Spokesperson of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Management Committee, Senator Dino Melaye has said that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar did not fight the former president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, he only defended the Constitution and democracy.
In a press statement issued on Sunday and made available to Tribune Online, Senator Dino was reacting to comments made against Atiku by the presidential candidate of the All-Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu alleging that Atiku ‘fought’ Obasanjo, while in office.
The statement read: “In a fit of temporary coherence, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the flagbearer of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, as usual, departed from issues and devoted his limited attention to His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, who must be giving him nightmares on the 2023 Presidential election.
“According to the APC presidential candidate, Atiku ‘fought’ Obasanjo, while in office. We owe it a deep gratitude that Tinubu has recalled this fine attribute of Atiku Abubakar, who while he served as the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria defended the constitution and deepened Nigeria’s democracy.
“It is not a surprise that Tinubu would castigate a man who defended the rule of law. A man who is running from the law on many fronts cannot see merit in defending the rule of law.
“It is to Atiku’s eternal credit that he stood firm in pursuit of his conviction that the loyalty of public officers is to the constitution and not to individuals. This position will definitely be at variance with the disposition of a man of tyrannical antecedents like Tinubu, who in an exhibition of undemocratic tendencies fought his female Deputy Governor, Mrs Kofo Akereke-Bucknor until she was removed from office. The treatment he gave to Mr Femi Pedro was not any better. Why then did he focus on the jot in someone’s eyes while overlooking the log in his own?
“The removal of Tinubu’s first Deputy Governor from office was a gross betrayal of Afenifere who had nominated the former Deputy Governor as part of the group’s understanding for supporting Tinubu’s election as Governor of Lagos State. This conduct is a proof that Tinubu cannot be trusted with power.
“Day by day, it is becoming apparent who to trust with power between Atiku and Tinubu. While Atiku defended the constitution and the rule of law, Tinubu has no record of such. Rather, he remains a perpetual candidate of legal inquisitions.
“With Tinubu’s insistence to continue to fumble on campaign rostrum and entertain crowds at political venues, he needs to focus on what works for Nigeria and not a continuous descent into Tom and Jerry stories about Atiku.”
