Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Mohammed Atiku, son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, that tested positive for COVID-19 did not attend the South West rally of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) held at the Mapo Hall Arcade, Ibadan on Wednesday March 18, 2020.
The clarification was made by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, on Monday in his reaction to the insinuation that Mohammed represented his father at the rally.
Daily Sun gathered that Adamu Atiku, who is the Commissioner for Works and Energy Development, actually represented his father at the rally which was attended by top leaders of PDP in the Soth West. The anchor for the rally, Ayo Fadaka, the South West Zonal Publicity Secretary of PDP, introduced Adamu Abubakar as the representatives of Atiku Abubakar.
Mohammed Atiku was also said to have met with the Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed inside Aero Contractor aircraft and the duo had handshakes and exchanged pleasantries. Bala Mohammed has gone into self isolation when he discovered that the person he shook hands with had tested positive to Coronavirus pandemic.
The attendees included Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State; former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose; former deputy national chairman of the party (South), Chief Olabode George; former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Secretary to Osun State Government, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade; former deputy governor of Osun State and former Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada.
Many concerned residents of Oyo State started raising deep concerns over the health of the dignitaries that attended the rally, had handshakes with Atiku’s son, stood on the same raised platform with him and probably hugged him during the rally.
Adisa, in a telephone chat with journalists, however sympathised with the family of Atiku, who was the 2019 presidential candidate of PDP, concerning the infection of one of his sons by Coronavirus.
He said: “We want to place on record for the notice of the public that the information suggesting that the said son of Alhaji Atiku was the same person that represented him at the South West PDP unification rally in Ibadan, Oyo state is false.
“We have since confirmed that a different member of the Atiku family is the person so infected. The public should please ignore such unfounded rumour.”
Adisa, however, enjoined members of the public to stay calm and observe strict hygiene and stay safe.