Tinubu lied, lobbied to be my deputy for Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2007, Atiku insists – Premium Times

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has accused his major opponent in next years presidential election of lying.

Atiku said Bola Tinubu lied when he denied lobbying to be his running mate in the 2007 presidential election.

Atiku started the tit-for-tat between both candidates when he first made the accusation last week. Mr Tinubu replied, saying he never lobbied for it but was instead offered by Atiku.

Both men were then allies and members of the Action Congress which Atiku had joined after leaving the PDP. Atiku would later change parties a few times more before his final return to the PDP.

On Sunday, the opposition candidate, in a statement by his spokesperson, presented what he said were three pieces of evidence that corroborated his position.

Nigerians may want to note that on 14 September, 2005, the then US Consul General, Brian L. Browne, drafted a memo, leaked via Wikileaks, wherein he stated that Bola Tinubu was scheming to be a running mate to either Atiku Abubakar or Muhammadu Buhari, Atikus spokesperson Paul Ibe wrote.

Read the full statement by Mr Ibe below.

We have read the response from Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the groundbreaking interview granted by His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, to Arise TV, and even though it was replete with indiscreet language, the former Vice President has elected to respond to the claims made by Asiwaju.

In responding, he has chosen the route of a friendly riposte, in the hope that his gesture will be reciprocated by the Asiwaju in future.

On the issue of Atiku Abubakar offering to make Bola Tinubu his running mate in 2007, the Waziri says as a statesman, which he believes Asiwaju Bola Tinubu also is, or should be, it is pertinent that they use temperate language at all times. It not only shows that they are seasoned and mature, more importantly, it is a good indicator of fitness for the office.

And that is why it is our intention to respond to Asiwajus statement on Atiku Abubakars Arise TV interview, not in the rather impolite manner that he dealt the PDP presidential candidate, but in measured tones.

The major accusation made by Asiwaju Tinubu is that the Waziri Adamawa offered him the opportunity of being his running mate in 2007, which means that the former Vice President was not then mindful of Nigerias religious and ethnic diversity, making his statements during the Arise TV interview hypocritical.

We would not say that Bola Tinubu has lied. Rather, it is our desire to give him the benefit of the doubt, and believe that his memory may not be what it used to be.

Nigerians may want to note that on 14 September, 2005, the then US Consul General, Brian L. Browne, drafted a memo, leaked via Wikileaks, wherein he stated that Bola Tinubu was scheming to be a running mate to either Atiku Abubakar or Muhammadu Buhari.

This is further historically corroborated by the subsequent political history of Nigeria. Biographers of President Muhammadu Buhari have variously recounted how Bola Tinubu made the same request of then Presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

In his 2016 AUTHORISED biography of President Muhammadu Buhari titled Muhammadu Buhari: The Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria, Professor John Paden, an American, wrote about the issue as follows:

Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State and political godfather of the South-West geopolitical zone, felt he should be the vice-presidential candidate.

The above clearly shows a behavioural pattern here. So, if anyone is unhinged from the truth (to borrow Asiwaju Tinubus words), it certainly is not Atiku Abubakar.

In any case, if Bola Tinubu can forget the name of his own political party, why will he not also forget what transpired in 2007 and 2015? We do sympathise with him.

The fact remains that in a fragile and ethnically diverse nation, such as ours, religious and ethnic balance must be observed at the highest levels, and from there flow downwards.

That is what Atiku Abubakar said during his interview with Arise TV on Thursday, July 21, 2022, and he stands on that principle and will continue to so stand without apology to anyone.

From the foregoing, it is clear that His Excellency, Atiku Abubakars memory and recollection of the event has been corroborated by multiple, independent, and unconnected third parties, and if this were a court of law, this issue would have been regarded as proved beyond reasonable doubt.

We would also like to remind Nigerians that even though multiple sources have testified that Bola Tinubu desperately lobbied to be made Buharis deputy in a Muslim-Muslim ticket, Bola Tinubu himself denied this on June 22, 2022, and instead accused President Buhari of offering him the position of Vice President.

Which is exactly the same false allegation he has made against Atiku Abubakar. This is a pattern of behaviour. Not owning up to his actions.

Therefore, we hope this settles the matter, and that cordiality can be expected henceforth from the opposing camp.

Signed:Paul Ibe,Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar, Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007.Abuja24th July, 2022.

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Tinubu lied, lobbied to be my deputy for Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2007, Atiku insists - Premium Times