2019: FG Replies OBJ Over Support For Atiku Presidency

The Nigerian Government has made bold to put it to Olusegun Obasanjo, the ex-president, that his former Vice-president and now preferred presidential candidate for 2019 will be roundly and comprehensively defeated by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Lai Mohammed, the minister of information stated this while speaking in Abuja earlier on Monday.

Clearly, Obasanjo is indicating his non-neutrality in the politicking of 2019 as he is particularly harping for the exit of Buhari in 2019.

Ever since he reconciled with Atiku, he has also been asking Nigerians to vite Atiku, though in a proverbial manner.

Lai maintained that the elder stateman has the constitutional right to support any candidate but that does not represent an eventual winning for such.

“With due respect to former President Obasanjo, it is his constitutional right to support any candidate of his choice and we urge him to go out and campaign
vigorously for any candidate he wants to support.

“He has not hidden his preference for the PDP candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and we wish him very
best of luck.

“However, I want to assure you
that his candidate will be defeated
roundly and comprehensively. It is
not about endorsement,
endorsement does not win
election,’’ he said.

The minister also responded to a statement credited to the former
president that, “only a fool will sit on the fence when his or her country is being destroyed with incompetence, corruption lack of focus, insecurity nepotism and
brazen impunity.”

Mr Mohammed said he held Mr Obasanjo in high esteem and probably he was not properly briefed on the development in the country to have made such conclusions.

“The facts are all there that this government has done more than any other governments in three and half years.”

On corruption, the minister said the government had put in place institution reforms which had confirmed its sincerity and commitment to fighting the menace.

“It is not about putting people in jail but what are the things put in place to address this endemic problem.

“Take the example of Treasury Single Account TSA, which was not initiated by this government. It is only the Buhari
administration that has the political will to implement it.

“Before we came in, there were over 22,000 government accounts in various banks.

“Since we came, we reduced it to one account and from 2015 to date N8.9 trillion has passed through the TSA which is as a result of transparency and accountability,’’ he said.