The National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Engineer Yabaji Yusuf Sani, says the call on President Muhammadu Buhari to run again in 2019 is a sheer act of arrogance.
Last week, the Minister of Communication Technology, Adebayo Shittu, had announced a campaign organisation for the re-election of President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in 2019.
Engineer Sani, who spoke yesterday in Abuja while fielding questions from journalists, said the government and its officials would be afraid to say such thing in a civilized society because of the fear of backlash.
“In a civilized society, you will be mindful of the backlash. What impact has this administration made? We now have kidnappings and killings. Corruption is even more endemic. Fuel scarcity has come back. For a minister to come out and say that, it’s a slap on the nation.
“Believe me, President Buhari should be in his ranch drinking “fura de nunu”. We are not saying he doesn’t have the right to contest. But morally, it is wrong. He should be an elderstateman like the late Nelson Mandela by resetting the agenda of the country.
“Anytime somebody is insisting on something, that person has nothing to offer. Four years are enough for him being a former head of state. With this abysmal performance, it is ridiculous. He has the right. But Nigerians have the right to reject them, especially the ragtag put together organization called the APC,” the ADP national chairman also said.
He said that the ADP has better presidential candidate than President Buhari since Nigeria is blessed with intelligent personalities, stressing that his party would surprise Nigerians “pleasantly” in 2019.
“We can give this country what it requires in terms of leadership. This country is always looked up to. We have no business being where we are today. It is unfortunate,” he also said.
Sani said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had not achieved much of its programmes as specified in its manifesto because the party was not fully engaged during the drafting period.
He expressed the readiness of the ADP to engage in “coalition” or “collaboration” with other political parties instead of merger ahead of 2019.