Daily Independent Online.
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Tuesday, June 22, 2004.
2007: Atiku has not signified his interest - Marwa
By Gbenga Abiodun
State
House,
Abuja
Former Lagos State Military Administrator,
Brig-Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd) on Monday denied having any score to settle
with Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over the 2007 Presidency.
He told newsmen after a private meeting
with President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abuja that although Atiku is his elder
brother from the same Adamawa State, the vice-president has not for once called
him to declare his interest to vie for the nation’s number one seat.
The stocky former military tactician, who
is popularly believed to be eyeing the prime job in 2007, was, however, quick
to add that his relationship with Atiku remains cordial.
His words: “The relationship between
me and Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is very cordial. He is my elder brother
from Adamawa. He has not told me he has interest in the 2007 Presidency.”
He declined comments on the call from
certain quarters that the Presidency be zoned to the North East. “I will
not like to comment,” he said.
On the Marwa Environment Fund, which he
founded to raise the living standards of the people, he disclosed that about
N50 million has been spent so far in giving scholarships to indigent students,
assisting widows and drilling boreholes in 12 states.
He dismissed insinuations that the basket
of chieftaincy titles being accorded him across the country has anything to do
with his political ambition.
“I believe the chieftaincy titles are
being given in recognition of what those who give it believe I have done to
deserve it and there is another one on the 26th of this month.”
Giving knocks to the performance of the
Aviation Ministry, he said his firm, Albarka Airlines, is cooperating with
industry regulators to make a difference.
He said although his company did not apply
for the West African routes recently announced by the ministry, it is working
with Air Niger to evolve a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to ply some routes
on the West African coast.
Marwa stated his unflinching confidence in
the Aviation Minister Isa Yuguda, whom he described as his bosom friend
“who excels in whatever he does”.
