Atiku: I Rejected Tinubu As Running Mate Over Muslim-Muslim Ticket

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has recalled how he rejected an attempt by then Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to become his running mate, saying he opposed a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the country’s interest.

Atiku disclosed in a Hausa-language video interview shared on X.

He said some elders approached him after he secured the presidential ticket, informing him that Tinubu wanted to serve as his running mate.

According to Atiku, Tinubu sent five elders, including Tom Ikimi and Bisi Akande, to discuss the matter with him.

He said: “He said he would back me to secure the ticket. After I got the ticket, he sent five elders, including Tom Ikimi, Bisi Akande and three others. They told me that Tinubu wanted to be my 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 in the best interest of our country.”

Atiku said Tinubu subsequently broke away and backed the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

He said they both  went their separate ways politically and did not return to the same political camp until 2014, during the presidential election campaign.

“At that point, we parted ways. We did not find ourselves in the same political camp until 2014, during Buhari’s campaign,” Atiku said.

He recalled that after the party convention, the late President Muhammadu Buhari visited him at his residence in Abuja and sought his support for the presidential election.

“I returned to Abuja after the convention, and the 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,” he said.

Atiku said he agreed to support Buhari on the condition that he would not run on a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“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 that he would not,” he said.

Atiku added that shortly after Buhari left his residence, Tinubu sent emissaries to find out about the agreement reached between the two men.

“Tinubu was so upset, saying that Buhari had not kept his promise, and so on. He was eventually calmed down,” Atiku said.

According to him, Tinubu later suggested that Buhari pick his wife as his running mate because she was a Christian. Still, Buhari rejected the proposal because he was unwilling to work with a female 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,” he said.