2019: Atiku is not Fulani says Tapgun

Ambassador Fidelis Tapgun, a former governor of Plateau State, has said Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential hopeful is not from the Fulani extraction.

Tapgun who spoke to our correspondent in Jos at the weekend said most Nigerians are confusing the identity of Atiku to be Fulani, adding that the PDP presidential aspirant hails from the tribe of Jada Local Government Area in Adamawa state.

“Atiku is not Fulani, he is from Jada tribe and his mother from Chamba community in Adamawa state”, he said.

The Daily Times recalls that since the emergence of Atiku as the PDP presidential flag bearer ahead of the 2019 elections, Nigerians have mistaken his origin to be Fulani, wondering what difference will it make in addressing the gruesome murder perpetrated by the killer herdsmen in recent times,

especially since the incumbent leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari who has been accused of paying lips service to the atrocities committed by the Fulani herdsmen, since he took over office as president in 2015.

However, Tapgun who was also the Nigerian Ambassador to Kenya said Atiku is well experienced in fighting insecurity considering the experience he gathered in eight years as Vice President under former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.

When asked if president Buhari will concede defeat should he lose the 2019 election, the Plateau State former governor said Buhari will have no choice than to accept the will of Nigerians.

“Buhari will have to concede defeat if he lose the 2019 election, because the whole world is watching. Goodluck Jonathan has set example and I don’t think Buhari will do anything contrary to what Jonathan has done.

Maybe he will do it late when he sees that things are getting out of hand, but Jonathan took a quick decision in his own time to save the country from plunging into war”.

While still answering questions on insecurity, the former Federal Minister of Industry under ex President Olusegun Obasanjo said “you don’t need to have a military background to be able to fight insecurity”.

“The solution to the insecurity problem we are facing is not whether you are an ex military man or not, it has nothing to do with it. Buhari is an ex military General but Boko Haram has increased in power and strength as well as Fulani bandits”, Tapgun said.