Why Tinubu abandoned me to support Yar’Adua in 2007 – Atiku
Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has revealed his one-time political ally Bola Tinubu abandoned him during the 2007 presidential election.
Atiku was the presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for the election.
Speaking on a special interview with Arise television, Atiku said his “fundamental disagreement and political departure from Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu) was on the issue of the Muslim-Muslim ticket”.
“We formed ACN together and he insisted on being my running mate,” he said.
Atiku added his rejection of the same-faith ticket made Tinubu “switch support to Yar’Adua (late President Umaru)”. Yar’Adua was the candidate of the PDP.
Atiku stated that his rejection again of a Muslim-Muslim ticket, while he was in the All Progressives Congress (APC), “reinforced President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to pick a Christian as his running mate.”
The serial presidential candidate says he believes there should be balancing of interest in Nigeria, given its multi-ethnic, multireligious nature composition.
Asked how he feels running against Tinubu, whom many consider to be his friend, Atiku answered, “We are still friends, that does not mean we will not have political differences. We have been having political differences since we became friends.”
