Atiku Dares Tinubu: ‘Prove You’re Mentally Sound By Granting One Hour Interview’

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has dared his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to subject himself to a one hour interview to prove that he’s not mentally unfit to lead the country. 

Atiku took the fresh swipe at Tinubu hours after the APC presidential candidate denied Atiku’s claim that he (Tinubu) pushed for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in 2007. 

THE WHISTLER reported that Atiku, a two-time former vice president, had claimed in an interview earlier in the week that he rejected Tinubu’s request to be his running mate when he contested the presidency on the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) platform in 2007.

According to the PDP presidential candidate, “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.” He made the claim during the interview he granted Arise TV. 

Tinubu in response on Saturday described Atiku as a liar who “is willing to render any form of untruth if he thinks it might gain him a single vote.” 

Speaking through his media aide, Tunde Rahman, Tinubu said contrary to Atiku’s claim, it was the PDP presidential candidate that “offered me the vice presidential ticket in 2007” adding “Let me also say that my religion has not changed. When he offered the position to me, I was a Muslim and I believe he was aware of my religious faith at the time.” 

But retorting through his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku said Tinubu’s “knee jerk” response to his “wave making” interview is laughable. 

Ibe said, “‘We would like to challenge Bola Tinubu to subject himself to an hour long interview, like the Waziri did, and if he is able to be as articulate and mentally present as our candidate, then he can talk. Until then, we will only want to remind him and his yes men that they are not in a position to point fingers when they have not sat on the hot seat.”

He added that the Tinubu campaign “exposed its gross desperation and vacuousness by citing the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) 1999, to declare Waziri Atiku Abubakar’s stance on engaging in a side business while he was a young custom officer as a breach of the law. It is pertinent to educate the Tinubu campaign organisation that Nigeria is not under a military regime and our Constitutions are not retroactive in nature.

“Atiku Abubakar has earned Masters degree from Anglia Ruskin University. We challenge any of the present Presidential candidates to present an equal or higher degree. Moreover, his university attendance is a matter of verified record. Can we say the same about some other persons?”