Obasanjo, Atiku will lose together – Presidency
The Presidency yesterday said it was not surprised by the endorsement of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar by former President Olusegun Obasanjo for the 2019 presidential race.
The Presidency reacted in a statement by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
“The Presidency has received the news of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s predictable U-turn and somersault on the endorsement of the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar, at a meeting Thursday, and to say that we are the least surprised by the wellrehearsed theatre.
“They will lose together. Listening to the prepared statement of the former President after the meeting showed the usual ego trip and ‘I know it all’ character of Chief Obasanjo.
“In the first place, we dare to say that a pompous statement from the former President advising Nigerians on a vote against President Buhari is the best recommendation that can come at this time,” he said.
It said endorsement also betrayed a lack of understanding of today’s politics which about good governance.
“The country voted for change in 2015 and a leader that ensures good governance is which only President Buhari and the APC can provide,” it said.
The Presidency said it would not be distracted by the endorsement of the former Vice Atiku, saying “We are busy on various national issues including the restructuring and the diversification of the economy, fighting corruption, terrorism and other threats to national security; increasing the availability of electric power, improving education, health, and providing longdelayed infrastructure - roads, rail, airports and so forth.”
It said many governments have come and gone, but they did not care about some of these projects.
“President Buhari is proud of his record because his achievements are verifiable, while that of the PDP is manifested by the devastating social and economic impact of large scale corruption during their governance,” the statement reads.
It said the President will not relent in the war against corruption.
The statement added that “Nigerians trust President Buhari in this effort because they are convinced he is not in government for personal financial benefits, or for an ego trip. It is just eleven years ago that the former President and Vice President in their ugly fight for power accused each other of corruption. Nigerians are yet to forget all that.”