The Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign teams were, Monday, locked in a fierce exchange of words over alleged attempts to derail perceived plans for somebody from the South to emerge as president in 2023.
The Women and Youth Presidential Campaign Organization of the All Progressives Congress, APC fired the first shot when it accused Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, candidate of attempting to short-change the Southern part of the country by contesting next month’s presidential election. The directorate said that Atiku’s bid would alter permutations on power shift envisaged after a second term for President Muhammadu Buhari.
The assertion was immediately dismissed by the PDP campaign which affirmed that there would be nothing left of Nigeria after four years if Buhari is re-elected given what it claimed as the spate of violence across the country. The Atiku Campaign said that as vice-president the PDP candidate guided the country into its fastest GDP growth.
Addressing a news conference Monday in Abuja, Rep. Abdulmumini Jibrin, Director, Media and Strategic Communications of the organization, said Atiku remained the biggest threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
“The Director General of the opposition PDP campaign in an uninspiring interview attempted to cast aspersions on the present government forgetting he is indeed part of the government.
“The biggest threat to the stability of this country is the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and the Director-General of Atiku Campaign, Bukola Saraki who are taking Nigerians for granted by mooting the idea to incite the north not to support power transfer to the southern part of the country after President Muhammadu Buhari completes his second term in a clear attempt to short change the southern part of Nigeria.
“No wonder, the PDP presidential candidate has refused to commit to returning power to the Southern part of the country after 2023. This is even after concerted pressure by many of their stake holders. This is already heating up our polity with combined negative consequences on our economy, security and general development. So, if we are talking about the politicians who are threatening the foundation of the peace and security of our country, the cap fits Saraki and Atiku”, he said.
Jibrin also asserted that the Buhari administration had acquitted itself on its three major campaign promises of security, economy and anti-corruption.
“In terms of fighting insecurity, the government has made headway in the North East but the war is far from being over as the Boko Haram sect has been degraded to the fringes of Lake Chad basin, more platforms have been procured for the Armed Forces, the security forces are recording success in the farmers/herders conflict.
“There is no doubt that restoring Nigeria’s economy is a priority for the administration,” he said.
Atiku, in his response, accused the Buhari administration of deceit and driving the country towards cataclysm as he said that there would be nothing left of the country after four years, if Buhari were re-elected.
Speaking through his media aide, Phrank Shuaibu, he said: “You cannot be talking of 2023 without first halting the rate of retrogression and degeneracy witnessed under the APC government.
“If in less than four years of APC, the North East cannot be talking of economic development, security or stability and the government cannot guarantee lives and property in the Northwest, while the North central has become a killing field. What will be left of the south of Nigeria if the APC is allowed to continue in office?
“The people of Kaduna are still mourning some of those killed in an ethno-religious crisis in Kasuwan Magani. The people of Benue State had serially mourned killings from rampaging herdsmen. Plateau State has been no less in mourning with hundreds killed in communal clashes arising from land disputes. Zamfara people have had more than their own share of mourning from the deadly activities of these untamed bandits.
“Moreover, the herdsmen are already having satellite camps in the south of Nigeria. Should we wait until they complete the balkanization and annihilation of the entity called Nigeria before we are forced to act?
“It is a pity that in the present day Nigeria under this administration , those who are not mourning are groaning from the pains occasioned by hunger, and from the excruciating pains of poverty. Many businesses have closed down in the last three years, sending breadwinners out of jobs, and leaving them unable to pay for their accommodation or keep their children in school
“Atiku as Vice President, in charge of the Nigerian economy superintended over the fastest GDP growth from $45billion to over $450billion resulting in unprecedented boom and expansion of the Nigerian economy since its inception.
“So, a vote for Atiku will lead to restoration of hope and provide a pathway of transformation from endemic poverty to prosperity.”
