I was never Senate President, Atiku tells Tinubu

***says Aso Rock is not a sanatorium

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) told the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Monday that he (Atiku) was never a Senate President.

Atiku was reacting to a comment by Tinubu during the APC rally in Uyo, the Akwa-Ibom State capital earlier on Monday that he made Atiku the Senate president.

The former Vice president lamented that “The constant gaffes of All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, which started as a comic relief is slowly becoming a tragedy, an embarrassment to Nigeria, Africa’s largest nation.”.

Atiku noted that “Since Tinubu declared his intention to contest, he has made over 20 gaffes publicly. These gaffes, which have provided online skit makers with comic content, are no longer a laughing matter but a tragic embarrassment to a nation in dire need of salvation”

The former Vice president also stated that “apart from his questionable background and records, Tinubu’s endless gaffes and miscues are effects of his failing health. His degenerate mental faculty is a clear and present danger to national security. A man who lacks clear control of his mental faculties cannot lead a nation.”

Atiku’s reaction which was contained in a statement by his Special Assistant, Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, listed previous gaffes made by Tinubu and charged Nigerians to note that the Bola Tinubu who served as governor from 1999 to 2007 is different from the Bola Tinubu of today.

“The Bola Tinubu of today lacks the capacity to lead a nation of 200 million people most of whom are living in abject poverty.

“It is really not about his age since many leaders across the world are also advanced in age. It is about his mien, his utterances and faux pas. These are things that can no longer be ignored. In a bid to deceive the electorate, Tinubu and his allies have been saying that what Tinubu lacks in physical capacity, he makes up for it in intelligence”

Atiku lamented that “sadly, it seems Tinubu’s physical strength is actually superior to his mental capacity, going by his numerous embarrassing utterances.

“On the surface, this might be funny but when one considers the fact that Tinubu is the candidate of the ruling party, it becomes all the more tragic. Tinubu’s handlers know about his declining mental capacity hence their refusal to let him attend debates or live interviews.” Atiku said.

He said that handlers of Tinubu “who are now acting like a cabal believe that if he gets into Aso Rock, he will have the best medical attention while he will delegate important activities of state to them”

“This is also the reason Tinubu has been depending on his surrogates to address important discussions. Even at Chatham House, London, Tinubu could not boldly answer the questions directed at him, preferring to hide under the excuse that he “believes in working with an unbreakable team”. This is funny since his dictatorial tendency has chased away Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from his camp.

“However, it must be noted that Aso Rock is neither a sanatorium nor a mental institution. To that extent, Nigerians have a right to demand that any aspirant to that office should be in the best state of health”