The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has condemned a call by his All Progressives Congress (APC) opponent, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, that his supporters should grab and snatch power at all costs.
Tinubu, in a video that has since gone viral, was seen telling a gathering of APC leaders and supporters that “political power is not going to be served in a restaurant. It is not served a la carte. At all costs, fight for it, grab it, snatch it and run (away) with it.”
Reacting to that statement on Friday, Atiku, through his spokesman Paul Ibe, said the plan by Tinubu and his party (APC) is to subvert democracy in the coming polls.
“This is a confirmation that these are enemies of democracy masked as progressives.
“They are enablers of violence and snatching of ballot boxes. It is obvious even to the blind that the APC and its presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, do not have any records of achievement in the last seven years plus to campaign on. And so their plan is to snatch, steal and subvert the cause of democracy.
“All men and women of goodwill who love this country and are truly committed to the bid to recover Nigeria must sleep with their two eyes wide open in the days ahead and on election day because eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,” Atiku’s spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised Tinubu to quit the race and take a “deserved rest.”
In a response to an earlier call made by Tinubu for Atiku to withdraw from the contest because he had run numerous times and failed, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said on Friday that if there is anybody that needs to rest, it is the former Lagos governor of Lagos State.
Speaking during an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja, Ologunagba observed that Tinubu is not in the physical and mental condition to lead the country as demonstrated by his constant gaffes.
The PDP spokesman said: “I do not know if he advises himself as well. If there is anybody who needs to go rest, it is him.
“He is just a butt of joke all over the place: ‘bala blu bulaba blu blu blu’. Come on!
“Number two; he is the only man who creates a state without going through the constitution. You will recall his campaign in Delta State. He said the candidate of the APC in Delta State would be the governor of Niger Delta State.
“The constitution provides for how to create a state but he created it right on the podium.
“So, if there is anybody who needs to rest, it is him. He is a man who cannot even pronounce a word, he is tottering.
“For us, I think we just express pity. You see, dementia is setting in, sadly so.
“In Lagos, he said, ‘Do you love me? Do you love me? Go and collect you APV’. It is all out there. I understand that some people are even compiling a compendium of Asiwaju’s gaffes. “Is that what this country wants? It is a serious business. If you are too sick… In any event, the constitution provides for qualifications you have got to have. Of course, you must have soundness of mind.
“You do not need any other external influence to help. There are allegations that he needs some push from other external forces, we don’t know.
“But I think if anybody needs advice to rest, it is him and I hope very soon, he will go to rest because apart from the physical ability, the mental capacity that is required to be a president in this country, there are other issues that I believe is in the public domain.
“Issues about reported cases of indictment, of conviction, of forfeiture in the United States. Those are issues for which I think if there is anyone who needs to rest, it is Bola Ahmed Tinubu and we hope he will take the advice.”
Also speaking at separate interactive forum with newsmen in Abuja on Friday, the Director-General, Strategic Communications, PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Momodu, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to act on his promise to ensure the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.