The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has thanked lawyers both in Nigeria and in the United States, who have assisted him in bringing clarity and definitive answers to the Tinubu’s certificate issue that appear to have defied the country’s institutions for nearly a quarter of a century.
Atiku who expressed his gratitude at a press conference to address the issue of President Bola Tinubu’s academic records released by the Chicago State University(CSU) in Abuja on Thursday, also thanked Nigerians for their patience as he sought to find the facts and establish the truth.
The presidential candidate said the late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, would be happy in his grave that what he started about 23 years ago has come to fruition.
“I wish to pay tribute to the late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, who inspired us on this path of discovery. Now, he can truly rest in peace in the assurance that what he started about 23 years ago has come to fruition. Gani’s vindication today gives credence to the saying that no matter how fast a lie runs, the truth will someday overtake it.
Speaking further, the former vice president said that he would stop his legal battle with President Bola Tinubu after Supreme Court judgement.
” I’ll only drop this fight if the court rules. If the court rules that I’m right, fine, if the court rules that Tinubu is right, fine. There’s no other court higher than the Supreme Court. That is where it all ends.”
On allegations that he betrayed Tinubu, who many see as his former political ally, the former vice president said, “I disagree with Tinubu, yes it’s true that we came together in 2007. In Lagos, at the convention, I emerged winner and got the party’s ticket. After I got the ticket, he sent me about five or six senior party men, and they met me and said Bola (Tinubu) wanted to be my running mate.
“I said, gentlemen, you are all old enough, and asked, what would be your reaction to having a Muslim-Muslim ticket?
“They all answered that they objected to it, I then told them they should have told him and that was the end of the political relationship; he (Tinubu) broke away, and supported Umaru Yar’Adua. So what is the ground for him to say I betrayed him?
“In 2003, the PDP took over all the southwestern states with the exception of Lagos. I stood between Obasanjo and Tinubu and told Obasanjo to leave Lagos, and he left it. I vehemently deny that I stabbed Tinubu in the back.
“Till today, I won’t do a Muslim-Muslim ticket; I don’t have to be president; we are a multi-ethnic and multi-religious people, and our government must reflect our diversity, and our composition must reflect the same.”
On whether there was a move to dissuade him from pursuing his case against Tinubu, Atiku responded: “Immediately after the elections, I was told there was a delegation of governors who claimed they were sent by the president, and I did not even allow them to get into my house – I didn’t.”
Atiku called on other opposition leaders – Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), to join him in the quest for what he called justice over the academic records of President Bola Tinubu at the Chicago State University (CSU).
“Let me call on all well-meaning Nigerians, leaders of thoughts, our religious, traditional, community and political leaders and in particular, Governor Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP and the leaders of every political party in Nigeria and indeed every single person who loves this country as I do and who wishes nothing but the best for this country as I do, to join me in this campaign to enshrine probity, accountability and the basic principles of justice, morality, and uprightness in our country and in our government,” Atiku said during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, adding that, “This is a task for every one of us.”
Recall that Atiku had requested the release of President Tinubu’s certificate from the Chicago State University over the suspicion that the certificate the former Lagos State governor submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the purpose of 2023 general election, might have been forged.
