Festus KeyamoThe Director of strategic communications, Buhari Campaign Organization, Festus Keyamo, has said that with the election of Atiku Abubakar as the Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the choices before Nigerians regarding the candidacy of President Buhari is very clear.
“Finally, in the history of elections in Nigeria, the choices before Nigerians have never been clearer than now: 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.”
In a statement today, Sunday, congratulating Atiku on his election at the Port Harcourt convention of the PDP, Keyamo reminded Nigerians that as much as Atiku has been claiming the credit for certain “achievements” during the tenure of President Obasanjo when he was Vice President, he must be prepared to accept joint liability for all that happened in that Government.
“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.
“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 produce 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.
“Taking all the above into considerations, 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.”
“We wish to congratulate His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on his emergence as the candidate of the PDP in respect of the forth-coming 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).”
