A media aide to President Bola Tinubu, Tunde Rahman, has questioned the background of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, following the emergence of the name on his Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) certificate.
Bellnews understands the disclosure that Sadiq Abubakar and not Atiku Abubakar is the name on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 2023 presidential flag bearer’s WAEC certificate has generated fresh reactions on the political scene.
Following the disclosure of the discrepancy, Atiku on Tuesday, denied forging the certificate. According to him,he used the name Sadiq for his WAEC exam and after that, swore to an affidavit that Sadiq Abubakar is the same person as Atiku Abubakar.
He explained that, “Yes I used Sadiq Abubakar to sit for my WAEC and after passing my exams I went to swear an affidavit to say I am the same person as ATIKU Abubakar.
“I went to ABU as Atiku Abubakar and passed my Exams as Atiku Abubakar. Interviewed as Atiku Abubakar by the Federal Civil Service Commission and hired into the Customs Service as Atiku Abubakar. So where is forgery there?’
However, Rahman on Tuesday insisted that Atiku is not known by the name Sadiq and must explain how he got the WAEC certificate.
Taking to his account on the micro-blogging site, X, Rahman wrote: “The PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, now cornered! How did he get his WAEC certificate? When did he become Sadiq? How come that name did not exist anywhere during his years in Customs? Who knows him as Sadiq? He must answer. What goes around comes around!”
He also challenged Atiku to present the affidavit sworn regarding the name discrepancy and also clarify the other certificates in his possession including his diploma and master’s certificates.
“Follow-up questions for Atiku Abubakar: where is the affidavit he claimed to have sworn to after passing his exams before he joined Customs? Why “after passing the exams” and not before taking the exams? What is the date on the affidavit?
“Atiku also claimed to have done a diploma course at ABU before his Masters. Is it diploma that he used to do a Masters’s program?,” Rahman added.