The People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s Presidential Candidate at the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar, has said he changed his name from Siddiq Abubakar legally.

A statement released in Abuja by his spokesperson, Paul Ibe, said: “Contrary to Bola A. Tinubu’s forgery shopping allegation against Atiku, it is on record that the change of name of the former Vice President reverting to Atiku Abubakar from Siddiq Abubakar is well documented in an affidavit dated 18th of August 1973, spanning over a period of 50 years.”

The Atiku Media Office said an attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to drag the former Vice President into forgery must be seen as an effort to minimise allegations of forgeries against President Tinubu.

The statement said: “The discovery of Tinubu’s records at the Chicago State University and the court-ordered deposition in the United States is only the tip of the iceberg.

“The attempt by Bola A. Tinubu to drag Atiku Abubakar into his drowning arena of forgery must be seen for what it is: an attempt to minimise the allegations of forgeries that he has to contend with.”

While asking Tinubu and his handlers to desist from making any further attempt at comparing both the President and Atiku Abubakar, the statement said: “For the purpose of clarification, all the names that Atiku Abubakar bears are names that are traceable to his family tree.

“He adopted Atiku Abubakar as his official name while in the employ of the Nigeria Customs Service. Atiku’s life is an open book, and not the mystery or closed book that continues to define the life of Bola A. Tinubu,” he said.