Tinubu Benefited from My Goodwill, Atiku Responds to Shettima

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has refuted claims that he sought refuge and support from President Bola Tinubu. In a statement released on Sunday, Atiku asserted that it was actually Tinubu who benefited from his goodwill.

This response follows comments made by Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday. Shettima had claimed that both Atiku and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu had received political support from Tinubu during periods of persecution. He mentioned that Tinubu’s residence in Bourdillon served as a sanctuary for Atiku during his political struggles within the PDP.

Shettima stated, “He [Tinubu] has been a veritable sanctuary for victims of political witch-hunts. When Atiku Abubakar was harassed in the Peoples Democratic Party, it was Bourdillon he ran to for support and it was in Bourdillon that he got the needed support and later contested for the presidency of this country.”

Reacting through his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku described Shettima’s claims as erroneous. He stated that Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos State Governor was safeguarded by his own support, emphasizing that Tinubu might have faced impeachment without it.

Atiku noted, “But for Atiku’s support, hinged on his pro-democracy instincts and rule of law, Tinubu’s tenure as governor of Lagos would have been rough with a wide possibility of termination of his political career.”

Addressing the historical political narrative, Atiku clarified that the Action Congress (AC) was a coalition that included his associates and factions of Tinubu’s Alliance for Democracy (AD). He pointed out that his presidential candidacy in 2007 under the AC was a collective decision of the delegates and not solely facilitated by Tinubu.

The statement urged Shettima to refrain from commenting on topics he is not well-versed in, correcting the record on the formation and nomination process within the AC.

Atiku’s statement highlights the involvement of various political figures and delegations in the nomination process, underscoring that his candidacy was supported by a broad coalition beyond Tinubu’s influence.