FULL TEXT : Atiku’s remarks on the Tinubu certificate controversy at a global press conference

Being the transcript of a press conference held on October 5, 2023, at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre by His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar (GCON), Waziri Adamawa, Vice President of Nigeria (1999–2007), and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Protocol

Distinguished Members of the Media, Compatriots of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I believe it is crucial to talk about and report to you on today’s issues because they will define the future of legitimate leadership and electoral administration in our nation.

Political leadership and engaged citizenship are important because they enable us to jointly create a nation that benefits all of its citizens. The size of our nation dwarfs all of us, and it has a profound impact on everyone who is a native or a current resident of it. It is our responsibility as leaders to advance the nation’s and all of our citizens’ well-being.

My generation put a lot of effort into achieving this goal by defending the people’s right to freely elect and build a legitimate government as well as sending the military back to their barracks. Our elections are governed by law and predicated on the constitution, which is the only source of legitimacy for leadership and administration in Nigeria.

The people look up to us as leaders to uphold these laws and to stand up for them when required. This gets us to this point.

As a nation, we are once more obligated to protect and defend the fundamental principles of our system of elected government. The criteria for candidates for the nation’s highest elective office are set down in the constitution.

The institutions involved should be able to undertake their job of determining the legitimacy of any certifications offered by aspirants for public office without having to wait months or even decades.

We paid a high price for our trip and did it for significant reasons. The foundations for lawful government in our nation must be protected, and our reputation is on the line. Everyone is impacted, including Nigerians worldwide.

I firmly believe in being a democrat and am proud to call this nation my home. Our commitment to the nation and our constitution must be renewed in light of the issues at stake in this case.

Now, as citizens and as heads of the institutions tasked with interpreting our constitution, we commit these facts to us all. I should express my gratitude to the attorneys from both Nigeria and the United States who helped us bring clarity and firm resolutions to these problems that seem to have eluded our institutions for almost a quarter of a century. As we have worked to gather the evidence and determine the truth, I also want to express my gratitude to Nigerians and friends of Nigeria both inside and outside of our nation’s borders.

I would like to honour the late human rights crusader Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, who paved the way for our exploration. With the knowledge that the project he began nearly 23 years ago has been completed, he may now find true calm. The adage that “no matter how fast a lie runs, the truth will someday overtake it” is validated by Gani’s victory today.

Thomas Jefferson, a former American president, famously stated, “If I had to choose between newspapers without government and government without newspapers, I wouldn’t hesitate to choose the latter.” By bridging the gap and filling in when other branches of government faltered, journalists have maintained perpetual vigilance, from exposing the Watergate scandal to dismantling the dubious certificates of politicians.

For these reasons, David Hundeyin, an independent journalist, deserves praise for his exceptional work as well as the efforts of many other young people who share his passion. Millions of young people in Nigeria, including citizen journalists, deserve special recognition for their dedication to publishing the truth online even when no one is paying attention. Indeed, perpetual vigilance is the price of liberty. In their steadfast determination to uncover the truth and hold officials responsible, they have placed the interests of the nation first. This gives me faith that we have excellent allies in the fight to retake the nation we call home.

Atiku Abubakar is not the subject of this quest. It is an effort to establish accountability, morality, and truth in our public affairs. In light of this, I am requesting that all well-meaning Nigerians, including thought leaders, religious and traditional figures, local government officials, and political figures—most notably, Governors Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP—and anyone else who, like me, cares deeply about this nation and wishes nothing but the best for it—join me in this call. Every single one of us has a task to complete in this.

I appreciate your attention. Godspeed, and may He also grant the Federal Republic of Nigeria His blessing.