- Atiku claims Tinubu’s political career could have ended after his Lagos governorship without Atiku’s support and pro-democracy principles
- Atiku emphasizes he ran under the Action Congress (AC), not Tinubu’s party, with nomination by delegates from all states
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has claimed that without his support, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s political career could have ended with his tenure as the governor of Lagos State. Atiku made this assertion in response to the common belief that President Tinubu aided him during his conflict with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, which led to Atiku running for the presidency on the Action Congress (AC) platform in 2007.
In a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku countered Vice President Kashim Shettima’s remarks that Atiku benefited from Tinubu’s goodwill during his persecution in the PDP. “Truth be told, Tinubu benefited immensely from Atiku’s goodwill. Without Atiku’s support, based on his pro-democracy principles and respect for the rule of law, Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos governor could have been tumultuous, potentially ending his political career,” Ibe stated.
Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate in the recent election, clarified the historical context, asserting, “Leading up to the 2023 election, there has been a deliberate attempt to misrepresent the early 4th Republic’s political history by portraying the AC, the platform I ran on in 2007, as Tinubu’s party. This is incorrect. Vice President Shettima, likely caught up in the excitement of his official residence’s unveiling, repeated this falsehood.”
Atiku emphasized that he did not run under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), but under the Action Congress (AC), a coalition formed by the Advance Congress of Democrats (ACD), primarily consisting of PDM members and associates, and Tinubu’s faction of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). “Tinubu was not positioned to offer the platform as mistakenly suggested. Delegates from all states nominated me,” Atiku explained.
He then listed the delegates responsible for his nomination, including himself, Lawal Keita, Ambassador Yahaya Kwande, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Alexis Anielo, Titi Ajanaku, former Governor Rasheed Ladoja, Chief Tom Ikimi, and Chief Dapo Sarumi. Others included Chief Sergeant Awuse, Alhaji Lawan, Dr. Chris Ngige, Professor Ango Abdulahi, Dr. Farouk Abdul Azeez, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Chief Ejiofor Onyia, and Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, among others.
From Tinubu’s Alliance for Democracy, the key figures were Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Segun Osoba, Chief Adebayo Adefarati, and Chief Bisi Akande.