Oshiomhole meets Buhari, says PDP responsible for ‘Third Term’ rumour

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) planted the idea of third term agenda by President Muhammadu Buhari in the sub-conscious of most Nigerians to further confuse the political space.

Oshiomhole stated this when he addressed State House correspondents after the end of a closed door meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

President Buhari had, on Wednesday in a letter to Nigerians to mark the beginning of 2020, reiterated his intention not to contest the 2023 presidential elections.

The Nigerian leader, however, expressed determination to help strengthen the electoral process both in Nigeria and across Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PDP had, on Wednesday, criticised President Buhari over his New Year message and frowned at his pronouncement not to participate in future elections in the country.

The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the president and his party (APC), would have no other option than to exit office at the end of his tenure in 2023.

However, the APC chairman said: “I am surprised to see that there are people who begin to wonder why should the President reassure Nigerians that he is not going to do third term in office because Third Term was planted by PDP.

“It is still in the sub-consciousness of most Nigerians that the first (sic) Nigerian President tried to do Third Term, emptied the treasury to bribe members of the National Assembly and since that President left, thanks to the National Assembly, no other next President has done eight years in office.

“You can recall that President Yar’Adua unfortunately has since joined his ancestors, and President Jonathan did six years and so by the special grace of God, this  President (Buhari)…will do his eight years complete in line with the provision of the constitution.

“And because there is a level of idleness within a section of the political class, people can sponsor all kinds of publications and to give doubt whether or not the President is planning to stay longer.

“And I think it is his decision that at every interval he needs to remind Nigerians that he is not about to do what a PDP President did.’’ (NAN)