The Coalition of Minority Tribes in Nigeria has called on the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to apologise to Nigerians and return to his ‘country’ Cameroon Within 21 days.
The was reacting to a recent claim by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that Atiku is not a Nigerian but a Cameroonian.
The APC had since filed a motion at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja faulting the Atiku’s candidacy in the 2019 presidential election, claiming that Atiku is a Cameroonian and not a Nigerian citizen.
According to APC, Atiku was born in Jada, now Adamawa State but then in Northern Cameroon as of his birth in 1946, and is, therefore, a citizen of Cameroon.
In reaction, the Coalition of Minority Tribes gave Atiky 21-day ultimatum to return to Cameroon to reunite with his family members.
The group gave this ultimatum through its Secretary-General, Abdulmuminu Hassan, while addressing a news conference on Monday.
Full text of his speech below.
The Conference of Minority Tribes in Nigeria is indeed alarmed that the paternity of Alhaji Atiku was left undetected and he aspired and held the number two position of Vice President in Nigeria.
His relationship with Simon Ateba, a Nigerian based Cameroonian journalist that was arrested in Cameroon for being a spy is also suspect and leaves more to be imagined.
Consequently, the Conference of Minority Tribes in Nigeria wishes to use this medium to issue a 21-day ultimatum to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar return to Cameroon to reunite with his family members. This is important to save Nigerians the trauma of having to deal with his nationality.
What Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has done by allegedly concealing his identity is tantamount to crimes against humanity and must tender an unreserved apology to Nigerians.
The former head of state, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida must have realized the true nationality of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, hence, the reason he refused to appoint him as the Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service.
This same scenario could also be the reason why former President Olusegun Obasanjo refused to allow him to succeed him as President of Nigeria in 2007. This much was stated by former president Olusegun Obasanjo in his autobiography “My Watch” where he stated in unequivocal terms that the paternity of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was “shadowy.”
We are, therefore, constrained to state that it is such a shame that the Nigerian authorities have allowed such a sham fester for decades without detecting, and thereby causing Nigeria and Nigerians the opportunity to develop her country the way Nigerians would do.
The Conference of Minority also wishes to advise Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to in an alternative solution seek naturalization as a Nigerian by applying to the Federal Ministry of Interior in Nigeria. This way Nigerians would forgive him for his sins and show him understanding since he has lived the better part of his life in Nigeria. Though at great disservice to Nigeria.
The Conference of Minority Tribes in Nigeria shall not hesitate to mobilize its members across the nook and crannies in Nigeria to a street protest should Alhaji Atiku Abubakar fail to tender unreserved apologies to Nigerians, and also return to Cameroon or seek naturalisation in Nigeria.