The Atiku/Okowa Campaign Organization has asked the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, to stop shedding crocodile tears over the redesign of the Naira and the crippling fuel scarcity imposed on the nation by the rudderless administration he helped foist on Nigerians.
The PDP campaign in two separate statements in Abuja, on Wednesday, described Tinubu’s lamentations at the APC Presidential Campaign rally in Ogun State as an attempt to blackmail President Muhamadu Buhari.
In one of the statements signed by the Spokesperson of the PDP Campaign, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP accused Tinubu of blackmailing the president and his party in his desperate bid to dissociate himself from the abysmal failure of the APC regime.
He said, “Our campaign finds it pathetic that Asiwaju Tinubu is seeking a face-saving measure ahead of his shattering electoral defeat by shedding crocodile tears and claiming that the redesigning of the naira notes and the fuel crisis under the APC administration, which he has reportedly been corruptly benefitting, were plots to scuttle the 2023 general elections
“It is unfortunate that Asiwaju Tinubu is trying to hoodwink Nigerians by seeking to exonerate himself and blame others in the Buhari led-APC administration for the biting fuel scarcity in the country when in reality he (Asiwaju Tinubu) is known to be behind the insensitive and anti-people policies that have brought so much calamity to our country including the current persistent fuel scarcity.
“It indeed speaks volumes of Asiwaju Tinubu’s character, that while he is reported to be hugely involved in the corruption in the petroleum sector, which had led to the fuel crisis, he is pretending to care for the pains Nigerians are passing through just because it was beginning to affect his political life ambition.”
Ologbondiyan further said,, “It is clear that Asiwaju Tinubu is lamenting over the redesigning of the naira just because the policy has frustrated his boastful plots to use slush fund, which he reportedly stashed away in secret vaults, for vote buying and manipulative schemes including alleged funding of thugs to compromise the integrity of the 2023 Presidential election through the setting up of the Jagaban Army
“Of course, only politicians who have always won elections by relying on bullion vans have become troubled over the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) monetary policy to redesign the naira.
“More reprehensible is the fact that a few months to the end of the Buhari government, Asiwaju Tinubu is now struggling to distance himself from an administration that he told the world that he brought into office just because he wants to beguile Nigerians and take their votes.
“How can Asiwaju Tinubu accuse an administration he had been a part of since 2015 of trying to sabotage the 2023 elections except he is making revelations to Nigerians about their plans?
“It is imperative to state that Nigerians, who are prepared to trek distances to cast their votes are the patriots who have been at the butt of pains which the government Asiwaju Tinubu installed has foisted on them.
“Asiwaju Tinubu ought to know that Nigerians can see through his antics and beguilements and that his diversionary theatrics on fuel and new naira notes cannot sway Nigerians at this moment.”
In the second statement signed by Special Assistant to the Presidential Candidate, Phrank Shaibu, the PDP campaign enjoined Tinubu to stop dissipating energy on attacking Buhari because doing so can’t save him from imminent defeat.
He said, “Obviously frustrated by his inability to stop the cashless policy and currency redesign of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that will curb vote buying and enhance the credibility of next month’s election, Tinubu, has begun crying over his imminent defeat.
“Tinubu, while addressing a rented crowd in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, said the currency redesign was targeted at him. Well, the Holy Bible says in Proverbs 28: 1 that “the wicked run when no one is chasing them, but an honest person is as brave as a lion”.
“Even though the CBN policy affects all 18 political parties, Tinubu is the only one frustrated because his plan to deploy bullion vans and bribe poor voters and security agents on the day of the election has failed woefully.
“Recall that on the eve of the 2019 Presidential election, two cash-laden bullion vans were pictured entering Tinubu’s premises located on 26 Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi. Several petitions were written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but nothing was done.
“Also frustrated by President Muhammadu Buhari’s unwillingness to attend some of his insipid rallies, Tinubu launched an attack against the President who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum.
“The frustrated APC candidate stated, ‘You’re hoarding fuel and hoarding the naira. Still, we will vote, and we will win this election.
“Whether you change the ink of the naira or spend money till you are in debt, things won’t turn out as you hope, we are the ones who will win the election, and our opponents will fail.”
“It is funny that Tinubu is just commenting over the fuel scarcity which started in different parts of the country as far back as February 2022.
“In Lagos, where Tinubu claims to be the landlord, the state has been witnessing fuel queues since last November.”
