Former Vice President and 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has refuted claims by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde that he failed to reach out after the Bodija explosion that rocked Ibadan in January.
Responding on Monday through his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku insisted he released a condolence message within 24 hours of the incident, expressing his “commiseration and empathy with the good people and government of Oyo State.”
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Makinde while hosting Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, had stated that Atiku never offered condolences, drawing criticism and prompting clarification from the former Vice President’s camp.
“Perhaps the Governor has been too busy to take track of media reports,” Ibe’s statement said, maintaining that Atiku’s message was “widely available” on January 17th, the day after the explosion.
The Bodija incident on January 16th claimed five lives and injured 70 others.
Authorities attributed the blast to illegally stored explosives used by artisanal miners.
