2023: It’s Payback Time, Atiku Should Endorse Me For Supporting Him In 2017 – Tinubu

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu has asked the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, to endorse him for the presidency.

Tinubu Ask Atiku To Endorse Him For Presidency

The former Lagos governor made the call on Monday while speaking at an interactive session with the Arewa Joint Committee which was held at the Arewa House, Kaduna.

Tinubu said Atiku should endorse him instead of campaigning in Kaduna because he supported the former vice-president when he contested the presidency in 2007.

He said, “My political history is full of examples where I have abiding support for the North… for the late Shehu Yar’Adua. I’m standing before you saying this. Even my greatest rival today met me with Yar’Adua…Atiku Abubakar met me with Yar’Adua. I was one of the youngest, brilliant strategists of the late Shehu Yar’Adua.

“He (Atiku) was just out of the Customs that time. Ask him to and read the Civil Service Regulation. They asked him questions on how he made money (and) he said from selling cars. Can you as a civil servant involve in other trades and businesses? You have attracted disqualification, you don’t deserve to compete with others.

“I have said that my political history is full of long, abiding support for the North. Nuhu Ribadu was on our platform, I supported Atiku Abubakar in 2007 then… don’t pay me if I ask for the payback period. It’s payback (time), let him endorse me now instead of conducting rallies around Kaduna while I’m talking to great people here.

“To its credit, the North is paying back in good measure. I’m the flagbearer of our party today partly because of the decision of the northern APC governors who rose to the occasion by standing up for our country and the unity of our people, against primordial consideration.”

Tinubu also said if elected, he would ensure that Nigeria promotes rule of law, like he did in Lagos, adding that he would mobilise all assets within “our national power” to secure Nigeria.

“When I assumed office in 1999, I returned Lagos to a state of law and order and rule of law. One of the candidates running against me lives in Lagos; that is Peter Obi. If you ask Atiku, where is your other valuable asset, he will say he has one at Madonna street, Lagos,” he said.

“Under my leadership, the military will receive much needed injections to strengthen personnel and reinforce them with the best equipment. No inch of this country’s boundary would be yielded to rag-tag bandits.”