BY Fredrick Nwabufo
Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, says the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has sidelined him despite his contributions to bringing it to power.
According to Daily Trust, the former vice-president said this in an interview on the Hausa service of the Voice of America (VOA) on Wednesday.
Abubakar said he used his contacts and resources to help the All Progressives Congress (APC) defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 presidential election.
“Honestly speaking, I’m still a member of the APC; I was part of all the processes, including campaigns until success was achieved,” he was quoted as saying.
“But sadly, soon after the formation of government; I was side-lined, I have no any relationship with the government, I’ve not been contacted even once to comment on anything and in turn, I maintained my distance. They used our money and influence to get to where they’re but three years down the lane, this is where we are.”
Abubakar’s outburst comes at the same time Aisha Alhassan, minister of women affairs, declared support for him to run for office in 2019.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa, Alhassan had described Abubakar as her godfather, saying she does not mind losing her job for supporting him.
“Atiku is my godfather even before I joined politics. And again, Baba Buhari did not tell us that he is going to run in 2019,” she had said.
“Let me tell you today that if Baba said he is going to contest in 2019, I swear to Allah, I will go before him and kneel and tell him that ‘Baba I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve your government as a minister but Baba just like you know I will support only Atiku because he is my godfather. If Atiku says he is going to contest.
“If because of what I said, I am sacked, it will not bother me because I believe in Allah, that my time has elapsed that is why… Baba is not a mad man like those calling for my sack. They have been sending it and spreading that if Baba sees this I will be sacked.”
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