Just In: I Never Betrayed Tinubu, He Owes Me, Atiku Gives Reason
- The presidential bannerman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has denied betraying President Bola Tinubu
- He stated this during his world press conference in Abuja on Thursday, October 5, noting that President Tinubu owes him
- Atiku revealed how he saved Lagos State from being a victim of the PDP's clean swoop of the southwest in 2007
FCT, Abuja - The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed allegations that he betrayed President Bola Tinubu during their political alignment in 2007.
Atiku, who spoke during a world press conference in Abuja on Thursday, October 5, stated that he stood against his principal, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, for Tinubu in the buildup to the alignment.
Source: Facebook
He said ex-President Obasanjo would have taken over Lagos while the PDP was in power without his intervention.
According to Punch, Atiku said:
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“Those of you who are old enough will also remember that in 2003, the PDP took over all the South-Western states, with the exception of Lagos.
“I stood between Obasanjo and himself (Tinubu), and I said no, you (Obasanjo) can’t take over Lagos. Leave it, and he (Obasanjo) left it. So, who is indebted to whom? Is it me or Bola Ahmed Tinubu? I vehemently deny that I stabbed Tinubu in the back."
Why my political relationship with Tinubu strained - Atiku
Atiku further revealed that his political friendship with Tinubu was strained during the 2007 alignment after he declined to adopt him as his running mate after securing the presidential ticket under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) platform.
The former Vice President stated that he was not in tune with the idea of a Muslim-Muslim ticket because he respected the diversity of Nigeria.
He said Tinubu sent some senior party chieftains to him, and he declined the offer because it did not reflect the ethnic diversity of Nigeria.
Atiku said:
“They met me and said to me that Bola wanted to be my running mate. I said to them, gentlemen, you’re all old enough, and apparently, virtually all of you are Christians’ with the exception of one person. What will be your reaction to having a Muslim-Muslim ticket?
“Till today, I won’t do a Muslim-Muslim ticket; I don’t have to be president; we are a multi-ethnic and multi-religious people, and our government must reflect our diversity, and our composition must reflect the same.”
CSU certificate saga: APC trade tackles with Atiku says “political career at a standstill”
Meanwhile, Atiku Abubakar has been told to rest his legal battle against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The presidential bannerman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Tinubu of forgery.
Atiku, who won a suit against Tinubu at a US court requesting his academic records, would present them before the Nigerian Supreme Court for an appeal of the election tribunal.
Source: Legit.ng
