PDP to Tinubu: Your comment on Obasanjo is reckless, improper

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today reprimanded Asiwaju Bola Tinubu over his comments against former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Balogun of Owu and described it as disrespectful, reckless, unguarded  and indecorous. According to PDP, Tinubu in his tirade against the former President sounded like a disrobed ruler facing pang of defeat as he watches his empire being legitimately taken.

“It is shocking that Asiwaju of Lagos can be in cahoots with President Muhammadu Buhari, a known anti-democrat, who has always been in league with all known dictators, while at the same time claiming to be on the side of democrats. It is however not a surprise that Tinubu is in severe pain because President Obasanjo exposed their rigging plans.  Asiwaju had always won elections for himself and his cronies through rigging and this accounts for his bitterness”, PDP said in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.

The PDP said Tinubu’s reliance on rigging was typified in the Osun election where results were manipulated in order not to “disgrace” the fading politics of the Asiwaju of Lagos.

“Let it be placed on record that the story of that election has not been fully told by Tinubu in his snide remarks against President Obasanjo. He chose to be silent on that phone call which was clandestinely put across to Abuja, consequent upon which INEC declared an election already won by the PDP, as inconclusive.  Since the matter is in court, we will not join Tinubu in abusing court processes”, the PDP said.

However, PDP stated in unequivocal terms that President Obasanjo, contrary to Tinubu’s claims, did not at any time, assure PDP that he holds sway throughout the southwest and as such will deliver Osun state to the PDP.

“It is also important to state that the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, did not also claim to have rigged election in the South West. However, if Tinubu today denies his affinity with Atiku Abubakar, which is well known in the entire nation, then he can deny even his own existence. Moreover, it is an established fact that Obasanjo remains a statesman and a global figure who always speak the truth to power and put the interest of our nation above all.

“It is on record that President Obasanjo and PDP genuinely fought corruption in this country. With the establishment of ICPC, EFCC, SFIU in the police as well as the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to investigate economic crimes and corruption activities as well as trial of Nigerians believed to have committed wrongdoings.

“Under President Obasanjo, there were no sacred cows in the fight against corruption, unlike what we are witnessing today, in which corruption has become pervasive under the nose of President Buhari in the presidential villa.

“Its is ridiculous that Tinubu can attempt to justify the sharing of N10,000 each to traders, in the market by Vice President Yemi Osibanjo. The PDP believes that Asiwaju of Lagos has not read and like President Buhari is also unaware that the same poor people which Osinbajo claimed to be helping with his ‘tradermoni’ voodoo, chased him out of the UTC market in Abuja.

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“It is imperative to ask Tinubu if he saw the cartoon making the round, where poor people were depicted thronging around him with paltry N10,000 naira in their hands while he sat on his throne with full chicken in his hands and telling the famished lot that he has nothing to offer them. Nigerians already know that their help is not in the hands of people like Asiwaju of Lagos and President Buhari, who are amassing wealth for themselves and their generations yet unborn, while the people live in squalor.

“In modern day governance, leaders do not give handouts to the citizens, they create enabling environment for them to prosper. We challenge Asiwaju of Lagos to go round the markets of Idumota, Alaba, Ikeja Yaba and ask the traders if the N10,000 has yielded them the profit to purchase hotels, oil companies, airlines, and tax colleting agencies”, the PDP said.

It noted that since Asiwaju of Lagos understands the reason for collation of PVC numbers in exchange for the N10,000 trader money, he will do the nation good, especially at this time, if he provides explanation for this joint venture outside rigging of elections.

“It is shameful that Tinubu can compare any administration in the history of our nation to the Buhari administration. Nigerians have never been this hungry, our purchasing power has never been this low, our fault lines have never been this manifest and our nation has never been turned into a huge funeral parlor as we have witnessed under President Buhari’s incompetent, divisive and colossally corrupt administration. At no time in our history had Nigerians gone to the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos to take a plunge of death.

“It is therefore strange that Asiwaju of Lagos can have the temerity to accuse anybody of leaving the poor unattended to, when he has been a pretender in the circle of the poor.

“It is unfortunate that Asiwaju of Lagos has forgotten how in 2014/2015, he assembled his team for the election of President Buhari, how he put in everything for Buhari to get elected, and how, as soon as Buhari assumed office, he ostracized him, chastised him before the people he brought and reduced him to one state leader, in spite of his pretentions as the National leader of the APC. Nigerians have not forgotten how President Buhari rose in a public function and said Tinubu cannot call himself a national leader.

“Today, Tinubu has forgotten how he was left in the sun to tan. Just because he has been given an inconsequential office of a co-chairman of a failed campaign, he is now overreaching himself and denigrating his benefactors like Atiku Abubakar”, the PDP said.