TALES BY MOONLIGHT Atiku’s fate will be decided by voters, argues PAUL IBE Akin Osuntokun’s latest intervention, titled “Atiku Abubakar Cannot Heckle His Way to the Presidency,” published in THISDAY on October 16, Atiku’s fate will be decided by voters, argues PAUL IBE Akin Osuntokun’s latest intervention, titled “Atiku Abubakar Cannot Heckle His Way to the Presidency,” published in THISDAY on October 16, 2026, is a curious mixture of selective history, political prejudice and recycled allegations masquerading as informed commentary.
It is remarkable that at a time when Nigerians are grappling with unprecedented economic hardship, insecurity and growing uncertainty about their future, Osuntokun considers it more important to excavate alleged private conversations from over two decades ago in an attempt to disqualify former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from seeking the presidency.
Of particular interest is his resurrection of a story attributed to former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke, who claimed that former military President Ibrahim Babangida once told President Olusegun Obasanjo that Atiku could not rule Nigeria.
This is precisely the sort of tale by moonlight that should have no place in serious political analysis.
According to the account, Babangida allegedly pretended to have forgotten his keys, returned to Obasanjo’s private study and whispered a warning about Atiku. We are then invited to treat this extraordinary recollection of a supposed private exchange as a definitive assessment of Atiku’s presidential suitability. But where is the independent corroboration? Has Babangida publicly authenticated those precise words?
MSEApp News is publishing an original rewrite of this tip for readers, based on reporting associated with THISDAY.