In a press conference he addressed in Abuja on Thursday, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, in a question and answer session with journalists, gave an insight into his topsy-turvy relationship with political-ally-turned-foe, President Bola Tinubu. He spoke on the matters. Below are excerpts:
On Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) relationship:
In 2007 we came together to form ACN. And in Lagos at the convention I emerged and I got the ticket.
And after the convention a few of our friends who are here, met me and told me Bola wants to be (my) running mate. So, I asked of their opinion on Muslim – Muslim tickets.
All of them said they objected. So, I asked them why didn’t they tell him. So that was the end of our political relationship, it broke away as he went ahead and supported Yar’adua.
So where is the ground for him to say I betrayed him. Those of you who are old enough will remember that in 2003 the PDP took over all the states in the South West, with exemption of Lagos. I stood before Obasanjo and said no, you can’t take Lagos. And he left it.
So who is indebted to the other, is it me or Tinubu.
Till today I will not do Muslim Muslim ticket, it is absolutely wrong and not right. We are multi ethnic, and multi religious.
Persecution by Buhari:
As you must have read in many places I was the founder of one of the biggest logistics company since the military era, and as soon as Buhari came, even though we had licences and we had nothing to do with government. We were just contractors to the oil companies. As soon as Buhari came all those contracts were revoked and taken away from us till today, so I am not doing any government business.
Yes, I am in other businesses, agriculture, manufacturing and so and so forth. So I am not scared of any business been taken away from me, it has already been taken a way from me since the Buhari administration. They took it and distributed out among themselves.
Pressure to withdraw case:
Not really, yes immediately after the election I was told there was a delegation of Governors who claimed they were sent by the President, but I did not allow them to get into my house. I did not.
On when he would drop the fight against Tinubu for Presidency:
I would only drop the fight when the court rules, if the court rules that I am right, if the court rules that he is right, that is the end of the fight. At the moment we are at the Supreme Court and there is no any higher court than the Supreme Court.
●●Atiku’s lawyer, Kalu Kalu, also told journalists the implications of the US District Court of Illinois did and its effect on the case at Nigeria’s Supreme Court. His comments:
We were told that Bola Ahmed Tinubu forged the certificate he presented to INEC.
Two that the qualifying certificates from Southwest College to Chicago bears a female indicating that the document does not belong to Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Also, the CSU admission has a claim that Bola Ahmed Tinubu attended Government College, Lagos and graduated in 1970 when indeed, the school was established in 1974.
Under the deposition we were told that the A is Adekunle, but the A Bola Tinubu submitted as NYSC certificate has Adekunle
On the question of what use will it be in the Supreme Court. It is very clear that from second authorities, the Supreme Court has held that they can accept a party to adduce fresh evidence, as long as certain conditions are met and from what transpired in the proceedings in US courts, and that condition is going to be met.
So as we speak, our law is very clear that a party at fault cannot be allowed to enjoy the fruit of its illegality.