Breaking news: Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been asked to quit 2023 presidential race. read more story

 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately quit the race over the allegations bordering on hiring of fake Bishops to attend the unveiling of his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately quit the race over the allegations bordering on hiring of fake Bishops to attend the unveiling of his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima.

Other issues for which Tinubu should withdraw from the race, according to the PDP, are his alleged attempt to use certain authorities in Abuja to manipulate and upturn the result of the Osun governorship election, and the allegation of perjury against him.

At a press conference addressed by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party said it was appalled by the nauseating, blasphemous and unpardonable act by the APC in hiring artisans, fraudsters, touts and dressing them in bishop’s vestments to orchestrate an endorsement for its collapsing presidential campaign.

He said, “Nigerians were sickened by videos and pictorial evidence of known mechanics, bus conductors and fraudsters sacrilegiously dressed in fake bishop vestments and paid to endorse the unveiling of Tinubu’s widely rejected running mate, Sen. Shettima.”

It declared that such action is unacceptable and unbecoming of any individual aspiring to a leadership position at any level let alone, the office of the President, adding that such was an embarrassment to leadership.

“With this scandalous act, Tinubu, who is still battling with issues of alleged perjury, non-existent certificate and allegations of extortions has become more ethically challenged and lost all moral standing to seek election as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the opposition party said.

It claimed that the denials by Tinubu about not having any link with the alleged hiring of fake Bishops could not save him because he is the leader of the APC as well as the presidential candidate.

On the alleged bid by Tinubu to use Abuja authorities to undermine the outcome of the Osun polls, the PDP said: “Tibunu’s humiliating rejection in Abuja, where he had reportedly rushed to in a desperate bid to frustrate the smooth conclusion of the Osun State Governorship election is a clear testimonial that the APC presidential candidate has been roundly deflated.”

“Our party is privy to reports of how doors were locked against APC leaders in Abuja and how their frantic telephone calls and corrupt offers to truncate the Osun election were turned down.” Ologunagba stated.

“Now, that the APC presidential candidate has lost the basic required leadership integrity and having been exposed and roundly rejected in his ancestral home state of Osun, the South West and across the country; our party counsels him to immediately withdraw from the 2023 presidential race to avoid further disgrace.”

Meanwhile, APC has reassured aggrieved Christians that they would not be marginalised following the decision by its presidential candidate, Tinubu to settle for Sen. A Muslim Shettima as his running mate in the 2023 poll.

APC’s National Vice Chairman (North West), Dr. Salihu Lukman, who spoke to reporters after the parley with stakeholders of the party in Abuja maintained that the duo of Tinubu and Shettima would protect the interest of Nigerians irrespective of their ethnic and religious affiliations.

Said he: “I think we need to be very honest to ourselves. It is true that people have concerns and those concerns are not being dismissed. To the best of my knowledge, all competent party leaders have acknowledged the concerns.

“When you take a decision, certainly some people will be at the receiving end of the outcome. Our party, the APC, is not working to exclude any category, whether in terms of religion, ethnicity or any group. We have taken decision to produce candidates and they are the ones we saw at the unveiling yesterday (Wednesday).”