Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) have condemned an attempt by Mr Adams Oshiomhole, a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to exonerate the ruling party’s presidential candidate, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from any shortcomings of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
The two opposition parties also demanded an apology from the former governors of Edo and Lagos states for misleading Nigerians in 2015 and 2019.
This comes as the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, continue to clash, delaying the formation of the party’s presidential campaign council.
The main opposition’s leadership has called a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on Thursday to decide and approve the headship and members of the party’s presidential campaign council.
On Wednesday, Oshiomhole said on the ARISE NEWS Channel that Tinubu cannot take credit or blame for Buhari’s performance, emphasizing that the former Lagos State governor never served in Buhari’s administration.
“You can’t say someone who never participated in government should be credited or blamed for the outcome of government policies,” he said.
“I believe that when assigning blame or credit to people, you must consider their role.” It is true that Asiwaju stated on his own that he did co-found the APC. I co-founded the APC with Fashola and other governors, but he never participated in governance, held no position in government, and did not carry out a contract on behalf of the government, so how can you credit him? “We’re just trying to be fair,” Oshiomhole reportedly said.
Tinubu cannot avoid taking responsibility for the failure or success of the APC-led administrations he helped install in 2015 and 2019.
“Tinubu and Oshiomhole should be burying their heads in shame and apologizing to Nigerians for deceiving them by now.”
Nigerians have generally concluded that the federal government led by the APC has failed. If Tinubu, the APC’s leader, cannot be held accountable, who can? The problem with some of our leaders is that they avoid their responsibilities and blame others, which is why Nigeria is in trouble.
“Leadership is about people accepting responsibility for their mistakes.” We expect Tinubu, as the party’s leader, to accept responsibility for the APC-led government’s failures. As far as we are concerned, the APC government is the worst that we have had since 1999.” Nigerians have even come to the conclusion that the PDP and APC have failed the country. I mean, none of the promises Tinubu made on behalf of Buhari during his campaigns in 2015 and 2019 have been fulfilled.
“So, if Oshiomhole is saying that Tinubu should not be held accountable for the actions of the government he helped to install and promote, who will? Who else will accept responsibility for the government’s failure?
“We expect leaders to accept responsibility when things go wrong and to accept accolades and praise when things go right.” Unfortunately, Oshiomhole is still defending a failed government.”
When Oshiomhole was the National Chairman of the APC, he had ample opportunity to advise the government, according to Abure.
In response to Oshiomhole’s remarks, Dr Doyin Okupe, Director of Peter Obi Presidential Campaign, said that it would be absurd to separate President Buhari from Tinubu when the former Lagos State governor is the national leader of the party that produced Buhari as its presidential candidate.
“Will Oshiomhole and Tinubu not latch on to Buhari’s performance as Nigeria’s president if he performs well?” It is their responsibility. The APC and Oshiomhole should welcome him. It is far too early in the day to dismiss Buhari.
“Rather than denial, the best course of action is to apologize to Nigerians for the untold hardships brought on by Buhari and the APC.” “After they apologize for their poor performance, they should create a manifesto to clean up their mess,” Okupe explained.
“It is false, fallacious, and unacceptable to say that Nigerians should not judge Tinubu through the lens of Buhari.” To do otherwise is to perpetuate the lie that APC represents,” Okupe added.
Debo Ologunagba, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, said that Tinubu should avoid living in self-deception and denial because it would be absurd for Tinubu to deny Buhari.
“Oshiomhole’s remark is a direct admission that President Buhari and the APC are failures.” Tinubu announced to the world that he had discovered Muhammadu Buhari, Babatunde Fashola, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and Akinwunmi Ambode. Why should Buhari be denied now? He told us he went to Daura to beg Buhari to leave. Why should he be denied? Tinubu and the APC produced Buhari. So they can’t deny him now,” he explained.
“It also shows that the APC will never accept that it has failed Nigerians because of the sufferings it has caused the country,” he continued. The APC is not a political party. It is a ruse put together to blackmail the PDP out of office. “It is a party built on lies and denials. How can Oshiomhole claim that Nigerians should not blame him for Buhari’s failure? He is the APC’s national leader, and Buhari is the APC’s product; he is their product,” he added.
The clash between Atiku and Wike postpones the formation of the PDP’s Presidential Campaign Council.
Meanwhile, the standoff between the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku, and Rivers State Governor, Wike, has prolonged the formation of the party’s presidential campaign council.
This development prompted the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) to intervene in order to hasten Atiku and Wike’s reconciliation. Both leaders were expected to meet with members of their campaign teams over the weekend in order to select those who would participate in the larger reconciliatory meeting.
As part of the peace talks, Atiku and Wike met on Thursday. Regardless of the disagreement, Wike’s camp has ruled out defection.
According to Track News, the delay is to avoid embarrassment for the party if they appoint members loyal to Wike and they reject the offer.
When the National Campaign Council for Ekiti State was formed, the PDP suffered a similar embarrassment.
According to a party source, the party wants Wike to play an important role in the campaign.
The PDP’s National Executive Committee will meet on Thursday to discuss Council membership.
In a related development, the PDP leadership has called a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) on Thursday to decide and approve the headship and members of the presidential campaign council.
The NEC will also decide who will head the campaign council, as the previous plan for Oyo State governor, Mr Seyi Makinde, to occupy the position has been dropped because he is running for reelection next year and may not be able to focus on the presidential campaign.
Wike’s camp is also said to have objected to the choice of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambawal as the proposed campaign manager due to his role in stepping down for Atiku during the presidential convention.
At the most recent meeting between Atiku and Wike, it was reported that the Rivers State governor rejected Tambuwal’s nomination.
It has been learned that the PDP governors prefer former Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki to lead the party’s presidential campaign council.
“These are some of the issues that will be decided at the NEC meeting on Thursday,”
