Atiku Breaks Silence, “Buhari, APC Side-Lined Me After I Helped Win 2015 Elections”

A former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has broken the silence that he had been side-lined by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s
administration which he claimed to have helped into power in 2015.

Atiku’s claims came on a day one of Mr. Buhari’s ministers, Aisha Alhassan, said she would support the former vice president even if Mr. Buhari runs for election in 2019.

Speaking on Wednesday in an interview on the Hausa Service of the Voice of America, VOA, Atiku divulged that he had been dumped despite his efforts in ensuring that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was defeated in 2015.

Speaking from Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, where he celebrated the Eid-el- Kabir festival, Mr. Abubakar said, “Honestly speaking, I’m still a member of the APC; I was part of all the processes, including campaigns until success was achieved.”

“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 are but three years down the lane, this is where we are.”

He however lauded President Buhari on the successes recorded so far in the fight against Boko Haram.

The former vice president then warned that it was not yet time to celebrate and jubilate because a lot is yet to be done and “the ruling government had failed in many fronts.

“Yes, there were successes but not comprehensive success because the Boko Haram miscreants are still very active, killing our people and many local government councils in Borno and Yobe are under their firm grip. People cannot dare go back to their dwellings”

“This thing baffles me; I never imagined that Nigeria will fight a protracted battle with Boko Haram for five years. At a time, we fought the Biafra war, which was more complicated because of the terrain in the South but the Biafran soldiers were roundly subdued in 30 months. But here we are, fighting an endless battle with the Boko Haram and there’s no end in sight”.