The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has revealed that he rejected the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu as vice presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2007, to avoid a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Atiku, who appeared on monitored Arise TV exclusive interview on Friday, also said that Tinubu had always disregarded Nigeria’s religious plurality, especially with respect to fielding presidential candidates of same faith.
Reactions have trailed Tinubu’s decision to pick Senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election.
“My fundamental disagreement with Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu) since 2007 was on the issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket. That was my fundamental disagreement and departure politically from Asiwaju.
“Remember that I came out of PDP (defected) on the issue of zoning and together with Asiwaju we formed the ACN (Action Congress of Nigeria) and I was given the ticket in Lagos and he (Tinubu) insisted to be my running mate and I said no! I am not going to have a Muslim-Muslim ticket and because of that, he switched his support to the late Umaru Yar’Adua. That was the parting point.
“And of course, it is also a fact that when Buhari emerged (as APC’s candidate) in 2015 in Lagos I opposed a Muslim-Muslim ticket and my opposition actually reinforced the decision of President Buhari to pick a Christina running mate.
“I don’t believe it is right for a country like Nigeria. In a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country, there should be balance of interest, whether religious or otherwise,” Atiku said.
On whether Tinubu’s decision to pick a running mate from the Northeast where he also comes from, would affect his prospects, the PDP presidential candidate said, “Certainly, my prospects are much. I think it is an unfair question to ask me because I know that my prospects are much higher. I believe you know the composition of the Northeast.
“You have Borno and Yobe: these are essentially two Kanuri states and you have other states which are essentially Hausa-Fulani states. So, if indeed people are going to vote on that basis, I think I have a more favourable (outlook) from the North East.”
