The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lashed out at the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, over his emergence as the APC’s flag bearer, saying he lacks the capacity to defeat the opposition party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2023 general election.

The PDP said Tinubu is embarking on a journey to nowhere with a contest with Atiku, who the party described as “more competent and more prepared presidential candidate”.

The main opposition party said these in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, a copy of which was made available to The Star on Wednesday.

The Star had reported that Tinubu polled 1,271 votes out of the 2,303 accredited delegates to emerge as the ruling party’s presidential candidate.

The governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, who is the Chairman of the Election Planning Committee, declared the APC chieftain as the winner of the party’s presidential primaries held at Eagle Square, Abuja, on Wednesday.

Tinubu’s distanced rival and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, secured 316 votes to come second.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo came third with 235 votes while Senate President Ahmad Lawan came fourth with 152 votes.

Reacting to Tinubu’s emergence, the PDP said his acceptance speech exposed his manifest lack of capacity, resourcefulness and selflessness to manage the affairs of a country as complex as Nigeria.

The party stated: “Our party sympathizes with Asiwaju for embarking on a journey to nowhere as he is no match for PDP’s more popular, more competent and more prepared presidential candidate, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar the unifier and the people’s choice, who defeated President Buhari fair and square in the 2019 presidential election.

“Asiwaju will soon realize that Nigeria is not one of his acquired estates or fiefdoms and that the Nigerian people are not his political string-puppets and retinue of lackies, from whom he bought the APC presidential ticket.

“Asiwaju will also soon realize that Nigerians hold him responsible for his self-confessed role in installing the failed Buhari-led administration that subjugated the people, brought excruciating economic hardship, acute poverty, bloodletting, terrorism, mass killings, promoted disunity, tribalism and nepotism, lawlessness, massive treasury looting and unpardonable life-discounting experiences to our country.

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“It is indeed reprehensible that Asiwaju, after being handed an APC flag that refused to unfold in recognition of the gloomy times of the APC, did not demonstrate any form of remorse for the injuries he engineered and caused our nation in the last seven years.

“His failure to express empathy for the victims of violence, kidnapping, mass killings and acts of terrorism, especially the recent gruesome attack in a sacred place of worship, St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo in Ondo State serves as a foretaste of the big cover up and harrowing experience that Nigerians will face, God forbid, should Asiwaju emerge as President in 2023.

“His acceptance speech further exposed his manifest lack of capacity, presence of mind, resourcefulness and selflessness to manage the affairs of a nation as complex as Nigeria.

“From Asiwaju’s egotistic outbursts before and after the APC manipulative National Convention, it is crystal clear that his life-long dream of clinching the APC Presidential ticket is not for the wellbeing of Nigerians but out of desperation to lay hands on the keys to the nation’s treasury,” the PDP stated.

The party added that Nigerians would reject the APC presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, noting that the citizens now need “a unifier in the face of the pain and discomfort inflicted on them by Tinubu”.

It further enjoined Nigerians “to continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, their choice President in this mission to Rescue, Redirect and Rebuild our nation from the misrule of Asiwaju and his APC.”

The Star