By John Ikani
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, on Monday, accused mischief makers of printing and circulating 2023 Presidential campaign posters bearing his portrait and that of former Governor of the Central Bank, Chukwuma Soludo.
The posters, which surfaced in Abuja on Monday, had Atiku and Soludo’s photographs side by side announcing an Atiku/Soludo ticket for the 2023 presidential election.
A statement by his media aide, Paul Ibe, on Monday, said the printing and posting of the posters were the work of mischief makers.
The statement said the former vice president “is presently preoccupied with joining hands with other well-meaning Nigerians to help in finding solutions to the myriad of challenges plaguing our nation such as insecurity and economic downturn marked by joblessness and extreme poverty.”
The former Vice President pointed out that while he is still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Soludo is presently an aspirant for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra state, on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).
A full copy of the statement obtained by Heritage Times reads:
Atiku preoccupied with helping to find solutions to Nigeria’s challenges
Our attention has been drawn to reports in a section of the media of campaign posters of His Excellency Atiku Abubakar and Prof Charles Soludo, an aspirant in the Anambra State governorship election in parts of Abuja.
Ordinarily, we would have ignored the reports, but for the interest of those who may be misled by the disingenuous plot.
We know nothing about the posters or those who may have promoted it.
It is obvious that this is a work of mischief. For the avoidance of doubt, Atiku Abubakar is of the PDP while Charles Soludo is of APGA. It is silly of anyone to attempt to drag the former Vice President into an election in Anambra which outcome will be determined by the people of the state.
Atiku Abubakar is presently preoccupied with joining hands with other well-meaning Nigerians to help in finding solutions to the myriad of challenges plaguing our nation such as insecurity and economic downturn marked by joblessness and extreme poverty.
That explains why last Monday, the Waziri of Adamawa commissioned the headquarters of Standard Micro Finance Bank and two manufacturing plants, promoted by him in Yola to provide much-needed jobs and opportunities.
We wish to restate that the purported 2023 campaign posters in circulation linking Atiku to Soludo is the handiwork of mischief makers and should be ignored.
Atiku’s political career at a glance
Atiku was vice president of Nigeria between May 29 May 1999 – 29 May 2007.
Since his entry into politics in 1993, Atiku Abubakar has unsuccessfully contested five times for the Office of President of Nigeria in 1993, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019.
On February 27, 2019, Atiku lost the presidential election to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari by over 3 million votes.[41] The appealed at the Supreme Court and described the election as the “worst in Nigeria’s democratic history.”
