Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed claims that he is under pressure to step down for a southern presidential aspirant, describing such reports as false and politically motivated. He stated that no such meeting took place and accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of spreading propaganda to undermine opposition unity.
Atiku clarified that he has never attended any meeting where he was asked to withdraw for a southern candidate, labeling the story as a “malicious fabrication” orchestrated by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
In a statement by his media team, Atiku said, “There was no such meeting. Atiku Abubakar was never in attendance. The entire story is pure fiction cooked up in the propaganda kitchens of the Tinubu-led APC regime.”
He described the report as a desperate attempt to create division within the opposition coalition, which has gained momentum following its alignment with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its political platform.
“No amount of propaganda will fracture our resolve. We are united, focused, and determined to rescue Nigeria from this rudderless government,” Atiku declared.
He urged Nigerians and the media to disregard the report, emphasizing that the ADC remains the strongest opposition force ahead of the 2027 elections. “The growing support for the ADC shows that the Tinubu administration is living on borrowed time,” he added.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
