Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president of Nigeria, has appointed Benjamin Chika Ugwu as special assistant and coordinator of Southeast Support Groups. The announcement was made in a statement by Paul Ibe, Atiku's media adviser, on Thursday, April 23, in Abuja.
Atiku's New Appointment Details
The former vice president stated that Ugwu's role encompasses all five states in the Southeast: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo. Ugwu is tasked with coordinating, professionalizing, and supporting all of Atiku's support groups in the region.
According to the statement, Ugwu is a distinguished academic, entrepreneur, public servant, and philanthropist. His career spans education, business, governance, and community development. Born on December 22, 1970, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Studies, a Postgraduate Diploma in Economics, an MSc in Economics, and a doctorate in Petroleum Economics.
Context of the Appointment
This development comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially commenced activities for the 2027 general election processes. The 38-day window for political parties to conduct their primaries has now opened, signaling the start of electioneering.
Reactions from Nigerians
The announcement has sparked varied reactions from Nigerians. Some comments include:
- Ezeani Malik criticized Atiku, saying: "Is this man the only northern politician? He'll contest during the time for the north, and also contest during the south turn. He'll end up spoiling ADC. Support younger leaders, he said No, be an ADC national leader, he said. Wisdom is knowing when to yield."
- The Chronicles of a Professional remarked: "Waste of time. Atiku shouldn't be a spoiler. What he fought against during Jonathan's time is what he is clearly doing, and wasting his money. Anyway, good for the Ugwu guy."
- Zorrobankz defended Atiku: "Please, to all the Obidient, Atiku isn't 'spoiling' anything; he is doing the boring, expensive work of building an institutional footprint in a region where people think he has already lost. If you think a man who has managed national logistics for 30 years is going to be bullied into silence by moral arguments and 'Ottele' labels, then your eyes never open. Structure beats 'vibes' every single Saturday at the polling unit. Na who built the shop dey decide who go sell in the market."
- Evans Elvis claimed no southeasterner will support Atiku: "Only Ottele like you people will support @atiku in the southeast at this point in time. He should have some respect for the southern part of Nigeria. Let him wait till 2031. It's unconstitutional as they are arguing, Nigeria is not being ruled by its constitution. Eg Terrorism."
Wike Takes Fresh Swipe at Atiku
In related news, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has launched a fresh attack on Atiku Abubakar after the former vice president criticized the administration of President Bola Tinubu. Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, described Atiku as a serial contestant and loser in Nigeria's political sphere. The FCT Minister alleged that Atiku continues to contest elections solely to remain relevant in the country.
