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, citing his opposition to a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.
In a Hausa-language video interview shared on X, Atiku recounted how, after securing the presidential ticket, Tinubu sent five prominent figures, including Tom Ikimi and Bisi Akande, to discuss the possibility of becoming his running mate.
According to Atiku, he told the delegation that choosing Tinubu would amount to a Muslim-Muslim ticket, which he believed was not in the best interest of Nigeria.
“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 said the disagreement led to a political separation between him and Tinubu, who subsequently backed the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
He recalled that their political paths crossed again during Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign. Atiku said Buhari visited him in Abuja after winning the primary election and sought his support for the subsequent election.
Atiku said he agreed to support Buhari on the condition that he would not choose Tinubu as his running mate if that would result in a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
“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.”
According to Atiku, Buhari agreed to the condition after considering it for several minutes.
He further claimed that Tinubu later sent emissaries to Buhari to protest the decision, insisting that Buhari had broken an earlier promise to choose him as his running mate.
Atiku said the disagreement was eventually resolved, with Tinubu suggesting that Buhari could instead choose his wife, who was a Christian. Buhari reportedly declined, saying he did not want a female running mate.
Atiku added that Christian clerics were subsequently involved in the discussions before Tinubu eventually agreed to the nomination of Yemi Osinbajo, who was then Lagos State Attorney-General and a Christian, as Buhari’s running mate.
The development, Atiku said, ultimately resulted in Buhari and Osinbajo contesting the 2015 presidential election on a Muslim-Christian ticket.
Atiku: I Rejected Tinubu as Running Mate Over Muslim-Muslim Ticket
