The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has come out to react to speculations regarding the whereabouts of its Presidential flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, who travelled out of the country after his campaign in Kaduna State.
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| Atiku Abubakar. People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate |
The party made the reaction via a statement, through the Media Aide of the presidential candidate of the party, Mr. Paul Ibe.
On Tuesday, Mr Ibe clarified, the flagbearer of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, travelled to Europe for business.
He said, “The former Vice President travelled last night on a scheduled trip to meet with the technical partners of one his business entities that was impacted by the Covid-19 global lockdown and the consequent economic downturn.
“The meeting will also focus on conclusive discussions for a planned expansion of its production facility.”
However, Director of New Media of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Femi Fani-Kayode, in his tweets said, “Atiku fell ill, complained of severe pains in the head” and “collapsed”.
Fani-Kayode also tweeted that the PDP presidential candidate “was flown to Paris for medical attention immediately”, and then went ahead to wish Atiku well, saying “God be with him”
Fani-Kayode tweeted: “After his outing in Kaduna yesterday @atiku fell ill. He complained of dizzy spells& and severe pains in his head& all over his body throughout the flight to Abuja. After landing at Abuja airport, he collapsed. He was flown to Paris for medical attention immediately. God be with him.
“..For the purposes of damage control they took pictures of him with others the following morning from Paris but please do not be fooled. There is something very wrong with the PDP pres. candidate in terms of his health& they don’t want the Nigerian public to know. Pray for him.”
As posted by Fani-Kayode on his official Twitter account ⬇️
..For the purposes of damage control they took pictures of him with others the following morning from Paris but please do not be fooled. There is something very wrong with the PDP pres. candidate in terms of his health & they don’t want the Nigerian public to know. Pray for him. pic.twitter.com/Vriw9SHwhw
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) October 18, 2022
PDP spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba, when contacted, rubbished Femi Fani-Kayode’s comments, however, refused to divulge the whereabouts of his party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Ologunagba said, “I don’t have any comment on that. Fani-Kayode. Is he a doctor, was he there? Why can’t we just focus on what is more important? Does that make any sense at all?
“Fani-Kayode said somebody is collapsing, that is not correct. You know that is a lie now. This is a man who went on a campaign yesterday and has schedules. On the 27th, he will be in the UK for the Commonwealth.
“I have told you; it (Atiku’s UK trip) is scheduled for next week. Of course, it (what Fani Kayode said) is a lie. It is a complete lie.”
When quizzed if Atiku Abubakar was still in Nigeria at the time, he answered, “Don’t quote what I didn’t say. I didn’t tell you he is in Nigeria. I said that statement (Fani-Kayode’s claim) is a lie. It is an irresponsible statement. Atiku Abubakar had a very successful campaign in Kaduna.”
