The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, for hobnobbing with former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The PDP, in a statement issued on Thursday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, were trying to whitewash their past misdeeds against Nigerians, Jonathan, and the PDP.

Ologunagba added that Tinubu led a hate campaign and vilified Jonathan’s administration in the build-up to the 2015 general election and now are distancing themselves from the “abysmal” performance of the APC-led government.

He stated: “Nigerians are scandalised over the disgraceful and hypocritical attempt by the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and other APC leaders to distance themselves from President Muhammadu Buhari over the abysmal failure of the Buhari-led administration in which they are principal actors.

“In a desperate design to whitewash their battered public image, identifying with the obvious successes of the PDP and in an attempt to posture as statesmen, the APC Presidential Candidate, his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, and other APC leaders shamelessly orchestrated a photo opportunity with the distinguished and successful former President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Nigerians have not forgotten how Asiwaju Tinubu callously vilified and pilloried Dr. Jonathan, spewed hate against his administration and reportedly funded a near riotous protest which was inflamed by concocted economic lies, propaganda, and false statistics to discredit the Jonathan-led PDP administration.”

The PDP spokesman further accused Shettima of frustrating Jonathan’s administration to tackle Boko Haram and refused to act appropriately on the  Chibok girls’ abduction in 2014.

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Ologunagba added: “Nigerians can equally recall how Sen. Shettima as governor of Borno State sabotaged and frustrated Jonathan’s administration in its effort to curb insecurity in Borno State.

“Records still have it on however the APC Vice Presidential candidate as governor of Borno State failed to act on a security report and directive to close schools in remote parts of Borno State and relocate students to the more secure capital of Maiduguri to write their GCE examinations; thus creating the opening for the cruel abduction of school girls in Chibok, Borno State.

Ologunagba argued that the APC candidates are trying to hoodwink Nigerians by using photo opportunity with the former president.

“It is therefore ironic that these same APC leaders who also spent the last seven years insulting and harassing Dr. Jonathan now shamelessly arranged a visit and photo opportunity in an attempt to launder their image and hoodwink Nigerians from the atrocities and monumental evil they brought to our country.

“APC and its principal actors should vacate the stage for bringing poverty, economic woes and insecurity to Nigeria.

“We are aware that these APC leaders have lined up several illusory antics to mislead Nigerians ahead of the 2023 general election, but they must know that Nigerians have moved on and cannot be swayed by propaganda, lies, false promises, and photo ops with successful individuals.

“What is expected of APC leaders at this moment is to apologize unreservedly to Dr. Jonathan, the PDP, and Nigerians for the life-discounting situation they have foisted on our nation in the last seven years.

“After that, they should quietly quit the stage, take valedictory pictures with terrorists, political thugs and election riggers since they cannot have any space among well-meaning Nigerians,” the PDP spokesperson stated.

The Star