Vice President Atiku Abubakar has revealed he entered into a secret  political alliance with former military dictators Ibrahim Babangida and  Mohamadu Buhari  to survive the political difficulty posed by the failed third term bid.

Atiku, who spoke to newsmen at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after a three-week vacation, said that the alliance was aimed at strenghtening democracy.

The vice president confirmed that he had to team up with the former dictators, who are otherwise regarded as his political foes, to protect democratic growth in the country.

He explained that the alliance would not affect the presidential ambitions of any of them.

He urged Nigerians to continue to be vigilant, as according to him, enemies of democracy were still around.

“My accord with Buhari and Babangida is based on my belief that all politicians should work together to strengthen our democracy. In that context, I am working with all politicians to strengthen our democracy.

“We are just collaborating, so our democracy does not crumble. If democracy collapses today, no politician will be able to aspire to any office. So we must put aside our differences and we can confront the enemies of democracy. If the enemies of democracy are forging alliances and working together, why must those of us who want democracy to survive in our country not work together?

“That we are working together to strengthen democracy does not affect our individual ambition to be president.”

Atiku could, however, not confirm if the alliance would lead to a coalition ahead of the 2007 polls.

“I can’t say for now. But we will see how events unfold,” he said. He stated that he was still in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring: “As far as I am concerned, I am still in the PDP. You wait and see what unfolds in the next few months.

“My plan is that once I return from vacation, I have to start full-blown campaign. The time has come for us to rev up the campaign. Now that I am back, we shall roll out our programmes for the campaign.

“I definitely hope to consult with my supporters and political associates. Then, we will come out with a timetable and programme of events for the rest of the year. I am definitely going to make my formal declaration this year.”

He also denied insinuations that he boycotted the last Economic Summit, saying that he took permission from the President to be away.

“I did not overstay in the US. The period of time I spent is actually the leave that was approved for me by the president, so I did not in anyway extend my stay.

“Regarding the Nigerian Economic Summit, I requested to be exempted from the programme and the president exempted me.”


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