FORMER Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has narrated how he rejected an attempt by the then Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to become his running mate, saying he opposed a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in what he considered the best interest of Nigeria.
News Point Nigeria reports that Atiku, in a Hausa-speaking video interview shared on X, disclosed that some prominent elders approached him after he secured the presidential ticket to inform him that Tinubu wanted to be his running mate.
According to the former Vice-President, Tinubu sent five elders, including Tom Ikimi, Bisi Akande and three others, to discuss the possibility of joining his presidential ticket.
Atiku said Tinubu had earlier promised to support him in securing the presidential ticket before the issue of the vice-presidential slot arose.
“He said he would back me to secure the ticket. After I got the ticket, he sent five elders among them Tom Ikimi, Bisi Akande and three others. They told me that Tinubu wanted to be my running mate,” Atiku said.
He said he told the elders that, being Christians, they should understand why he considered it inappropriate to pick another Muslim as his running mate.
“I told them that, as Christians, they should understand that it was inappropriate for me to pick a Muslim as my running mate.
“I asked them why they could not tell him that. I told them that I could not accept a Muslim-Muslim ticket, because it would not be of the best interest of our country. He broke away and backed the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, may his soul rest in peace,” he said.
According to Atiku, the disagreement marked the beginning of their political separation, as they subsequently found themselves in different political camps until they came together again during Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential campaign in 2014.
He recalled that after the convention, he returned to Abuja and was later visited at his residence by the late President Buhari.
Atiku said Buhari told him that he had contested and won the primary election but needed his support to win what he described as the “secondary election,” adding that he could not secure victory without his backing.
“I returned to Abuja after the convention and late President Muhammadu Buhari visited me at my residence. He told me that he had contested the primary election and won, but needed support to win the secondary election, saying he could not win without my support,” Atiku said.
The former Vice-President said he gave Buhari one condition, having learnt that Tinubu wanted Buhari to pick him as his running mate.
“I gave him one condition because I learnt that Tinubu wanted Buhari to pick him as his running mate. I assured him I would support him on the condition that he would not do a Muslim-Muslim ticket. After about five minutes of thought, he assured me he would not,” Atiku said.
He said that after Buhari left his residence, Tinubu reportedly sent emissaries to meet Buhari to ask about the agreement they had reached concerning the vice-presidential position.
According to Atiku, Tinubu was upset after learning that Buhari would not be picking him as his running mate.
He added, “Tinubu was so upset, saying that Buhari had not kept his promise, and so on. He was eventually calmed down.”
Atiku further alleged that Tinubu later suggested that Buhari should pick his wife, being a Christian, as his running mate, but the former President declined to work with a female running mate.
“He later asked Buhari to pick his wife since she is a Christian, but Buhari declined to work with a female running mate,” he said.
The former Vice-President said clerics were also involved in the disagreement that followed before Tinubu was eventually persuaded to nominate then Attorney-General of Lagos State, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, a Christian, as Buhari’s running mate.
“Clerics were involved in the ensuing disagreement, but in the end, Tinubu was convinced to nominate Osinbajo, who was his Attorney-General and a Christian, and Buhari accepted the nomination,” Atiku said.