The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has refuted claims by Vice President Kashim Shettima that he benefited from President Bola Tinubu’s political support during times of persecution.
Atiku asserts that it was actually Tinubu who benefited immensely from his goodwill.
Vice President Shettima had stated on Thursday that Atiku, along with National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, sought refuge at Tinubu’s Bourdillon residence during periods of alleged harassment and intimidation.
“He 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,” Shettima said.
In a counter-statement issued by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, on Sunday, Atiku dismissed Shettima’s claims as false.
He emphasized that Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos State Governor was safeguarded by Atiku’s support.
“But for Atiku’s support, hinged on his pro-democracy instincts and rule of law, Tinubu’s tenure as governor of Lagos would have been rough with a wide possibility of termination of his political career,” the statement read.
Atiku also addressed the narrative surrounding the political history of the early 4th Republic, particularly the formation of the Action Congress (AC) party.
He clarified that AC was a coalition formed by the Advance Congress of Democrats (ACD) and Tinubu’s faction of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), not solely Tinubu’s creation.
“Shettima needs to be reminded that Atiku did not run under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), but Action Congress (AC),” Atiku stated.
The statement highlighted that Atiku’s nomination as the presidential candidate in 2007 was supported by a broad coalition of delegates, not just Tinubu’s faction.
“The delegates to the primaries of the election that threw up the former Vice President as the party’s presidential candidate included notable figures from across the political spectrum,” it noted.
Atiku urged Vice President Shettima to refrain from commenting on subjects he may not fully understand, especially in the context of the historical political landscape.