The Presidency and the Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO) Sunday launched a scathing attack on Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Atiku Abubakar, saying he is “full of credibility crises”.
In separate statements by the spokesman of the BCO, Festus Keyamo and Special Assistant on Social Media to the President, Laureta Onochie, Atiku came under fire. BCO questioned the alleged monetisation of the process at the PDP convention in Port Harcourt.
The Campaign Organisation reminded the former Vice President and Nigerians that during the elections, Nigerians would have to decide between a candidate with a history full of credibility crises, damning reports on corruption both home and abroad and another candidate, (the incumbent President) with an unblemished record in public service.”
The statement said: “We wish to congratulate His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on his emergence as the candidate of the PDP in respect of the forthcoming 2019 Presidential Election.
”However, we note with interest all the reports in the media as to massive vote-buying at the PDP primaries (especially with foreign currency). We contrast this with the speech of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2014 APC Convention when he said as follows:
“I have always served Nigeria to the best of my ability. I have always tried to give more to the nation than it has given me. This is the principle of service that has guided my public life. Thus, I am not a rich person. I can’t give you a fistful of dollars or naira to purchase your support. Even if I could, I would not do so. The fate of this nation is not up for sale.”
“There were also media reports in the 2014 APC National Convention that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar freely used the same method of massive vote-buying in foreign currency, but he came a distant third. Till date, he has not denied those media reports. The claim therefore that the process that produced him now as a candidate of the PDP was free, fair and transparent is suspect.
“It is therefore clear that going into this election, the issues that will agitate the minds of Nigerians most would be centered around the credibility of the candidate of the opposition and the kind of values he brings into our politics.
“Nigerians would ask themselves whether he can be trusted with our national resources with this proclivity for “dollarising” the political arena, thereby taking us back to the warped values from which President Buhari is trying to extricate the nation. One wonders what such a candidate would do with public funds.
“Nigerians would also note with interest the verdict of Atiku’s former boss when he was Vice President on his credibility and integrity, calling him unprintable names at different occasions. Nigerians would note that in all of these occasions, Atiku Abubakar had never defended these allegations against him by his former boss, but continues to court his support and cooperation.
“Nigerians would want to know how candidate Atiku Abubakar intends to inspire a nation to believe in his ability to fight corruption in the face of very damning reports both locally and internationally concerning his records on corruption whilst he was in public service as a Customs officer and later when he was Vice President of Nigeria.
“We note with amusement that on many occasions, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has tried to claim some credit for certain “achievements” during the tenure of President Obasanjo when he was Vice President because, according to him, he was “part of that government”.
“We also wish to remind Nigerians that as much as he claims the credit, he must be prepared to accept joint liability for all that happened in that government. He cannot blow hot and cold. In due time we shall talk about all these.
“Taking all the above into consideration, Nigerians would rightly ask whether a leopard can indeed change its skin despite all the sweet talk they expect to hear from the opposition candidate during the election.”
Ms Onochie said Atiku’s emergence had made the job of the President’s team easier towards retaining the number one seat in 2019.
According to her, Atiku left the APC to avoid contesting against the President in the primary.
She also claimed that Atiku spent more money than other aspirants in the PDP in order to emerge winner of the Presidential primary election.
She wrote: “Alhaji Atiku Abubakar outspends Saraki, Tambuwal and others, wins the PDP presidential ticket for 2019.
Congratulations Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. You have outspent the rest. You have a new toy. But believe it, it is only a dream.
“You ran away from facing President Buhari in a primary, now you’ll meet him at the presidential elections. Ntor!
14.8 million people made President Buhari their candidate, 26,584 people made Atiku their candidate.
“Bearing in mind that you can’t go to America to represent us at the United Nations, nor meet with Nigerians in America, our job is made easy. Say Baba Buhari. 2019 is settled. God bless Nigeria,” Onochie added.