The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has said his All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterparts, Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, respectively, are not physically fit to lead Nigeria in 2023.

Obi said Tinubu and Atiku should respect the electorate and quit the presidential race immediately and give way for voters to choose from among the fit candidates.

He said this via a statement issued on Wednesday by the Obi-Datti campaign team of the Labour Party.

The campaign team said: “Abubakar and Tinubu should stop ridiculing the Nigerian electoral system by running in and out of hospitals for treatment abroad while withholding the truth about their true health status, still expecting Nigerian voters to look their way.

“We challenge the two candidates to unveil their true health condition to the Independent National Electoral Commission to enable the electoral umpire to make a meaningful decision on their continuing in the race.

“The office of the President is the biggest job in the land and requires that those aspiring to do the work must not just be healthy but must be seen to be so.

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“By the constitution of Nigeria, the buck stops at the table of the President who takes responsibility for virtually every aspect of governance including delicate areas like that of Commander-in-Chief of the nation’s military. The occupier of such an office must be of sound mind and body.

“To do this job the candidate aspiring must not just be mentally and physically ready but his discernment must be above average at all times.

“The Obi-Datti media team finds it extremely embarrassing and insulting that spokespeople of the would-be presidents deceiving the public with lies and photoshopped images of obviously physically and mentally handicapped candidates.

“Nigerians deserve some respect from these candidates; a few days after the APC spin doctors fed Nigerians with lies about the health of its flag bearer, claiming he was in the United Kingdom attending meetings and consulting with Diasporans. He indeed was being treated for undisclosed ailments. The PDP candidate, also Tuesday, abandoned all his scheduled campaign programmes and rushed to France to attend to his health, but instead of telling Nigerians the truth, spokespeople are busy showing fake photos to deceive and distract.

“What is glaring and cannot be hidden anywhere any day is age and so long as these two candidates are economical with their true age and health status so long they will be living in denial.

“We, therefore, demand that INEC take more diligent and conscientious steps in scrutinising these candidates ahead of the election rather than feed the public with choices from incapable and challenged candidates,” the Obi-Datti campaign team stated.

The Star