Atiku Reveals How He Saved Tinubu When His Tenure Nearly Ended Prematurely

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, refuted claims that he owed his political progress to President Bola Tinubu, asserting instead that Tinubu greatly benefited from his goodwill.

Atiku contended that without his support, Tinubu’s political career might have ended prematurely during his tenure as Lagos State Governor in the early Fourth Republic.

This response came after Vice President Kashim Shettima’s remarks on Thursday, where Shettima claimed that both Atiku and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu had previously benefited from Tinubu’s political support during times of persecution. Shettima highlighted that Tinubu’s residence in Bourdillon, Ikoyi, Lagos, served as a refuge for Atiku when he faced harassment and expulsion from the PDP.

During the inauguration of the Vice Presidential Lodge constructed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration in Abuja, Shettima stated, “He (Tinubu) has been a veritable sanctuary for victims of political witch-hunts. When Atiku Abubakar was harassed in the Peoples Democratic Party, it was Bourdillon he ran to for support, and it was in Bourdillon that he got the needed support and later contested for the presidency of this country.”

In a statement released by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, on Sunday, Atiku argued that Shettima was mistaken and clarified that Tinubu actually benefited significantly from his (Atiku’s) support. According to Atiku, without his intervention, Tinubu’s tenure as Governor could have been tumultuous and possibly terminated.

Atiku explained, “But for Atiku’s support, hinged on his pro-democracy instincts and the rule of law, Tinubu’s tenure as governor of Lagos State would have been rough with a wide possibility of termination of his political career.”

He further addressed the misconceptions regarding the Action Congress (AC), the political platform on which he ran in 2007. He emphasized that AC was not solely Tinubu’s party but a coalition that included members from the Advance Congress of Democrats and Tinubu’s faction of the Alliance for Democracy.

Atiku noted, “Shettima needs to be reminded that Atiku did not run under the Action Congress of Nigeria, but Action Congress. AC came out of a coalition of Advance Congress of Democrats, formed mainly by PDM members and other associates and Tinubu’s faction of Alliance for Democracy.”

Atiku also clarified that the delegates who nominated him as the presidential candidate of the AC included a diverse group of influential figures, highlighting that Tinubu was not in a position to single-handedly lend the platform to him.

The statement concluded by listing the key delegates involved in nominating Atiku, underscoring the collaborative nature of the coalition. These delegates included prominent figures such as Lawal Keita, Amb. Yahaya Kwande, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, and many others, representing various factions and political backgrounds.