Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Presidency has described former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s endorsement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as ‘predictable U-turn and somersault that is not surprising’. It said the duo would fail together.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement, declared that Obasanjo and Atiku would loss together, describing the endorsement as ‘well-rehearsed theatre.’
The statement said: “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.
READ ALSO: Real sues over Ronaldo
“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.
“It also betrayed a lack of understanding of today’s politics which is about good governance.
“The country voted for change in 2015 and a leader that ensures good governance which only President Buhari and the APC can provide.
“Bent on these laudable goals, we will not allow ourselves to be distracted.
“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 long-delayed infrastructure – roads, rail, airports and so forth.
“Many governments have come and gone, but they did not care about some of these projects.
“We were talking about these things for 16 years under the PDP and nothing was done.
“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 President will not relent in the war against corruption because the ordinary people are the ultimate victims if we surrender to corruption and let its perpetrators go unpunished.
READ ALSO: 2003: Labour leaders remanded in Abuja
“Abandoning the war against corruption is not an option. President Buhari is in this battle against graft because he cannot allow a few, rapacious and selfish class of the elite to divert the resources meant for the well-being of the ordinary people to their private pockets.
“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 11 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.”
My brother Femi, in my own opinion I am a moral apologist, but I will say that if extreme hardship on people is a way of fighting corruption any reasonable person would advocate the fight for corruption be wished away.