Buhari dismisses Obasanjo's endorsement of Atiku as an irrelevance that will not affect election outcome

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has dismissed yesterday's endorsement of his opponent former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as an irrelevance that will not affect the outcome of next February's presidential elections.

In Abeokuta yesterday, former president Chief Obasanjo received Alhaji Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pledged to support him in next year's polls. Clergymen Bishop Matthew Kukah, Bishop David Oyedepo and Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, all accompanied Alhaji Abubakar to the meeting, with PDFP chairman Uche Secondus and Senator Ben Bruce-Murray also present.

Alhaji Abubakar was Chief Obasanjo's vice president between 1999 and 2007 but the two of them fell out bitterly with the former president dismissing his deputy as over-ambitious, prone to corruption and untrustworthy. In a dramatic rapprochement, the two of them made up yesterday, with Chief Obasanjo declaring that Alhaji Abubakar will defeat President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.

According to Chief Obasanjo he believes that Atiku has re-discovered and re-positioned himself and is now good enough to enjoy his support in the next election. He added: “Let me start by congratulating president-to-be, Atiku Abubakar for his success at the recent PDP primary and I took note of his gracious remarks in his acceptance speech that it all started here.”

However, Mallam Garba Shehu, President Buhari's spokesman described the meeting as a well rehearsed theatre, adding that both leaders will fail in 2019. He added:  “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 and we are the least surprised by the well-rehearsed 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.

“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.

“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.”

Femi Adesina, President Buhari's special adviser on media and publicity, added that the regrouping of politicians against President Buhari would not stop him from reclaiming his victory in next 2019 election. He said:  “The harder they come, the harder they fall, 2019 presidential election on my mind.”

Festus Keyamo, the spokesman of the re-election campaign of President Buhari also asked Nigerians not to join Chief Obasanjo in receiving the curse he allegedly invoked on himself, over Alhaji Abubakar. He added:  “Interestingly, just a few weeks ago, specifically on the 4th of August, 2018, Chief Obasanjo was widely reported to have said ‘God will never forgive me if I support Atiku for President.’

“Whilst we acknowledge the constitutional right of the ex-president to support anyone of his choice, we draw attention of all God-fearing Nigerians to a character who would use the name of God in vain and in a flip-flop manner in just a matter of weeks. Where is the shame? Where is the honour? Where is the pride?"

Also, Mr Keyamo wondered why Alhaji Abubakar chose to beg Chief Obasanjo, rather than present evidence that he is not guilty of the allegations levelled against him. He also tackled Bishop Oyedepo, the founder of Living Faith Tabernacle; Bishop Kukah, Catholic bishop of Sokoto diocese and Sheikh Gumi, a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, for accompanying Alhaji Abubakar to see Chief Obasanjo.

Mr Keyamo added: “We also note with interest the full participation of some men of God in the entourage of the PDP for this political re-alignment. We are glad that they have publicly declared their partisan interest and urge all Nigerians to see all their previous, present and future attacks on President Buhari from their pulpits in the context of partisan politics and not in the context of nationalistic or altruistic commitment."