Smear campaign on Atiku won’t help APC, Buhari ― PDP

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency that their “renewed smear campaign” against its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would not help them in next year’s election.

The party said in a statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, its National Publicity Secretary in Abuja on Monday that “these shenanigans will be of no avail as Nigerians have resolved to elect Atiku as President come February 2019 due to his proven leadership capacity.”

PDP noted that the “woeful performance” of President Buhari in office will remain the referendum for the 2019 presidential election no matter the attempts to use hirelings to change national discuss.

It added: “It is instructive for the APC to accept the reality that our candidate, Atiku, enjoys the support of Nigerians across the board for his credibility, forthrightness and capacity to deliver.”

The party said it was shameful that instead of channelling the nation’s resources to productive ventures, the APC and the Presidency have remained fixated on Atiku Abubakar, even when it has become clear that Nigerians can no longer be deceived, having seen through their lies, fabrications and beguilements.

The party further said: “Nigerians are also aware that since the emergence of Atiku as our Presidential candidate; the attendant spontaneous jubilation across the country and massive influx of millions of supporters into our party, the Presidency has been on panic mode, knowing that President Buhari is no match for our candidate.

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“Also, having failed in the attempt to paint and label Atiku as corrupt, the APC has now started creating seemingly independent groups to commence a fresh attack on the personal image of our candidate.

“Already, the PDP is privy to the procurement of certain devious groups and individuals, who have been paid millions of naira, to attempt to directly impugn on the character and reputation of our candidate with a view to bringing him to public disrepute ahead of the elections.”

The PDP said it was aware of how two top officials of the APC, two Presidential aides and two APC governors have been detailed to coordinate this agenda against our candidate.

According to the main opposition party, “Their strategies include using the procured groups and hirelings to release strings of fabrications against our candidate ahead of the elections.”

The PDP, therefore, counselled the APC and the Buhari Presidency to get ready to face an imminent electoral indignation and defeat from Nigerians as rewards for their basket of unfulfilled promises and empty scorecards.

“These desperate plots to divert attention from manifest failures and incompetence in governance will not work,” it stated.