By Bode Olagoke
Abuja
National leader of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday recalled the Peoples Democratic Party’s leadership of the country, accusing it of treating corruption menace “as its co-tenant in office.”
The former Lagos state governor, who said Nigerians voted for President Muhammadu Buhari because they trusted his ability to make decisions regarding complex issues of state, called on Nigerians, especially the opposition politicians, to stop the growing speculation and anxiety over the President’s health.
In a statement personally signed by the APC leader, a copy of which was made available to Blueprint, he accused those he said “hold to the bankrupt politics of yesterday”, of seeking to thwart the President’s mission while claiming to support him.
Tinubu said: “The previous administration treated corruption as its co-tenant in office. President Buhari has fought it with tenacity, equal to that with which he has confronted Boko Haram.
“We must stand with and beside our President. The unfounded speculation around his health should stop. We must not covet fear and rumour but should engage our creativity and enterprise to help the President accomplish his historic mission. Our greatest energies should be focused on righting this economy so that it provides a decent livelihood for all people. This critical path towards economic recovery must be followed for the sake of our children.”
While recalling his experience in Borno recently, the APC chieftain said: “My recent visit to Borno state to inaugurate projects opened my eyes to the progress President Buhari has made in the anti-terror war. An enabling environment has been created for Governor Kashim Shettima, who has taken advantage of the peaceful space to initiate laudable projects such as the provision of housing for and rehabilitation of Boko Haram victims.
“We currently face stiff economic challenges. This is neither President’s Buhari’s doing nor choosing. The steep decline in oil prices caused the downturn which exposed our nation’s long-time failure to plan ahead by diversifying our economic base. It has fallen on the Buhari government to fix the immediate problem while also diversifying our economy so that we will no longer be as vulnerable to the price of oil again.
“His policies have begun to bear fruit. We are moving out of recession and toward the long-term reshaping of the national economy. Given the complex menu of problems he has faced, President Buhari has done well in a tough situation.
While I seek not to diminish the hardship still faced by many of our people, we also must be cognizant of the important progress made these past two years.”
According to Tinubu, President Buhari has moved Nigeria “from the path of failure to a path where we have a fighting chance to realise a better nation. Had we stuck to the ways of the former administration, our present situation would be worse than untenable.
“Those who publicly speculate about the issue of the President’s health must keep all of this in mind. Much is at stake. We owe a responsibility to be wise and circumspect in what is spoken into the public ear.’
