Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has come under severe criticisms for saying he called the widow of Lt. Col Ibrahim Sakaba, after she denied receiving his call.
Atiku via Twitter on Sunday, had said:
This Christmas, I urge all Nigerians to spare a thought for our military on the frontlines on the war on terror. I had cause to telephone Lt. Col. Ibrahim Sakaba’s widow this Yuletide. I am touched by her devotion & love for her husband who paid the supreme sacrifice for Nigeria. pic.twitter.com/fUEK9ZzYaJ
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) December 23, 2018
The widow in an interview recently debunked claims that this former vice president gave her a telephone call, earning him series of backlash from Nigerians.
“Why the lies? I have not received any call from Atiku please,” she was quoted to have said.
In a bid to clear the air, the PDP presidential candidate has issued a statement, in which he said he called the sister of the deceased soldier and not his wife.
“Following the death of Lt. Col Ibrahim Sakaba during the Boko Haram insurgents’ attack on 157 Taskforce Battalion in Metele, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar’s staff has made efforts to get the contact of his widow to enable the former Vice President express his condolences over the loss of the fallen hero,” the statement read.
“Over the weekend, Atiku Abubakar was availed with phone numbers of Mrs. Sakaba and Maryam, younger sister of the late soldier, in the alternative.
“On Sunday, the former Vice President tried albeit unsuccessfully to contact Mrs. Sakaba but was able to eventually speak with Maryam, younger sister of the gallant soldier during which he expressed his deepest condolences to the family.
“However, this communication was erroneously communicated. The error is regretted. Atiku Abubakar, however reaffirms his deepest condolences to the Sakaba family, which sacrifices, like those of their brave son, keeps us safe.”