I’m Not A Politician – Atiku’s Daughter Explains

AISHA ABUBAKAR

Dr. Fatima Atiku Abubakar, the daughter of Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has described her tenure as Adamawa State Commissioner for Health under the immediate past Governor, Muhammadu Bindow, as memorable and explained that she is not a politician.

Fatima was one of the technocrats the former Governor, Bindow, appointed to help his administration transform the health sector of Adamawa State.

She told newsmen on Thursday in Yola that her tenure brought about the formulation of Adamawa Health Policy, Health Insurance Scheme, Cancer Registry for the control of cancer scourge, among other initiatives.

“The four years was full of experiences and quite memorable; it was my first time of occupying public office and I learnt a lot of things through my interaction with a lot of people and organisations.

“I feel very fulfilled that I was given a chance and my impact was felt by the people of Adamawa State,” the ex-commissioner said.

Atiku’s daughter, who dedicated her salaries for the four years she served to support some health programmes in the state, said she might not reject Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s invitation to serve in his government if extended.

“It is something I have to think about; if not for anything but for the interest of the public,” she said.

It will be recalled that while Dr. Fatima Atiku Abubakar stayed back, some serving commissioners left Bindow’s government when her father, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, defected from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party and eventually emerged as its Presidential candidate.

But Dr. Atiku Abubakar, who attracted many interventions from health organisations and international donors to the state health sector, explained that she was not a politician.

She fielded questions on backdrop of scrambles and intrigues by interested persons, including politically exposed individuals, angling to be appointed as health commissioner by Governor Fintiri.