The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described as belated the choice of Professor Yemi Osibajo by General Muhammadu Buhari as his running mate, six clear days after his emergence as the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), as the height of incompetence.
The PDP also declared that the eventual choice of Osibajo is a confirmation of its stand that the APC is the personal project of a cabal commanded by former Lagos state governor, Bola Tinubu, to expand its political and economic frontiers.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh on Wednesday and published on its Facebook page the party, said: “Should power get to this cabal, who is desperate to control the political and economic power centre of the nation, then Nigeria is finished.
“By the choice of Osibajo, a well-known acolyte of Tinubu, who served under him as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the APC, General Buhari and Tinubu have boldly recreated their well-known notoriety for sectional and personal interests.
“It is particularly worrisome that General Buhari has surrendered his first official responsibility of choosing a running mate, invariably his powers to Tinubu even before he goes to the field to ask for votes.
“This is not surprising of Buhari, who has consistently exhibited a track record of incompetence. This is the same man who as military head of state surrendered all his powers to his second in command.
“The story of his headship of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) is not different, as he also got lost before the flurry of portfolios of paid consultants.
“In 2011, as the leader of the CPC, Buhari failed woefully. His whimsical interference in the choice of candidates for his party not only muddled up the process but ended up creating an electoral malfeasance and confusion that eased out federal lawmakers elected on the platform of the CPC from his native Katsina state.
“Our citizens should indeed be concerned about this: that it took the APC, six days to produce its vice presidential candidate and that the founder and funder of the party, Tinubu, as always, had his way. No doubt, this is how Tinubu is going to impose his mercantilist interest on major decisions affecting the entire country. This is the problem with the APC, a political party built on the narrow interests of very few individuals. Any political party that subjects its collective will to the whims of an individual as it is with the AP is indeed not ready for leadership.
“Fortunately, the PDP offers to all Nigerians a truly national party and a Jonathan/Sambo ticket ready to build a better tomorrow. In PDP, the focus remains to ensure that we continue to deliver on our promises and put the interests of Nigerians first in all our party decisions and policies of our government.”
However, the responses of those who commented on the PDP wall could only be described as not encouraging for the party as many of the respondents noted that Metuh’s statement smacked of fear and apprehension that Buhari was gaining the support of Nigerians.
Many of them wondered why Metuh and the PDP had become jittery and have instead decided to focus on the APC instead of to campaign for their candidate in the presidential election, Muhammadu Buhari, based on issues.
One of the respondents, Emmanuel Mobolaji, said: “Here are my six questions for Jonathan to answer.
1. Mr. President, where are the Chibok school girls you promised to rescue alive. Or are they not Nigerians?
2. Mr President, how many corrupt Nigerians has your government convicted since you assumed office?
3. Mr. President, how much is Naira per Dollar under your regime?
4. Mr Jonathan, where is the second Niger Bridge, and the four new refineries you promised?
5. Mr. President, how much is petrol per litre today, under your watch?
6. Mr. President you once said BH (Boko Haram) are within your government, and you even said you know those behind 1st October bomb blast at eagle square. But up till now, we are yet to have their names from you! Mr. President who are they?
“Mr. President, answer those six questions. Then we will know if you have failed Nigerians or not. I am waiting for both you and your Jonathanians to answer these six questions.”