On Wednesday, March 29, 2023, a Facebook user with the handle Ajisebi Oyo Radio Tv posted on a group page on Facebook named ‘Oyo State Affairs’ that the Presidential candidate for the People Democratic Party in the 2023 general election has retired from active politics.
The full text read thus “On behalf of my family, friends, and well-wishers, and in the best interests of Nigerians, and for the betterment of our great party, PDP, and our country, Nigeria, I, ATIKU ABUBAKAR, publicly announce my retirement from active politics. It has been a successful journey for me so far, irrespective of my inability to win the Presidential race of this great nation during my prime in politics, I still thank all Nigerians, and my supporters from other nations who fought the battle with me. This is the end of my political journey, and I wish the present and upcoming leaders of this great nation a successful journey and also advise them to know that leadership tussle is not a do-or-die affair. It is God That enthrones and, as well, dethrones leaders. Moreover, I congratulate the President-elect, ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU, and advise him to lead the nation with the fear of Allah. He should shun politics of acrimony and gangsterism. He should sustain the unity that has been existing among us, carry everybody along, and give all Nigerians something to be proud of his administration. Finally, I advise my fellow contestants from other political parties not to seek any court injunction, because I have accepted the defeat in good fate, and also plead fervently with them to follow suit. Long live PDP! Long live Democracy! Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria! – ATIKU ABUBAKAR”
The post has only generated 2 comments, and 5 likes.
VERIFICATION
N-VA extracted the claim, “PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar Retires from active politics.” The researcher went on to fact-check and verify the authenticity of these claims.
According to a news report published by AIT The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has dismissed the statement as a “fake press release” and that he has not given legitimacy to the “widely rigged presidential election of February 25”.
The full text of Abubakar’s press statement read thus: “I have been notified of a fake press release attributed to me and purportedly giving legitimacy to the widely rigged presidential election of February 25. The so-called press release did not emanate from me or my office, and it should be treated with repudiation, untrue, and deliberately contrived by those who illegally appropriated the mandate of the Nigerian people.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, I wish to state categorically that my lawyers still have my unflinching mandate to challenge the outcome of the February 25 presidential election. I join other lovers of democracy in Nigeria and friends of our great country in the outright rejection of the pre-determined outcome of the February 25 election.
“I shall continue to challenge the legality of that election alongside my party, the Peoples Democratic Party. The decision to challenge the sham election of February 25, the worst election in our democratic history, is not predicated on my personal interest but on the interest of Nigeria and its people. It is aimed at deepening democracy and ensuring that we do not confer legitimacy to an outcome of illegitimacy.
“My commitment to the democratic struggle in Nigeria is beyond an election season.
Atiku Abubakar, Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party and former Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007 25th March 2023.”
CONCLUSION
The claim that Atiku Abubakar has retired from active politics is FALSE.
