The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has challenged All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Bola Tinubu to undergo a ‘long’ interview as he (Atiku) did recently.
Atiku was responding to the Tinubu Campaign Organization’s statement earlier on Saturday by attacking him on some issues he discussed in the interview with Arise TV.
In Friday’s interview, the former vice president attacked the APC and Tinubu for settling for a Muslim-Muslim presidential bid for the 2023 election.
He was referring to the choice of former Borno state governor and sitting senator, Kashim Shettima, as Tinubu’s running mate.
Both Messrs. Tinubu and Shettima are Muslim.
The Tinubu campaign accused Atiku of illegally enriching himself while in government.
The statement from the organization’s Media and Communication Director, Bayo Onanuga, also accused the PDP candidate of hypocrisy, spreading falsehoods, and having little knowledge of history and current affairs.
Response
But a statement from Atiku’s press aide Paul Ibe on Saturday night challenged Tinubu to submit to an hour-long interview as Atiku did if he was “mentally present” and articulate enough to do so.
He said that Mr. Tinubu and his “yes men” were in no position to criticize Atiku when they had not sat on the ‘dock’.
Tinubu Ball
“We would like to challenge Bola Tinubu to submit to an hour-long interview, as Waziri did, and if he is able to be as articulate and present-minded as our candidate, then he will be able to speak.
“Until then, we just want to remind him and his men that they are not in a position to point fingers when they have not sat on the bench,” the statement said.
He also responded to other issues Tinubu’s campaign raised, including his (Atiku) time in the Nigerian Customs Service and his academic qualifications.
Below is the full statement from Atiku’s media adviser.
PRESS RELEASE
We challenge Bola Tinubu to take the hot seat
We were quite amused to read the Tinubu Campaign Organization’s knee-jerk response to the interview Waziri Atiku Abubakar gave to Arise TV on Thursday, July 21, 2022.
Fun, because we expected this. Mr. Tinubu has not sat down for any lengthy interviews for obvious reasons. Nigerians have seen him speak in public and can gauge for themselves why he is mortified by doing so.
However, I will now address the issues in your statement one after another.
* The Tinubu campaign exposed its sheer desperation and emptiness in citing the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) 1999, to state Waziri Atiku Abubakar’s stance on engaging in a side business as a young military officer. customs as breach of the law. It is pertinent to educate the Tinubu campaign organization that Nigeria is not under military rule and our Constitutions are not retroactive in nature.
* Once again, the Tinubu campaign betrayed dishonesty or a lack of attention to detail by claiming that Atiku Abubakar said oil contributed 20% of Nigeria’s GDP. That is a lie. What the Waziri said is the following:
“Oil only accounts for maybe about 20% of our GDP.”
* The use of the word perhaps by the Waziri was a reflection of the different figures given. While the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics puts a figure close to 10%, other multilateral organizations have given a much higher figure, between 15 and 20%. So while the jury is still out, it’s correct to rate the contribution of oil and gas as maybe. However, we would like to point out that Waziri Atiku Abubakar mentioned both the PDP and the APC during the interview and did not forget the name of his own party.
* It seems that the organization of the Tinubu campaign (can a disorganized body be called an organization?) does not know the meaning of power rotation and microzoning. Then we will gladly educate you. Rotation of powers refers to a constitutional provision in which power is zoned between north and south. Microzoning refers to a non-constitutional idea, in which power is not zoned between north and south, but between geopolitical zones. We hope that this will cure the political illiteracy of the authors of that document.
* The rude reply also accuses Waziri Atiku Abubakar of having “limited education”. Atiku Abubakar has a Master’s degree from Anglia Ruskin University. We challenge any of the present candidates for President to present an equal or higher degree. Also, your college attendance is a matter of verified record. Can we say the same about some other people?
* On President Lincoln, we fear the poor history student is Tinubu’s campaign disarray. Yes, it’s true that Lincoln ran for president with his name on the ballot twice. But he ran on other occasions and failed to get his name on the ballot.
* In conclusion, we would like to challenge Bola Tinubu to submit to an hour-long interview, as the Waziri did, and if he is able to be as articulate and present-minded as our candidate, then he will be able to speak. Until then, we just want to remind him and his men that they’re not in a position to point fingers when they haven’t sat on the bench.
Paul IbeMedia Advisor to Atiku AbubakarPDP Presidential Candidate and Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007AbujaJuly 23, 2022