Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, 2023 presidential candidate has reacted after he was called out by Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde.

 

Makinde had stated that Atiku didn’t commiserate with the people of Oyo State after the explosion that rocked Bodija area of Ibadan.

 

Reacting, Atiku said he sympathised with the people of the state within 24 hours after the explosion.

 

The explosion of January 16 in Bodija left five people killed, with 70 others injured.

 

Makinde had blamed the explosion on illegal miners who stored explosives in one of the buildings.

 

But while playing host to the Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, Makinde lamented that Atiku never reached out to him.

 

However, Atiku’s aide, Paul Ibe, countered Makinde, saying his principal put out a widely available message on the explosion.

 

A statement by Ibe reads: “With due respect to Governor Seyi Makinde, we wish to correct his expression about the response of His Excellency Atiku Abubakar to the recent explosion in the city of Ibadan.

“Atiku Abubakar made a condolence message about the Ibadan explosion, less than 24 hours after its occurrence, where he shared his commiseration and empathy with the good people and government of Oyo State over the incident.

“Perhaps the Governor has been too busy to take track of media reports on the incident. But we wish to put on record that on the 17th of January, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar did make a widely available message on the Ibadan incident.”