Ayodele Olalere
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the forth-coming 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has given reasons he parted ways politically with his friend and the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
Atiku said he parted ways with Tinubu over 15-years ago because of Tinubu’s persistent support for Muslim-Muslim ticket which he ( Atiku) was never in support of
He accused Tinubu of always been an advocate of the Muslim-Muslim ticket and have made several unsuccessful attempts in the past to achieve his aim.
Atiku further said he had made all efforts to make Tinubu understand that the country was not ripe for same faith candidates but Tinubu never listened to him.
In an interview aired during a popular television show in Lagos State, Atiku noted that the country was not a one-faith nation and that allowing the president and his running mate to assume leadership of the country was not right.
“We will go to battle with APC. My fundamental disagreement with Tinubu since 2007 was due to the Muslim-Muslim ticket issue. And this formed my reason to have parted ways with him politically.
“I remember I left PDP on the issue of zoning and together with him we formed the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), I was given the ticket and Tinubu insisted that he must be my running mate.
“But I turned the demands down that I will not contest the election on a Muslim-Muslim ticket base. And due to that, he switched his support to the late Umar Yar’ Adua during the poll.
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“And that was the parting point. And ofcourse in 2015 when Buhari emerged through the primary, I opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket when it was brought to the table. And my decision then made Buhari change his plans and went for someone that is not of the same faith as him, a Christian.
“Before now, I have often opposed it. I do not believe that the country is ripe for that at the moment. We are a multi-religious country and we should give all faiths the opportunity,” he said.