Supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) mocked Atiku Abubakar by circulating a picture of him falling during a past presidential campaign launch in retaliation for his sympathy towards President Bola Tinubu’s recent fall.

This development comes after President Bola Tinubu stumbled while boarding a vehicle at Eagle Square during Democracy Day celebrations, and Atiku shared a video of it on his X handle, expressing sympathy for the president.

President Tinubu fell down on Wednesday morning as he arrived at Eagle Square for the parade after delivering a nationwide broadcast.

Unfortunately for the president, he missed a step and fell while attempting to enter the vehicle, but his aides quickly rushed to his aid and helped him get back on his feet.

Reacting to this incident, Atiku expressed his concern and sent a message of sympathy to President Tinubu, saying, “I do hope that all is well with him.”

“I sincerely sympathise with President Bola Tinubu over this unfortunate incident, as he was set to review the parade on Democracy Day. I do hope that all is well with him,” Atiku said on X.

Tinubu’s aide, Dada Olusegun, commenting on the incident, said it was a mild misstep, adding that there are no issues.”

Olusegun, in a post on his X handle, stated, “Mr. President missed his step while climbing into the truck at the June 12 Democracy Day celebration and tripped. It was a mild misstep. He immediately went on with the ceremonial rounds. No issues.”

While Atiku’s message appeared to be a gesture of goodwill, many social media users interpreted it as mocking.

This has led to APC supporters quickly retaliating by circulating an old photograph of Atiku falling during the launch of his presidential campaign at the Yar’adua Centre in 2007.

Prominent APC supporter @DeeOneAyekooto tweeted, “The day that Atiku launched his Presidential Campaign at Yar’adua Center in 2007. He fell down.”

Olusegun mocking Atiku added that it is “better to fall briefly and rise than to be falling consistently in trying to be president since 1992 but still won’t quit.”

Atiku has run for president of Nigeria six times, in 1993, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023, without success.

In 1993, Atiku lost the Social Democratic Party presidential primaries to Moshood Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe. He was the Action Congress candidate in the 2007 presidential election, finishing third behind Umaru Yar’Adua of the PDP and Muhammadu Buhari of the ANPP.

During the 2011 presidential election, he contested the PDP primaries but lost to incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. In 2014, he joined the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2015 presidential election and contested the presidential primaries, losing to Muhammadu Buhari.

In 2017, he returned to the Peoples Democratic Party and was the party presidential candidate during the 2019 presidential election, again losing to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari. In May 2022, he was chosen as the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate again, this time for the 2023 general election, after he defeated Nyesom Wike, the Governor of Rivers State, in the primaries.

He came in second in the general election, being defeated by Bola Tinubu, though Abubakar joined other opposition candidates in demanding a revote.