Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, yesterday lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing them of failing Nigerian troops on the frontlines against the Boko Haram sect.
Abubakar was chided by the APC for accepting a traditional title and embarking on a jamboree with discredited politicians, barely a week after scores of Nigerian troops were killed by insurgents during a
raid on their battalion.
Yekini Nabena, the deputy national spokesperson for the ruling party, said Abubakar has shown that he has no leadership credentials and repeated longstanding allegations that the former vice-president was
wanted in the United States on corruption charges.
Abubakar, who had long denied ties to corruption either in the U.S., Nigeria or elsewhere, said in a Monday afternoon rebuttal to the APC’s attack that it was unfortunate that the APC could be accusing him of doing exactly what Nigerians have now established both the party and Buhari are notorious at.
The APC’s insults were curious because Abubakar dedicated his birthday, not to himself, but to celebrating the 100 or so heroes of the 157 Task Force Battalion of the Nigerian Army who lost their lives to Boko Haram in Borno state on November 18, according to the statement circulated by Abubakar’s office.
Abubakar, who is the main challenger to Buhari in the 2019 presidential election, was turbaned on Sunday as the Wazirin Adamawa, a first-rate traditional title in his home Adamawa state. Former
Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan were amongst Abubakar’s political associates at the event, which took place at the palace of Lamido of Adamawa.
“That the Waziri Adamawa asked for anyone who wished to give him birthday gifts to instead endow such on the families of the slain heroes is the opposite of selfishness,” the statement added.
The statement reminded Nigerians of how service chiefs were invited to the launching of Buhari’s re election campaign in Abuja, the same day Boko Haram thugs raided the 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, killing at least 118 soldiers with estimated 153 missing in action.
Amongst those killed was the commander of the battalion, Ibrahim Sakaba, a lieutenant-colonel.
