Three-Horse Race In Adamawa But Atiku Holds Sway

This Saturday’s presidential election is going to be a battle between Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

THE WHISTLER went around the state capital on Wednesday and Thursday to interview residents at home, in the markets, and at business premises on who they think would win the February 25 presidential election.

All the people interviewed are northerners residing in the state, and nearly all could not predict who would win the election.

While many see Atiku and Tinubu as the strongest in the north, others think Obi also has a considerable number of northerners following him.

Tamme Vadlya, an Obi supporter, told THE WHISTLER that the Labour Party candidate would win the North East without any doubts.

“If I may ask you, who do you support to win the election? I know deep within you it is Obi you will want and that is the situation with a lot of people here in the North East.

“Obi will win here in the northeast but I don’t know of other places,” says Vadlya.

Hajia Zainab Ahmed, a retired civil servant in the state now doing poultry business, echoed Vadlya’s view. She said many indigenes and non-indigenes in the state were rooting for Obi.

“Obi is very popular among youths here and I will not be surprised if he comes top in the polls,” she said, but added that “ Atiku may win the state because he’s a son of the soil.”

But Mohammed Inuwa, a trader at the Jimeta Ultra-Modern Market, would vote for Tinubu because of his messages and what he has done in Lagos.

“I’m supporting Tinubu because I believe he will bring changes. We see what he’s doing in Lagos and he can do that for Nigeria,” he said.

However, Yusuf Bello, a carpenter, told THE WHISTLER he had not yet made up his mind between Rabiu Kwankwaso and Obi.

“I’ll support either Kwankwaso or Peter Obi and not Atiku or Tinubu. There are many people who are also supporting Obi because they feel he will bring change,” he said.

While those who’re not supporting Atiku in the state argue that he did not do anything that would benefit the common man in the state when he was in power, those supporting him say he deserved their votes because he’s from the state.

A large number of the residents also said they would be voting for Atiku because they want a change from the current suffering they’re going through.

“I’m going to vote for Atiku because I believe he will bring change for us,” said Nasiru Ibrahim, a local chief.

Abubakar Umar, a Keke operator, told THE WHISTLER in Hausa that he’s a member of the APC but would be voting for Atiku during the presidential election.

He said, “I’m a member of APC and we voted for Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and 2019 because we thought he’s the one that would fight for the masses; the one that loves the poor people but he has made us poorer.

“We spent our money to elect him but he made us regret it. I was doing upholstery work before but because there’s no market, and people cannot afford it, I started doing this commercial tricycle business.

“Everybody is suffering and wants change, and we will vote for Atiku because we believe he can bring change.”

Abubakar Muhammed, a local hotelier, said the Buhari administration has destroyed the chances of the APC in Adamawa and the north because of the situation of things in the country, and many would be voting against the party, especially at the presidential election.

“People are sleeping at filling stations to buy fuel and sleeping in banks to get new Naira notes, the suffering is too much for the poor people and Tinubu said he would continue with Buhari’s policies.

“We’re supporting Atiku because he’s from our place and because we want change, we don’t want to die of suffering. Atiku would win tomorrow by the grace of God,” he said.