Photo Ops with  Jonathan Can’t Help You, PDP Mocks Tinubu, Shettima

By Akinwale Kasali

Like many Nigerians, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has reacted to the visit to former President Goodluck Jonathan, at his Abuja home, by the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress,  Bola Tinubu.

Tinubu was a surprise visitor to the home of Jonathan on Tuesday. He was accompanied on the visit by his running mate, Kashim Shettima and six APC Governors.

Since after the visit two days ago, reactions have been coming like claps of thunder  for and against the visit. Some people blame Jonathan for giving Tinubu audience. They called him weak. Not surprising. They angrily remember the contempt in which Tinubu held Jonathan.

While Jonathan was Nigeria’s President, Tinubu was a thorn in his flesh. For five years, he deliberately attacked and tormented Jonathan. He lied against him. He ridiculed him. He insulted him as well as his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan. He used the worst form of propaganda against Jonathan and the Jonathan administration. He called him clueless. So, it was a surprise that Tinubu led a delegation to visit Jonathan, to consult Jonathan on his 2023 aspiration to the office of the President. Tinubu was mainly instrumental to Buhari’s victory over Jonathan.

But others commended Jonathan for his humility, for his good heart, for being so forgiving, for being a statesman, and receiving Tinubu and company.

But the PDP is not amused. Tha Party says it is scandalized by Tinubu’s visit  to Jonathan.

In a statement dated September 1, the PDP mocked Tinubu for visiting Jonathan. And told him not to shine with photo ops with Jonathan. The Party said the visit to Jonathan was a desperate move by Tinubu to distance himself from the Government of the day and whitewash his own image.

Following is the full text of the statement signed by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.

“Nigerians are scandalized 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).

“This is a patriotic Nigerian leader whose PDP-led purposeful and successful government the APC leaders viciously harassed, constantly insulted, labelled, sabotaged and discredited for their selfish power-grabbing enterprise.

: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.

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

“Records still have it on how 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.

“Nigerian will also note how the then Governor Shettima abdicated his duty as chief security officer and reportedly withheld vital security information in preference to non-state actors including terrorist elements, thereby frustrating the timely rescue of the abducted Chibok girls.

“It can also be recalled that after the infamous abduction, the principal of the school was subsequently appointed as a commissioner in Borno State by the then Governor Shettima; a development many considered as a compensation for her alleged role in the abduction.

“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.

“It is indeed provocative that after turning our nation into a vast killing field by emboldening terrorist elements to massacre our citizens; wrecking our once robust economy, elevating corruption to an official state policy and turning our nation into the poverty capital of the world, APC leader are seeking to beguile Nigerians again.

“We are aware that these APC leaders have lined up several illusory antics to mislead Nigerians ahead of the 2023 general elections, 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.”