Tinubu reveals why MKO Abiola rejected Atiku as running mate in 1993

Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress, presidential candidate has revealed why the acclaimed winner of the 1993 annulled presidential election, MKO Abiola failed to pick Atiku Abubakar as his running mate.

According to Tinubu, the Yar’Adua camp was rooting for Atiku as Abiola’s running mate but the latter instead settled for Babagana Kingibe.

He said, “In 1993, after Atiku and Kingibe lost to MKO Abiola in the SDP presidential primary in Jos, Atiku was the choice of the Yar’Adua camp to become Abiola’s running mate.

“Abiola overlooked him and picked the more cerebral diplomat and bureaucrat, Babagana Kingibe. In all the tonnes of biographies written about him, there was no where he said he opposed Shehu Yar’Adua’s support for his candidacy as Abiola’s VP.

“He was not against it, since it favoured him. Now, it is politically convenient and opportunistic for him to oppose Tinubu-Shettima ticket.

“Political Credentials: Most reprehensible was Atiku’s lies about how many times he ran to become the governor of Adamawa or old Gongola state.

“Mr. Presidential candidate, in case you don’t know, you run for an office only when you are on the ballot in an election. Your signifying interest in an office does not mean the same as running for the office.

“From available records, the first time you contested the governorship election in your state was in 1999. Your name entered the ballot for the first time and you won.

“Poor grasp of history: Atiku Abubakar also exhibited poor knowledge of history when he claimed that Abraham Lincoln, one of America’s famous leaders, contested the presidency five to six times before he eventually won.