By Egufe Yafugborhi

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s unprovoked attack on former governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state over his testimony of recovery from poisoning is a manifestation of extreme frustration from losing the brightest chance to end 30 years of failed bids for Nigeria’s presidency on the altar of arrogance.

Marshal Obuzor, former Media Aide to Wike, who made this assertion on Sunday in Port Harcourt, said, Atiku, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, “cuts the figure of a frustrated man deserving of pity.”

Obuzor was reacting to claim by Atiku, through his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, that Wike, who was thanking God penultimate Sunday for surviving a poisoning attack which affected his kidney and liver was not poisoned but suffering the consequences of alcoholism.

Obuzor said, “The statement (credited to Atiku) is sheer display of childishness and reflects a hollow mind burdened, blinded, and driven by the pain and confusion of defeat. If not, why should what a former governor says in his place of worship, between him and God, be of concern to Atiku?

“Atiku’s statement should not come from any religiously conscientious person as it is not only an insult on the church but on the ideal of thanksgiving, which is also held highly in Islam.

“Even if Atiku does not have the religious piety to guide his tongue, his appreciation of medical science and common sense should have been adequate guide for him. He ignored the fact that the poison verdict was from a medical diagnosis, besides basic reasoning for him not to factor in the stated symptoms and nature of recovery to reach his verdict.

“While the Ambassador Damagun led National Working Committee of the PDP was at the thanksgiving event, taking steps towards reconciling the party members, Atiku seemed frustrated by the prospect of peace and forcefully moved in the opposite direction. If an unprovoked Atiku could say this much about a most significant reconciliation event in the PDP, one can only imagine the kind of advice the self acclaimed unifier gives the NWC privately.

“At the end of the day, one can not totally blame Atiku for showing this level of frustration as he has been contesting for President for the past 30 years and has been rejected by Nigerians in every electoral cycle from 1993 till date.

“With him fast fading into political irrelevance and leaving the scene as Nigeria’s portrait of electoral failure, Atiku cuts the figure of a frustrated man deserving of pity.

“His frustration is understood and obvious that at the level he has sunk politically, even Atiku will look Atiku in the mirror and pity Atiku for throwing away his brightest chance of ever becoming Nigeria’s President on the altar of political arrogance.”