Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari, his party and the family of presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to prevail on Timubu to withdraw from the February 25th presidential contest on the ground of ill-health.
Kachikwu who stated this at a press conference in Abuja, noted that Nigeria could not afford to make the same mistake it made in 2015 when APC skilfully manipulated their “minds and emotions and successfully delivered a so-called reformed dictator as President of Nigeria”.
He said, “Today, the same APC that failed the Nigerian people monumentally with a sick president has presented another sick candidate to the Nigerian people.
“There is nothing wrong with being old or sick as we will all get old some day. We also all get sick at some point or the other. What I do have a problem with, is a candidate with significant cognitive disabilities embarrassing my nation and making a mockery of the entire political process.
“Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu has no business being in this race or continuing this race. He has said it is his turn and I agree: it is his turn to do the honourable thing and withdraw from this race.
“I call on his family, his party, the APC and President Buhari to prevail on him to do the right thing.
“It is a tragedy that a month to the presidential elections, the myriad issues that plague our nation have not been debated by the presidential candidates. How do we fix our economy other than just saying from consumption to production? Produce what, where and when? We can’t continue to deceive our youths and generality of Nigerians with cliches and nice sounding phrases.
“How do we solve our energy crisis? Is it okay for Nigerians to perennially queue for fuel or live in darkness in the year 2023? What of unemployment, housing, infrastructural deficit, security and our nationhood? When do we discuss and debate these in detail so the Nigerian people know what is at stake in this election?
“Our nation is in serious trouble. Any presidential candidate who thinks he can preside over this nation without a clearly articulated plan on how to fix our problems from day one is living in Lalaland. The over 120 million poor Nigerians who carry the burden of our failures are rumbling.
“When this rumbling will turn into an earthquake, no one knows. God help us all when the earthquake comes”, he said.
Kachiukwu also called on INEC to wake up from slumber, saying that Nigerian cannot continue to be known as the nation that conducts sham elections.
“I also call on INEC to wake up from their slumber. We can’t continue to be known as the nation that conducts sham elections. INEC can’t continue to pretend not to see the voter inducement that takes place at rallies all over the country. What of the primaries? Has anyone been indicted, sanctioned or punished?
“There is too much at stake in this election for Nigeria and Nigerians. An INEC that wilfully disobeys court orders has already rigged the elections. Nigeria can’t afford another heartbreak.”
