Chidi Samuel
Atiku Abubakar, a chieftain of All Progrssive Peoples Congress(APC) and Former Vice President of Nigeria has explained that he was unable attend the public presentation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s authorised biography, ‘Muhammadu Buhari: The Challenges of Leadership in Nigeria’ held in Abuja today because he received invitation to the event late. The clarification was contained in a statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe. According to Mr Ibe, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar received the invitation on Monday, hours after the event had started even though the invitation arrived his office last Saturday.
Mr Ibe stated, “For inexplicable reason, the former Vice President only received his invitation today (Monday) after the event had started.
“It is on record that the invitation for the Turakin Adamawa was delivered to the Atiku Centre on October 1, 40 hours before the event of today, and only after the former Vice President had travelled to Gombe to honour the invitation for the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the creation of creation of the State.
“The former Vice-President returned to Abuja on Sunday night, October 2.
“The invitation letter signed September 30, 2016, the last working day of the week was handed over to Atiku Abubakar today (Monday), after the programme had commenced.
“As a former Vice-President well-schooled in the demands of protocol, it would have been inappropriate of the Turakin Adamawa to storm into the event while Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-chief was already seated with other dignitaries including visiting Heads of Government to the occasion.”
Atiku Abubakar has been in the news lately advocating for structural restructuring of the Country and is one of those believed to harbour the ambition of running for President in 2019.
