One of the National Leaders of the All progressive Progress, (APC) and 2023 presidential hopeful, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has said, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) will be burdened to explain why Nigerians should give it another opportunity in 2023, after squandering 16 years at the central government, without much to show.
Tinubu, in a statement issued by the Campaign Director on Media and Communication, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday, said Nigerians are yet to forget the national ruin and mismanagement of our country for 16 years by successive PDP administrations and this bad memory will dog the campaign of the PDP Candidate.
While congratulating the former Vice-president and 2019 presidential candidate of PDP, Atiku Abubakar, on his emergence as the party’s 2023 flagbearer, Tinubu said, Atiku’s victory didn’t come as a surprise to Nigerians because of his vast experience as a statesman and veteran of many presidential contests since 1993.
Tinubu also congratulated the other contestants for the orderly and peaceful way they conducted themselves and for pledging to rally around the winner, in the true spirit of democratic sportsmanship.
While welcoming the PDP candidate to the race, Tinubu added that the coming election should be about issues that will improve the quality of life of Nigerians; bring peace, progress, and political stability and solve myriad of sociopolitical challenges and insecurity currently facing the country.
His words are, “I welcome the victory of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the just concluded primary. I look forward to squaring up with him as a worthy opponent in 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 issue-based. Election season should be a festival of ideas that will uplift our country and improve the living condition of all our people.
“Unfortunately for the PDP, its candidate will be burdened to explain why Nigerians should give it another opportunity, after squandering 16 years at the central government, without much to show”.
“Nigerians are yet to forget the national ruin and mismanagement of our country for 16 years by successive PDP administration and this bad memory will dog the campaign of the PDP Candidate”
“Nevertheless, I once again congratulate our former Vice President for his victory in his party’s primary“.
Recalled, The New Diplomat had reported how Atiku clinched the 2023 PDP presidential ticket with a landslide victory, polling a total of 371 votes to defeat his closest rival, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state who polled a total of 237 votes and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki who polled 70 votes.
He was declared winner and official flagbearer of the PDP at the 2023 presidential election by the Chairman of the Election Committee, Senator David Mark, after the conclusion of the primary election exercise held at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
