Why I changed my name from Siddiq to Atiku – Ex-Vice President

The Atiku Media Office has strongly criticized what they deem as a deliberate attempt by the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to involve former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in a forgery scandal, suggesting this is an orchestrated move to deflect attention from allegations against President Bola Tinubu.

Paul Ibe, Atiku’s Media Adviser, issued a statement on Sunday, asserting that Tinubu and his team should refrain from further efforts to draw comparisons between President Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar.

Ibe emphasized that all the names borne by Atiku can be traced back to his family lineage, rejecting the forgery accusations. He stated, “Contrary to Bola A. Tinubu’s forgery shopping allegation against Atiku, it is on record that the change of name of the former Vice President reverting to Atiku Abubakar from Siddiq Abubakar is well documented in an affidavit dated 18th of August 1973, spanning over a period of 50 years.”

He alleged that Tinubu has a history of forging and distorting various aspects of his life, including his heritage, name, date of birth, education, certificates, and work experience.

Ibe further pointed to the exposure of Tinubu’s records at Chicago State University and a court-ordered deposition in the United States as just the beginning of the revelations. He contended, “The attempt by Bola Tinubu to drag Atiku Abubakar into his drowning arena of forgery must be seen for what it is: an attempt to minimize the allegations of forgeries that he has to contend with.”