Atiku’s Spokesperson Allegedly Says He Cannot Win Without Rigging

Showunmi Denies Saying Atiku Could Only Win Through Rigging

Spokesman for the Atiku Campaign Organisation, Segun Showunmi, has denied an alleged audio recording in which he was purportedly heard saying that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar could only win the 2019 presidential election if the poll was rigged.

The audio recording, which surfaced on Tuesday, was widely circulated on social media by supporters and members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Among those who shared the recording were presidential social media aide Lauretta Onochie and Festus Keyamo, then Director of Strategic Communications for President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 campaign.

Showunmi, however, rejected the allegation and accused the APC of manipulating an interview he had granted to the BBC.

According to him, his original statement was that it was statistically impossible for President Buhari to defeat Atiku, but the recording had allegedly been edited to remove crucial parts of his remarks and change their meaning.

“My attention has been drawn to a manipulated video being circulated by our friends in the APC,” Showunmi said.

He explained that the comments were made during a BBC interview concerning the PDP’s decision to resume its campaign after temporarily suspending political activities in protest against the suspension of then Chief Justice of Nigeria Walter Onnoghen.

Showunmi said the PDP had suspended its campaign to demonstrate its support for the independence of the judiciary and other democratic institutions.

He maintained that his actual argument during the interview was that available political calculations suggested Buhari could not defeat Atiku in the election.

“I said that it was statistically impossible for Muhammadu Buhari to defeat Atiku. They went somewhere, cut out the reference to Atiku and manipulated the statement,” he alleged.

Showunmi further accused the APC of resorting to what he described as blackmail and propaganda because its campaign message was no longer gaining sufficient support among Nigerians.