Frontline APC presidential aspirant, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, charged Atiku to base his campaigns on issues.
In a statement in Abuja, he commended him for his patriotism and commitment to Nigeria’s progress, but warned that Nigerians would ask him pertinent questions during the campaigns.
He said Abubakar must be prepared to tell Nigerians how he planned to reverse his party’s ruination of Nigeria’s prospects during its 16 years governance between 1999 and 2015.
Tinubu said he expected Abubakar, who was also the 2019 presidential candidate of the PDP, to be his worthy opponent, “by the grace of God and the support of APC’s delegates at the coming 2023 president election’.’
He said the PDP and its candidate would unfortunately be burdened to explain why Nigerians should give it another opportunity, after being in government at the centre for 16 years without much to show.
According to Tinubu, Nigerians are yet to forget the national ruin and mismanagement of the country for 16 years by successive PDP administrations.
The two-term Lagos State governor stressed that this bad memory would dog the campaign of the PDP candidate.
“Nevertheless, I once again congratulate our former vice-president for his victory at his party’s primary election,’’ Tinubu said.
He added that Abubakar’s victory did not come as a surprise to Nigerians because of his vast experience as a statesman and veteran of many presidential contests since 1993.
He welcomed the PDP candidate to the race, stressing that the 2023 election campaigns should be about issues that would improve the quality of life of Nigerians.
He added that the election should also bring peace, progress, political stability and solve myriad of the socio political challenges and insecurity currently facing the country.
“I welcome the victory of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the candidate of the PDP at the just-concluded primary election. I look forward to squaring up with him as a worthy opponent at the coming election.
“I have known the former vice-president as a formidable politician and a patriot who believes in the unity and progress of our dear country.
“As we move further into the election season, I charge the PDP presidential candidate and all political actors across party lines that we should make this election season one that is devoid of bitterness, rancour and strife.
“We should make our campaigns peaceful and issues-based; election season should be a festival of ideas that will uplift our country and improve the living condition of all our people,’’ Tinubu stressed.
He also congratulated the other PDP contestants for the orderly and peaceful way they conducted themselves and their resolve and pledge to rally round the Abubakar in the true spirit of democratic sportsmanship.
He said the party jettisoned the zoning agreement that power should rotate to the south, particularly the South East in 2023 when the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party decided to throw the race open to all.
He said aspirants from the South East participated in the primary but regretted that the outcome was painful and left a sour taste in the mouth of the South East, which has shown unflinching loyalty to the PDP since 1999.