The Presidency says an alleged attempt to malign President Muhammadu Buhari and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not succeed.

The Presidency said the alleged attempt to cause a division between the APC and the Federal Government would not give the PDP victory in the 2023 general election.

This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

Shehu stated: The divisive rhetoric of an opposition in a futile attempt to malign the image of the President and the candidates of the All Progressives Congress in the coming elections, and its desperate wedge-driving activities to cause a division between the party and the government is not what will give them victory.

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“A so-called leading opposition party that controls 14 states, going into elections with eight or nine of the states in tow should look inwards to see why their campaign is flagging and destined to fail. Their defeat is a foretold story by many discerning individuals.”

The presidential spokesman further debunked the reports that President Buhari’s convoy was attacked in Kano State on Monday, saying: “The stone-pelters as seen from the video in the fight against the traffic police were innocent children sponsored by politicians and terrorist sympathizers. There is no place for violence in a democracy.

“The PDP should use the opportunity of the electioneering to put their point of view in a democracy. When problems can be resolved through talks, there is no place for stone-pelting, arson and unruly behavior as we are witnessing in some of the campaigns.

“It is equally unhealthy for society and it becomes the duty of political, social and religious leaders to correctly inform the misled youngsters to shun the path of violence which is inimical to their own future.

“Lastly is to say that the President has not lost his command and respect in Kano. For those who hold the border closure against him, they must come to realise that the 60-70 integrated rice mills in the city today would not have been in place if he had allowed the free-for-all smuggling to continue.”

The Star