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By: Leon Usigbe – Abuja
The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Bola Tinubu, is encouraging his aides to attack President Muhammadu Buhari over the cash swap policy.
The former vice president said the policy will prevent the ruling party candidate from deploying bullion vans on Election Day.
According to him, the currency redesign is causing frustration in the camp of the former Lagos State governor.
The allegation is contained in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, which pointed out that a spokesman for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga, had already gone on social media to declare CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, as enemies because they had refused to accede to Tinubu’s demands.
The statement reads, “In furtherance of his desperation to buy votes on the day of election, Tinubu has encouraged his aides to attack President Muhammadu Buhari and key members of his government.
“They started by constantly attacking Godwin Emefiele to organising a smear campaign against Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who had refused to attend any of their insipid rallies. They called him an ice cream man.
“They also went on television to accuse President Buhari’s Secretary, Tunde Sabiu, of controlling the President, inferring that the President is a toddler who needs to be held by the hand. This is indeed laughable.”
The statement noted that it is tragic that the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, continues to defend Tinubu, despite his attacks against the government and policies of President Buhari.
It wondered how Keyamo would continue to support the APC flag-bearer who it accused of demarketing the federal government.
The statement added: “Festus Keyamo is the Minister of State for Labour and Employment. Even his senior Minister, Chris Ngige, has distanced himself from Tinubu’s campaign and said he will not support anyone. This is honourable given the fact that Tinubu is a failed project.
“But Keyamo continues as Spokesman for the campaign despite the fact that the likes of Tinubu and Bayo Onanuga continue to attack President Buhari. If Onanuga says Malami is a public enemy, how does Keyamo sit with Malami during Federal Executive Council meetings?
“If Tinubu says Buhari’s government is a failure, doesn’t that also mean that Keyamo is part of the failed government?”
The statement pointed out that Tinubu had in the last couple of days hurled insults at Buhari over the exchange rate and the naira redesign policy of the CBN.
It quoted the APC presidential candidate as saying: ‘Today, they moved the exchange rate from N200 to N800. If they had repaired it, if they had arrested this, we wouldn’t be where we are today, we will be greater. They don’t know the way, they don’t know how to think, they don’t know how to do it.’
According to the Atiku spokesman, in Abeokuta the so-called Tinubu had accused the President of incompetence especially with regard to the scarcity of the new naira notes and the petrol scarcity.
Despite that, the statement observed, Keyamo had continued to serve as Media Director to Tinubu’s campaign notwithstanding the fact that he continues to serve as minister in a government that Tinubu attacks.
The statement further said: “Festus Keyamo is indeed a man without principles, an unscrupulous man. Tinubu has continued to attack Buhari’s administration which Keyamo is a part of. Rather than resign out of honour, he continues to sit tight.
“Recall that Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State had said President Buhari’s government was being controlled by a cabal. The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, appropriately rubbished the report. However, Keyamo, a retired activist has not been brave enough to defend his principal.
“He has all but abandoned his official duties to pursue the failed campaign of a bullion van politician, the same man whom Keyamo had described as a charlatan during his days as an activist.”
The statement further quoted series of tweets by Keyamo in which he observed that ‘Same characters who have always vilified PMB are the same characters now eulogising him for doing ‘what is right’ even if it is inimical to the chances of his party. They’re pretentiously stooping low before him to conquer.’
According to the spokesman of the PDP flag bearer, by his latest outburst, Keyamo is more concerned about the victory of the APC than to President Buhari.
Citing the Biblical verse of Matthew 6:24, the statement affirmed: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”
The statement further accused the Minister of State for Labour and Employment of continuing to abuse his office as minister to pressure the EFCC and other agencies to invite and arrest Atiku ahead of the election but this has also failed.
The statement listed prominent personalities that Keyamo had unsuccessfully prosecuted on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but now sit at the same table with in the APC Presidential Campaign Council..
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