Why Buhari is Nigeria’s best choice, by Tinubu

The presidential election takes place tomorrow. In this piece, All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu urges Nigerians to vote wisely by endorsing the continuity agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.

All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday described tomorrow’s presidential election as a choice between progress and retreat, urging Nigerians to vote for a secured future.

He described the contest as a choice between a road that leads to “a certain replay of the economic injustices of the past” and the road that “provides the truest, brightest chance” for a hopeful future.

Tinubu, in a statement issued in Lagos, rated President Muhammadu Buhari a better candidate above the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who, in his view, “misappropriated his eight years in high office”. The statement is tittled: “A choice between progress and retreat”.

Acknowledging Atiku as his friend, the former Lagos State governor said the former vice president should go on retirement after the election because he represents a victor of selective enrichment of personal friends to the detriment of majority of Nigerians.

Besides, he said since he loathed a backward movement, there was nothing good and inspiring in the policies and programmes announced by the PDP.

Tinubu reflected on the importance of the election in his statement in Lagos titled: “A choice between progress and retreat.”

Urging Nigerians to reject Atiku at the poll, he said: “Former VP Atiku misappropriated his eight previous years in high office. His occupancy of the high office was best characterised by low deeds. Self-enrichment occurred at lightning speed, but social welfare moves slower than a dousing snail.

“Just a few weeks ago, Atiku offered his vision of the economy when he said that enriching his friends would be an appropriate objective of any government he led. At best, patronage is a regrettable and necessary reality of politics that should be severely curtailed.

“But, Atiku goes in the opposite direction. He bypasses patronage of brazenly elevate the much greater evil of cronyism from the shadows to make it the central plank of his national economic policy.

“I want no part of such enrichment for my love of Nigeria and its people is far greater and deeper than my friendship with Atiku. For the good of Nigeria and even the good of Atiku himself, we do well to send him into retirement on Saturday.”

The former governor said while President Buhari was committed to great deals in the national interest, any deal involving Atiku will always end in disappointment.

He said Atiku was not alone in his disregard for the common man, recalling that his running mate and chief economic adviser, Peter Obi, had promised that the PDP will discontinue the social welfare payments to the poor.

The former Lagos State governor said: “Unlike the PDP, the ruling APC is committed to the building of an economy where every Nigerian is entitled to equal access and sufficient economic opportunities for the utilisation of their talents and skills.”

Tinubu, a co-chair of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, highlighted the ruling party’s programmes in infrastructural development, industrialisation, agriculture, power, housing, and social security.

Acknowledging Atiku as his friend, the foremost politician said the former vice president should go on retirement after the election because he represents a victor of selective enrichment of personal friends to the detriment of majority of Nigerians.

Besides, he said since he loathed a backward movement, there was nothing good and inspiring in the policies and programmes announced by the PDP.

Tinubu reflected on the importance of the election, urging Nigerians to reject Atiku at the poll. He said: “Former VP Atiku misappropriated his eight previous years in high office. His occupancy of the high office was best characterised by low deeds. Self-enrichment occurred at lightning speed, but social welfare moves slower than a dousing snail.

“Just a few weeks ago, Atiku offered his vision of the economy when he said that enriching his friends would be an appropriate objective of any government he led. At best, patronage is a regrettable and necessary reality of politics that should be severely curtailed. But, Atiku goes in the opposite direction.

“He bypasses patronage of brazenly elevate the much greater evil of cronyism from the shadows to make it the central plank of his national economic policy.

“I want no part of such enrichment for my love of Nigeria and its people are far greater and deeper than my friendship with Atiku. For the good of Nigeria and even the good of Atiku himself, we do well to send him into retirement on Saturday.”

The former governor said while President Buhari was committed to great deals in the national interest, any deal involving Atiku will always end in disappointment.

Tinubu said, unlike the PDP, the ruling APC was committed to building an economy where every Nigerian is entitled to equal access and sufficient economic opportunities for the utilisation of their talents and skills.

The party stalwart highlighted the APC programmes in  infrastructural development, industrialisation, agriculture, power, housing, and social security.