FACT-CHECK: Did Atiku predict PDP would destroy Nigeria?

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, had on November 27, 2014 declared that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was out to destroy Nigeria.

Atiku stated this while addressing the All Progressives Congress, APC, national delegates in Enugu State ahead of the party’s primary election for the 2015 presidential poll.

Recall that President Mohammadu Buhari, former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwanso and Atiku had in 2014 battled for the presidential ticket of the ruling APC.

President Buhari’s votes, however, outnumbered those of Kwankwanso and Atiku Abubakar who got 974 and 954 votes, respectively. Buhari polled 3,430 votes to get the ticket.

Prior to the primary election, Atiku vowed that he would remain in APC and support whoever clinches the party’s presidential ticket.

“Whether I win this primary or not, I will support whoever wins. That is why in all my public speeches I will not criticise any candidate,” he said.

According to Atiku, defecting to the opposition party would make no sense, stressing that if there was no change in 2015, “PDP will destroy the country and we will be looking for another country because it will be too late.”

However, on December 3rd, 2017, the former vice president announced his defection from the APC to join the PDP in the build up to 2019 presidential elections.

Atiku, who is currently the flagbearer of the main opposition party, however, lost the 2019 presidential election to President Muhammadu Buhari.

This online medium reports that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike had severally accused Atiku of being unfaithful to the party, saying he does not deserve the PDP presidential ticket.