2019: Atiku Mocks Buhari Over 800 Meters Walk Claim

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday mocked the Presidency over its claim that President Muhammadu Buhari walked 800-metre as evidence of his fitness to run in 2019.

Mr Abubakar, who is eyeing the presidential ticket of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said he would work to create jobs for Nigerians and not build “illusion”.

The former vice-president was apparently responding to a claim by the Presidency that Mr Buhari walked 800 metre from Eid praying ground in Daura on Tuesday.

Earlier the governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, had last week said that Mr Buhari was “too old” to rule the country beyond 2019.

But the News Agency of Nigeria reported that after the Eid prayers, Mr Buhari shunned protocol and opted to trek some 800 metres, acknowledging cheers from Nigerians who lined up on his home route to catch a glimpse of him.

Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, had said that Mr Buhari demonstrated his fitness to run for a second term by covering that distance on foot.

“I think the President has done one thing today – that the issue is not how old one is but how fit he is; how healthy he is. Now that the president has proven his fitness and well-being, to continue in office is a settled matter,” he said in a statement emailed to Premium Times.

Reacting in a message posted on his verified Facebook page Wednesday afternoon, Mr Abubakar lampooned the presidency, saying the claim was “pedestrian”.

“I regularly jog more than a mile and exercise, but it will be pedestrian of me to ask Nigerians to vote for me because of that,” he posted.

“I want my party – the PDP, and Nigerians, to vote for me because I WORK not because I WALK. I will work to create jobs. I won’t walk to create an illusion.”

Mr Abubakar contested the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, with Mr Buhari ahead of the 2015 elections. The former vice-president however lost the ticket to the retired army general, who would go ahead to defeat then incumbent Goodluck Jonathan at the polls.

Interestingly, the presidential aide, Mr Shehu, whose statement is being faulted here by Mr Abubakar, was a media aide for more than a decade to the former vice president.

It was Mr Abubakar who nominated him to serve in the present government after he (Mr Abubakar) lost the APC presidential ticket to Mr Buhari.

Mr Abubakar recently returned to the PDP to pursue his presidential ambition, but Mr Shehu has stayed on with President Buhari.

Mr Abubakar served as Nigeria’s vice president between 1999 and 2007, when Olusegun Obasanjo was president.

Few weeks ago, Mr Obasanjo told Premium Times God would not forgive him if he supported Mr Abubakar’s presidential ambition.

Premium Times

Comments

Governor Ortom Eulogizes Late Pa Jerome, Father of Ex-BERWASSA Boss

….As family announces burial arrangements Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has extolled the Late Pa Jerome Abalike Ella, father of his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Water Resources, Engr. Ejembi Ella, and his indelible legacies. This is coming as the family announces the burial arrangements for the deceased whose death occurred last month, December 27, 2022. Ortom described the deceased as a renowned community leader who was humble, hardworking and dedicated his life to the service of God and humanity until his demise. In a condolence letter on behalf of his family, the government and people of Benue State to the SSA, a copy of which Humanity Watch obtained, the governor stated that the transition of Pa Jerome at a time his wise counsel was most needed, has created a vacuum in the family that will be difficult to fill. The governor however, urged the SSA on Water Resources who is also the immediate past General Ma...

Gunmen invade Edo community, kill 3, abduct 13 children, women

Heavily-armed gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen have reportedly invaded Emokpae community, in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, where they killed three persons. The invaders were said to have also hijacked a bus conveying 13 passengers, including school children and market women, and marched them into the forest. he people of Emokpae community staged a peaceful protest to the State Government House in Benin on Friday. Spokesman for the community who gave his name simply as Egua, told journalists that the 13 passengers were still being held captives by the gunmen. Egua, who claimed to be the local leader of Edo State Security Network, disclosed that the kidnappers had contacted the family of a female hostage, demanding for a whopping N20 million ransom. “Yesterday, as at 3 pm, when our children were returning from school from the neighbouring community, the herdsmen invaded the road, took our children, even the bike men that went to take them from the school...

Digital Divide: CITAD Partners APC for Deployment of Network to Abuja Communities

At least four neglected communities, Leleyi Gwari, Dakwa, Tungan-Ashere and Paseppa in Kwali, Abuja Municipal Area Council(AMAC) and Bwari Area Councils of Abuja, Nigeria capital city, grappling with network challenges will soon hive a sigh of relief. The hard to reach communities suffering from government neglect especially in the area of basic social amenities are to benefit from the Community Network Project being implemented by CITAD with support from the Association of Progressive Communications(APC). APC is a global network of civil society organisations that promotes the empowerment of citizens through ICT, and advocates access to a free and open Internet, in respect of human rights and freedoms in the online space. The intervention is part of CITAD's community-led approach to addressing the digital divide in Nigeria. As part of the project, CITAD which is committed to the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for the development and pro...

Humanity Watch

Search This Blog