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The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has reacted to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over claims that he(Atiku) lobbied him to be his Vice-President in 2007.
Tinubu had made the comment in response to Atiku’s criticisms over the controversial ‘Muslim-Muslim’ ticket the APC is running with. The Lagos Politician opined that Atiku has no problems with the same-faith ticket in 2007, when he lobbied him(Tinubu) to be his running mate.
In a statement on Sunday, signed by Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, the former vice-president tackled Tinubu adding that ‘his memory is not what it used to be’.
“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 Asiwaju’s statement on Atiku Abubakar’s 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 Nigeria’s 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.”
