The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s broadcast to Nigerians as a farewell speech that is less than a presidential address to the nation.
Shortly after the speech, Atiku in a statement on Thursday, February 14, through his special assistant on publication, Phrank Shaibu, faulted what he described as the president’s attack on the opposition in his nationwide broadcast, Vanguard reports.
“We see President Muhammadu Buhari’s attack on the opposition in his nationwide broadcast, Thursday night, as part of the many gaffes which have come to define last days of the Buhari Presidency, rather than an address to be taken seriously by Nigerians,” he said.
Atiku said Buhari’s conducts and latest negative comments against opposition elements in his nationwide broadcast does not reflect the attributes of a leader who is seeking to be re-elected for another term of office. The statement from the PDP candidate noted that a review of comments on Buhari’s Facebook page to the broadcast shows that many Nigerians were advocating for regime change.
When you compare these to the comments on HE Atiku’s page to his Facebook Live broadcast this morning, the contrast could not be greater. The final verdict is in the hands and fingers of the millions of voters this Saturday,”the statement read.
“As our candidate HE Atiku said in his final message of the campaign ‘Even if you are not voting for me, still come out to vote on Saturday. It is about Nigeria, not Atiku Abubakar. It is about you and your future.’” “So, we appeal to every eligible voter to express their will and contribute to our democracy.”
Meanwhile, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, said on Thursday, February 14, in Lagos that the APC would send the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, into retirement on Saturday, February 16, for the good of Nigeria.