NIGERIA - Atiku Abubakar.

The Vice President elected on Feb. 27, 1999 as a running mate of Obasanjo, Abubakar is a northerner in the leadership of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). He heads President Obasanjo's economic policy unit and takes part in the petroleum decision making process. It has been said that Abubakar's most useful quality to Obasanjo is his loyalty.

Yet some observers say Abubakar is a subtle politician. He has now become very close to Obasanjo. After Obasanjo declared his intention to run for a second term in office, Abubakar said words to the effect that "if I am to pick between being a president and being vice president to President Olusegun Obasanjo, I think I will pick the latter - to be vice president to President Obasanjo".

In fact, the 'Daily Trust' publication noted in May in a report from Abuja, for the past three years, Abubakar "has become the Chief Operating Officer of Nigeria. The Obasanjo administration is structured in such a way that while the president sets the rules, his deputy religiously goes ahead to ensure that the objectives of the administration are realised and nurtured to consolidation. While President Obasanjo does the governing, doing the frank talking, without considering the political implications, Vice President Atiku does the politicking, personal contacts and consensus building that keeps the government's political machine rolling. During Obasanjo' s several trips abroad, his deputy was practically running the country alone without monitoring, doubt, distrust or misgiving on the part of the president".

A former customs chief, Abubakar is close to Babangida. In the Dec. 5, 1998 local government elections, Abubakar as PDP candidate won the governorship of the north-eastern state of Adamawa. As governor, with the backing of Babangida, he did much to galvanise support for Obasanjo in the north. He lobbied for the PDP leadership to adopt Obasanjo as its candidate before the latter joined the party.

In February 2000 Abubakar led a mission on a week-long foreign investment drive in the UK and US. He unveiled the government's privatisation plan, containing a detailed timetable for selling off equity in 74 state-owned companies. Abubakar says the government is determined to raise the oil production to 3m b/d by 2003 and 4m b/d by 2010, with proven oil reserves to be raised from 25 bn to 30 bn barrels by 2003 and 40 bn barrels by 2010.