The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has stated that Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Kaduna state governorship candidate, Malam Nasir El-Rufai believe in the candidature of President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the presidential election.
In a statement issued on Sunday by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, PDP said the duo were campaigning against APC presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari because they were both recorded to have urged voters to elect a younger president.
PDP recalled that El-Rufai, a former APC Interim Deputy National Secretary and a Buhari supporter, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, had described him as: “perpetually unelectable”.
“El-Rufai once said he was 25 years old when Buhari was Head of State and wondered why he would not allow younger generation as symbolised in President Goodluck Jonathan, to have a shot at the position.
“El-Rufai had also called on young Nigerians to take their future into their hands and ensure that they voted for a new generation of leaders,” said PDP.
Continuing, Metuh recalled that Fashola recently urged voters to do same.
“Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola has not hidden his preference for a younger, more educated and articulate President who is able to connect with the current generation of citizens as embodied in President Goodluck Jonathan.
“Fashola had earlier said that: “If you put an old man there, he cannot do it. If you call him in the night, he may not pick your calls.”
PDP wondered “who better fits into this picture than Buhari who could not remember the name of his running mate at his campaign rally in Owerri.”
It added that Buhari also nearly fell while trying to climb the stage in Calabar during the ACP rally in Cross River.
“In spite of his later attempt to remedy the situation, deep inside his heart, Fashola harbours an aversion to a Buhari presidency as evidenced in his earlier statement,” PDP said.
PDP further quoted Fashola as having said that: “When 40-year olds are now leading nations and our 40-year olds can’t even get to the Senate, they can’t even become governors.
“We cannot point to success in other countries and refuse to do what those people are doing to get things right.”
This, PDP noted, like many Nigerians put it, was a coded way of saying Buhari was too old to be the President of the Nigeria.
PDP, however, added that it was not surprised at the double standard being displayed by APC leaders, describing such as “one of their stocks-in-trade”.
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