Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, has challenged his All Progressives Congress counterpart, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to subject himself to an hour-long television interview.
He threw the challenge on Saturday in response to the allegation by Tinubu Campaign Organisation that he was not prepared to lead the country.
The word of words between Atiku and Tinubu came following the former comment during an interview aired by Arise TV on Friday, where the PDP candidate claimed that he had a disagreement with Tinubu because he opposed Muslim-Muslim ticket when Tinubu, a Muslim, wanted to be his presidential candidate in 2007.
Tinubu, through his campaign team, countered Atiku, with Tinubu claiming that the PDP candidate was the one who offered him VP ticket in 2007.
Responding to the attack by Tinubu’s group, Atiku said in a statement which Paul Ibe, his Media Adviser, issued on his behalf, “We would like to challenge Bola Tinubu to subject himself to an hour long interview, like the Waziri did, and if he is able to be as articulate and mentally present as our candidate, then he can talk. Until then, we will only want to remind him and his yes men that they are not in a position to point fingers when they have not sat on the hot seat.”
According to One, Atiku was “amused to read the knee jerk response from the Tinubu Campaign Organisation to the wave making interview granted by Atiku Abubakar”.
He said the Tinubu campaign “exposed its gross desperation and vacuousness by citing the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) 1999, to declare Waziri Atiku Abubakar’s stance on engaging in a side business while he was a young custom officer as a breach of the law. It is pertinent to educate the Tinubu campaign organisation that Nigeria is not under a military regime and our Constitutions are not retroactive in nature.
“Atiku Abubakar has earned Masters degree from Anglia Ruskin University. We challenge any of the present Presidential candidates to present an equal or higher degree. Moreover, his university attendance is a matter of verified record. Can we say the same about some other persons?”