Atiku Reveals SDP Betrayal and How Abiola Snubbed Him as Running Mate For June 12

• Atiku acknowledged that there had been misconceptions and misrepresentations surrounding the events of that time
• Atiku explained, had secured their tickets when Kingibe was the chairman of the SDP, and Abiola, seeing this pressure, decided to pick Kingibe instead.
• Atiku discovered that SDP governors had swayed Moshood Abiola’s decision to select Babagana Kingibe as his running mate

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar recently shared his recollections of the 1993 Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential primaries, in which he was initially a candidate, Eko Hot Blog reports.

During an exclusive interview on the television show “Untold Stories with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie,”.

Atiku discussed how his late political mentor, Shehu Yar’adua, instructed him to withdraw from the race in favor of Chief Moshood Abiola, who went on to become the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

EDITOR’S PICK

• 2027: Atiku Speaks On Plans To Contest Against Tinubu
• Ademola Lookman, Rasheedat Ajibade, Alex Iwobi, Gov. Umo Eno, Emerge 2024 Pitch Awards Winners
• 12 Things Every Man Should Do If He Wants To Live Long

Atiku acknowledged that there had been misconceptions and misrepresentations surrounding the events of that time, despite his previous attempts to clarify the situation.

He recounted that after the first ballot, he reached out to Yar’adua, who was in Kaduna due to a political ban, to express concern that Babagana Kingibe was poised to secure the SDP ticket if Yar’adua did not intervene.

Atiku said he urged Yar’adua to come to Jos immediately, as the situation was critical. “I told him, ‘Look, if you don’t come to Jos, there is every likelihood that Babagana Kingibe is going to be elected, and I know you don’t want it. So you better come to Jos, no matter how late.’”

Atiku mentioned that Yar’adua arrived in Jos around three or four in the morning and immediately called for a meeting at Alhaji Yahaya Kwande house, with both Yar’adua and Abiola in attendance.

Although Atiku was not privy to the private discussions between Yar’adua and Abiola.

When the meeting began, Yar’adua told Atiku, “Turaki,” to which Atiku replied, “Yes, sir.” Yar’adua then instructed Atiku to step down for Abiola, to which Atiku immediately agreed, saying, “Okay, sir. I have stepped down.”

Atiku said he later discovered that SDP governors had swayed Moshood Abiola’s decision to select Babagana Kingibe as his running mate, despite an earlier agreement with Shehu Yar’adua.

According to Atiku, the governors threatened Abiola, saying, “If you don’t take Kingibe, we are not going to support you.”

FURTHER READING

• Details Of Atiku, Senator Abbo, Others’ Coalition Meeting In Yola Emerge
• Nigeria Pledges to Strengthen Cultural Bonds with Uganda

The governors, Atiku explained, had secured their tickets when Kingibe was the chairman of the SDP, and Abiola, seeing this pressure, decided to pick Kingibe instead.

Click here to watch video of the week