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 or seek naturalization.
The group was reacting to the recent claim by the All Progressives Congress that Atiku is a nationality of Cameroon and not a Nigerian.
The APC had since filed a motion at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja by its lead counsel, Lateef Fagbemi, faulting the candidacy of Atiku in the election, adding that the former Vice President is a Cameroonian and not a Nigerian citizen.
According to the group, 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.
Addressing a news conference on Monday, Abdulmuminu Hassan, Secretary-General to the group said 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.
It, therefore, gave him a 21-day ultimatum to Cameroon to reunite with his family members.
Full text of his speech below.
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 Tribes in Nigeria is indeed alarmed that the paternity of Alhaji Atiku was unlet 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.
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.
