Umar Ardo: My Grouse with Buhari

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Former aide to Atiku Abubakar and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Adamawa State in the last governorship election, Umar Ardo, has described former President Muhammadu Buhari as an ungrateful person, who always forgets those that helped him in his hours of need.

Ardo, who was a Special Adviser to Atiku Abubakar when he was the vice President, traced in regrets his relationship with Buhari.

In a Twitter post from his verified handle, Ardo wrote, “Buhari became president at his fourth contest, after three unsuccessful attempts. To that extent and to the limits of claims, he owes his presidency to me in that the idea of the formation of the APC and his fourth contest was mine.

“I also convinced him to start it and got it working,” adding that, “A former IGP said to me in 2012, after reading my blueprint initiating the formation of the APC and Buhari’s fourth contest: ‘Ardo, do you want my advice on this? Please don’t do it! Because the man you’re doing it for cannot handle the job.

“He’ll only come and mess up the country and hurt people. And you, whatever you think he’ll do for you, he won’t. When he was saying these words, l was thinking to myself what else would IBB’s IGP say of Buhari! I thought he was being bias.

“I didn’t know that actually it was l that was biased. I conceived my little project, fervently wanting it to succeed, and therefore, didn’t want to brook any contrary view! So, I subsequently cut off my regular courtesy visits to him and continued with my project to its logical conclusion.

“Today, after it is all done and over, I can say if only I had listened to Dan Lawan! To those who say to me: Dr. Ardo, what do you owe Nigerians for this? My answer to them is simple: I owe Nigerians little. As a faithful Muslim, I know Islam is very clear on this: actions are judged according to intentions!

“My intentions were sincere, nationalistic and noble for the country. Hence my action,” he said.

He lamented further how Buhari threw him away after convincing him on the idea of contesting the presidential election with the formation of the APC, that eventually became the ruling political party.

“But Buhari locked me out the very moment he was declared winner, not even for me to see him and say congratulations after initiating it, convincing him on it, assisting him to start it, driving it to cruising level and sourcing millions of dollars to fund it. It is Buhari then that has to answer why he paid good with evil in accordance to the verse ‘Hal jazaaul ihsaan ilal ihsaanu.’

“Why did the former president do what he did towards me? My answer to this question too is that he must have correctly perceived that my intentions were noble and sincere, while he had different intentions in mind!” he stated.