Former Vice President and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last presidential election, Atiku Abubakar has faulted claim by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he is not a Nigerian by birth and was not qualified to seek to occupy the office of the President.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku has revealed his true nationality.
The PDP presidential candidate debunked notions that he was Cameroonian by birth and thus not qualified to contest the election of 23 February, 2019.
Atiku said he is a Nigerian by birth and was born on 25th November, 1946 in Jada, Adamawa State by Nigerian parents and he is, therefore, a citizen of Nigeria by Birth.
“The parents of the 1st Petitioner (Atiku) are both Fulani, a community/tribe indigenous to Nigeria”, his lawyers said.He further revealed that his mother, Aisha Kande was also a Nigerian who hailed from Dutse in present day Jigawa State.
“The birth of the 1st Petitioner in Jada, in present day Adamawa State of Nigeria was occasioned by the movement of his paternal grandfather called Atiku who was an itinerant trader, from Wurmo in present day Sokoto State to Jada in the company of his friend, Ardo Usman.
“That in Jada, Atiku, the grandfather of the 1st Petitioner gave birth to Garba who in tum gave birth to the 1st Petitioner and named him after his own father Atiku.
“The 1st Petitioner’s mother, Aisha Kande was the grand-daughter of Inuwa Dutse who came to Jada as an itinerant trader too from Dutse in present day Jigawa State.
“That all averments concerning Germany, British Cameroons, League of Nations and Plebiscite are false and misleading in relation to the 1st Petitioner and therefore completely irrelevant more so that the 1st Petitioner is a Nigerian by birth within the contemplation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic ofNigeria, 1999 (as amended).
“The averments in the aforesaid paragraphs are indeed fabricated, contrived, made in bad faith and designed to embarrass the 1st Petitioner.”
Atiku listed his career path and political activities and the awards and honours that he had received to buttress his Nigerians citizenship.
He listed being a civil servant in the Nigerian Customs Service for over 20 years, retiring as a Deputy Director; a politician for about 30 years, who in 1992 contested the Presidential Primaries under the platform of then Social Democratic Party (SDP) alongside the late Chief M.K.O Abiola and Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe.
The ex-Vice President also mentioned his participation in the 1999 governorship election in Adamawa State in 1999, which he won and the presidential elections of 1999 and 2003, which he won as running mate to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He also spoke about his being a recipient of the National Honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) and holder of the traditional title holder of Turakin Adamawa from 1982 to 2017 when he was elevated to Wazirin Adamawa.
“In 2007, the 1st Petitioner contested Presidential election under the platform of Action Congress (AC) and the 2nd Respondent contested under the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANPP).
“In 2014, the 1st Petitioner and the 2nd Respondent contested the Presidential Primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the 3rd Respondent for the 2015 Presidential Elections.” He said.
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