Vice President Atikun Slams President Obasanjo and Declares Intent to Contest the 2007 Presidency.

(From Vanguard (Nigeria) - AAGM)

Byline: Rotimi Ajayi

Atiku Abubakar, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, yesterday formally declared publicly his intention to contest the 2007 presidential election. His declaration, which was preceded by media frenzy and political maneuvers, will be a major challenge to a number of individuals and institutions in Abuja.

Since the campaign for the declaration started, the spokesmen of the campaign have constantly highlighted the democratic credentials of Atiku as a major qualification for him to succeed his boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, with whom he has not been on friendly terms since 2003.

In a statement issued while inaugurating a team of the declaration committee, the Vice President stated that he was pushing ahead with his ambition because unfolding events in the country had clearly shown that Nigeria deserves a leader who is a democrat at heart and who will defend the constitution and protect the rule of law.

His words: "It has become evident that Nigerians desire a leader who is truly convinced about the tenets of democracy and has the temperament to protect them."

Since Atiku made the announcement, almost two weeks ago, many questions have come up in Abuja with the most topical being, what next? Those asking these …