ALL Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy National Publicity Secretary Yekini Nabena said yesterday that former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar cannot beat President Muhammadu Buhari in an integrity contest.
Nabena said Obasanjo’s sudden endorsement of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate has brought to question his real nature as a national leader.
The APC spokesman said Obasanjo’s previous statements about the credibility of his former deputy when he described Atiku as a corrupt, disloyal and unpatriotic leader, who was not fit and proper to handle the mantle of Nigerian leadership, were enough to rubbish any sudden endorsement from him.
In a statement in Abuja, Nabena said it was a big contradiction on the part of the former President when he made a volte face and suddenly told Nigerians that he has forgiven Abubakar and now sees him as the best President for Nigeria.
He said: “Throughout their second tenure in office, (2003-2007) and until recently, former President Obasanjo had described Atiku as a corrupt, disloyal and unpatriotic leader, who was not fit and proper to handle the mantle of Nigerian leadership.
“Only recently, Obasanjo vowed that God would not forgive him if he supported the presidential aspiration of Atiku as “it would amount to handing Nigeria over to sharks and looters”, only to make a U-turn to announced that he had forgiven Atiku and that he had decided to also support his presidential aspiration.
He maintained that Obasanjo’s message to Nigerians, therefore, was that his former deputy, whom he had accused of various acts of corruption, had suddenly become clean, credible and prepared to lead Nigeria.
Nabena added that it was surprising that Obasanjo who had accused Atiku of corrupt tendencies, suddenly turned around and declare the sinner forgiven and eminently qualified to govern Nigeria.
“It is this tendency towards indecision, insincerity, double talk and deception that has made Nigeria ridiculed in the eyes of the international community. A statesman is known for his principles and his statements are based on the strength of his convictions.
“When a supposed national leader makes declarations that are subject to change at any time based on his mood, such a leader loses his integrity and reliability,” he said.