Why I Rejected Tinubu As My Running Mate— Atiku

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has revealed that he rejected an attempt by then Lagos State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to become his running mate in 2007.

Atiku, who recalled events surrounding the 2007 presidential election, cited his opposition to a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.

The 2027 presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC) made the disclosure in a Hausa-language video interview shared on X.

According to him, shortly after securing the presidential ticket, five elders, including former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Bisi Akande, and former Foreign Affairs Minister, Tom Ikimi, approached him on Tinubu’s behalf.

Atiku said the delegation informed him that Tinubu wanted to serve as his running mate.

“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,” Atiku recounted.

The former vice-president said he rejected the proposal because he believed a Muslim-Muslim ticket would not serve the country’s interest.

“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 recalled.

He said Tinubu subsequently broke away politically and backed the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, leading to their separation until they eventually returned to the same political camp in 2014 during Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential campaign.

Atiku also recalled how Buhari visited him at his Abuja residence after winning the party’s presidential primary and sought his support for the general election.

According to him, he agreed to back Buhari but attached a condition that he must not choose a Muslim as his running mate.

“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 said Tinubu became upset after learning of the agreement between him and Buhari and sent emissaries to ascertain what had transpired.

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

He further disclosed that Tinubu later proposed that Buhari select his wife as his running mate because she was a Christian, but Buhari rejected the idea because he was unwilling to work with a female deputy.

Atiku said the disagreement eventually involved Christian and Muslim clerics before Tinubu was persuaded to nominate Professor Yemi Osinbajo, then his Attorney-General and a Christian, as Buhari’s running mate.

Buhari subsequently accepted Osinbajo as his running mate, paving the way for the APC ticket that went on to win the 2015 presidential election. Meanwhile, in the build up to the 2023 polls, Tinubu, then APC candidate, picked Kashim Shettima as running mate. Though many kicked against the Muslim-Muslim ticket, Tinubu eventually won the presidency, defecting Atiku and Peter Obi.