At The Public Launch Of The Loyalist, A Memoir By Bolaji Abdullahi

At the public launch of The Loyalist, a memoir by Bolaji Abdullahi, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar reflected on his decades in public life revealing how loyalty led to personal sacrifices, including going into exile and surviving assassination attempts.

• Atiku said loyalty was a defining value from his military background, where obedience is absolute but in politics, loyalty is more complex and often costly.
• He recounted that loyalty forced him into exile and that he had survived assassination attempts as a result of political loyalty and commitments.
• The former vice‑president said loyalty should be about service to country and shared goals, not exclusion or blind allegiance.
  Atiku described The Loyalist as a book that challenges readers to reflect on:
  loyalty to country, community, institutions, and conscience
  distinguishing truth from rhetoric
  lessons of accountability, transparency, and respect for dissenting views
• Former Interior Minister and ADC National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola used the event to critique claims that defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) guarantee electoral success.
• He argued that governors’ defection doesn’t translate to votes in elections people determine outcomes, especially in a free and fair process.
• National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, praised the author, saying Atiku’s advice was influential even when they disagreed.
• Aregbesola and allied leaders stressed the need for credible elections ahead of the 2027 general polls, suggesting political unity and popular will matter more than political office or incumbency.
  The book launch and Atiku’s remarks came amid growing political discourse around loyalty, opposition unity, and leadership responsibility as Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections. Opposition figures present at the event also included prominent former governors and political leaders, underscoring the broad interest in The Loyalist’s themes.
  The narrative resonates against the backdrop of national debates on: political loyalty vs. institutional loyalty
  democratic integrity and free elections
  leadership accountability and inclusion
  Atiku’s revelations provide rare insight into the personal costs of political loyalty at the highest levels, highlighting historical challenges in Nigeria’s political evolution. Meanwhile, Aregbesola’s comments feed into ongoing debates on electoral credibility and the limits of political influence.