PDP attacks 'amnesic' Shettima after 'political tourist' jibe in Atiku

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) has hit out at All Progressives Congress (APC) vice-presidential candidate Kashim Shettima after the former governor of Borno State called the candidate to the President of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, from political tourist, who will be permanently retired in the United Arab Emirates after the 2023 elections.

Shettima, who spoke at the presentation of the APC manifesto to the business community and private sector held in Lagos on Tuesday, questioned the academic qualification of the former Nigerian vice president, claiming that the certificate Atiku got from the Kano school of hygiene only qualifies him as "wole wole", a Yoruba word for health inspection officers.

Shettima, who was presenting to the public the qualities of his main and APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, also criticized Atiku for his long history of participation in the presidential elections, saying that the candidate born in Adamawa is not a politician in the mold of former United States President Abraham Lincoln, but a Raila Odinga, who is reputed to have lost several presidential elections in Kenya.

Shettima also hits out at Peter Obi, describing the Labor Party presidential candidate as a peddler of dubious statistics, adding that Obi basks in euphoria over what Shettima describes as his "poor performance" as a as Governor of Anambra State.

But the PDP, in a press release issued by its Presidential Campaign Council and signed by its Director of Strategic Communications, Dele Momodu, said: "We watched in utter disbelief and amazement at the bold speech delivered yesterday by APC Vice President candidate, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, at an event in Lagos.

"He happily alleged that PDP presidential candidate H.E. Atiku Abubakar cannot unite Nigeria when "he has not united his own political party".

"We believe that Alhaji Shettima, in a moment of deliberate amnesia, must have tried to point out the dots in another man's eyes while carefully ignoring the giant logs in his own eyes.

“The APC is in utter disarray with prominent members of its party openly apologizing to Nigerians for the utter disaster it has imposed on Nigeria since 2015. This is one of the reasons why APC members migrated en masse to the PDP.

"It took almost forever for APC to complete the simple task of assembling their Presidential Campaign Council, due to the complete lack of unity in their party. It is very evident that APC has become completely rudderless and that many self-respecting members jump ship and are picked up by PDP.

"How can these APC candidates ever unite Nigerians when they have shown open disregard for the democratic and voting rights of certain ethnic groups within their estates?

"Everything about APC and its candidates has been shrouded in secrecy and they are simply unable to tell Nigerians the truth about anything. How can Nigerians be expected to trust such mysterious characters?

"Alhaji Shettima has alleged that Atiku Abubakar cannot be trusted with Nigeria's economy. No heresy could be worse than this. Nigerians would like to know which companies the APC candidates have managed personally and successfully, except that they oddly live off loot and government largesse.

“Atiku Abubakar started his business as a teenager and served with merit as a government customs officer where he helped so many Igbo traders, according to available accounts.

"In Atiku's private life, he remains one of the largest employers of labor in Nigeria. He has brought jobs to Nigerians instead of shipping jobs.

"How can APC be expected to ensure the safety of life and property when under Alhaji Shettima's watch as Governor of Borno State, Boko Haram has become a threat intractable and that Nigeria has not yet fully recovered to date?

“The PDP is extremely proud of its track record and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Governor Ifeanyichukwu Okowa are fully prepared to reclaim Nigeria from the hands of the most incompetent leaders in Nigerian history.”