‘Mudslinging agent’ — APC campaign replies Atiku’s aide over criticism of Tinubu

The All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council has criticised Phrank Shaibu, aide to Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over his recent comment criticising Bola Tinubu.

Bayo Onanuga, director of media and publicity of the APC campaign council, in a statement on Sunday, said the comment by Shaibu shows the PDP camp is in fear.

Onanuga was reacting to a recent statement by Shaibu, in which the latter said Tinubu, standard bearer of the APC, will do well not to compare himself to Warren Buffet, one of the world’s richest persons.

In a recent interview with BBC, Tinubu was asked about the source of his wealth, and he responded by saying that he inherited real estate and made investments like Buffet.

Shaibu faulted the claim, saying the former governor’s position on inheriting family wealth is questionable.

“How did Tinubu, whose family was too poor to send him to school despite a free education policy at the time, inherit properties from the same family? This is obvious balderdash,” Shuaibu had said.

Reacting, Onanuga said the PDP’s desperation is making the party “resort to character assassination and innuendoes”.

“Our attention has been drawn to a statement by one Phrank Shaibu, an Atiku Abubakar special media assistant, whose speciality appears to be muckraking,” the statement reads.

“In another puerile move, Shuaibu challenged our candidate to give his full name and went on a journey of fantasy about his early education and parentage, matters already thrown into the dustbin decades ago.

“We were not surprised that the desperate Atiku camp, faced with mounting setbacks in its campaign, will engage in another round of mudslinging, after it failed to make any capital over its amplified allegation of drug dealing against our candidate.

“This latest allegation, we must say is another attempt at shadow boxing.

“It is unfortunate that the party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, have chosen to revive a dead allegation, knowing that this election is again slipping away.

“We however sympathise with Atiku and his mudslinging agents. We know why they are lashing on every straw available. They are seized with fear that the election is once again lost.

“The Constitution of the Republic is very clear on the rights of a citizen to contest for president. Our candidate has fulfilled those conditions. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the impartial umpire, has affirmed that he is qualified to run.

“But the PDP and Atiku are utterly confused and in serious disarray and running round in circles like a barber’s chair looking for what is not lost.

“Yet like a fly that insists on being buried with the corpse, the media handlers of the PDP prefer to flog a dead horse.

“PDP should wait for its day of judgment rather than engage in this obscurantist, diversionary game, a game that will be determined by the Nigerian masses.”