‘Worry about your president-elect, not me’, Atiku debunks reports of plans to flee Nigeria

Former vice president and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has debunked rumours that he is on the verge of fleeing the country into exile following his loss in the 2023 presidential election to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Atiku was responding to allegations by a group under the auspices of “The Natives”, who, on Wednesday during a protest in Abuja, appealed to him and the presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, not to abandon the country following their loss in the February 25 poll.

While addressing newsmen during the peaceful protest, the convener of the group, Smart Edward, said Atiku and Obi should jettison the idea of going on exile but should stay back and join hands with the incoming government to move the country forward.

Read also:Atiku urges CCB to dump Keyamo’s petition

But while reacting to the insinuations that he is planning to go on exile, Atiku, through his Special Assistant on Communications, Phrank Shaibu, said he did not owe the group or anyone an explanation on his travel itinerary.

“Atiku Abubakar does not owe the group his travel details. He decides when or not to travel. Rather than waste their energy on frivolities, they should call on the man they claimed they elected to return to the country.

“The man that they said has been elected is nowhere to be found. He is the man whose whereabouts should worry them. They should look for him and encourage him to return to the country,” Shaibu said.

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