party in all parts of the country. He has been using his contacts to bring in more prominent politicians into the party.

In July, he came home to be part of AC’s participation in the re-scheduled gubernatorial election in Adamawa State. His belief that the election was manipulated by INEC and PDP further deepened his resolve to fight for free and fair election in the country through the law courts.

Atiku does not believe that he lost the 2007 presidential election. The result showed that he finished third behind Yar’Adua and Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler and candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples’ Party, ANPP, with about 2.6 million votes, that is  seven percent of the total votes cast. He had insisted that the election be cancelled and re-run.

Though many politicians have asked Atiku to withdraw the case challenging Yar’Adua’s election because they are 'brothers,' he has not done so. He acknowledges that Yar’Adua is his 'brother' by political affiliation, but said, “I am challenging the process (that elected him) not Yar’Adua.”

Atiku says he is a believer in the critical role of the judiciary in the enthronement of democracy and good governance. His confidence in the organ of government stems from the fact that he had also been a beneficiary of the reformed judiciary system in Nigeria when on 12 out of 13 occasions, he emerged victorious in the cases he filed against Obasanjo, EFCC and INEC between 2006 and 2007.

Atiku’s Action Congress was among the political parties that held discussions on Yar’Adua’s invitation to the opposition parties to be part of his Government of National Unity, GNU, last year. Though some felt that Atiku should have used his influence to force AC to accept the proposal, Atiku felt otherwise. He felt the leadership of the party should democratically take a decision on the invitation. At the end of its deliberations, the decision-making organs of the party decided against its participation in GNU because it would jeopardise the existence of a viable opposition party in Nigeria.

Atiku spends a lot of time for leisure at his foreign base. But he also does a lot of serious work. He said he is bothered about the way things are going in Nigeria and would want to contribute in changing them. One of the things he has done is to commission experts to study and produce for him reports on some of the critical problems facing the country. They include energy, the Niger Delta, and poverty alleviation. The reports will also suggest the strategies for solving these problems.

Atiku has also completed work on his second book. It is an account of his struggle for democracy and good governance in Nigeria since 1999. Titled Not About Me: The Struggle for Democracy and Rule of Law in Nigeria, it is a collection of essays on democracy, good governance and the rule of law in the country. In the book, the former vice-president also provides insights and solutions into the challenges facing the country. Garba Shehu, media consultant to the former vice-president, said: “The book will make the case for Atiku’s altruism in his struggles for the entrenchment and respect for the rule of law and democracy in Nigeria.” The book is already with his overseas printers and is due for publication this October. This would be his second book after Atiku: The Story of Atiku Abubakar, his biography.

Atiku worked as a customs officer for 20 years and retired as a deputy director of customs before turning to business and politics in 1989. While serving as the area comptroller in charge of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos in 1984, the '53 suitcases' scandal happened. The Buhari administration noticed that politicians were engaging in currency trafficking and suddenly decided to change Nigerian currency notes as a solution. The suddenness and short deadline given for the currency change caught many unawares. The government also insisted that all luggage must be thoroughly checked regardless of the personality behind them.

Against this backdrop, the 53 suitcases belonging to the late Emir of Gwandu and A. Waziri, a former ambassador, arrived at MMIA with instructions that they must not be checked. Atiku refused and insisted that the luggage must be searched in line with the federal government directive. Mustapha Jokolo, a major and Buhari’s aid-de-camp, ADC,then and the emir’s first son, arrived and sealed off the airport insisting that the luggage must be cleared. Jokolo later became emir.

The luggage were eventually cleared. At the same time, Buhari ordered an immediate and thorough investigation into the matter. Atiku’s refusal to allow the entry of the suitcases unless they were checked almost cost him his job. Onaolapo Soleye, then minister of finance who was overseeing the Nigeria Customs Service, argued against his sack based on his unblemished record in the customs. But, Atiku was re-deployed from MMIA.

If Atiku is not in exile, when is he coming back to Nigeria to stay? He provided the answer: “Soon. Before the end of October.”