WED, 15 JUNE, 2022-theGBJournal| Garba Shehu, Official Spokesperson and Senior Special Assistant (SSA) Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari has fired back at the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the media over their ‘’Speculation-Journalism’’ leading to the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmewd Tinubu as the All Progressives Congress Party (APC) Presidential flag bearer.
Shehu went on to clip in that since the completion of the election ‘’the people’s faith and that of the international community in our democracy has received a major boost.’’
The President was negatively targeted by the opposition PDP, and the media. Both had speculated heavily that the President had an already ‘’anointed’’ successor in the run-up to party’s presidential primary in Abuja a week ago.
‘’When it is election season we all expect speculation to reach fever-pitch. The press pores over every word spoken, scours every photo taken, and reports every indication suggested, seeking signs of who is supporting who like private investigators-or fiction writers. So what a disappointment the APC party flagbearer must have been for those who assembled to witness a catastrophe,’’ he wrote on his Twitter wall.
In continuation, he said, ‘’no intrigue, no division, no disagreement, no defeated candidates rejecting result, no splits, no third-party runs. Only determination to rally around the chosen flagbearer to deliver victory and an APC third term in February 2023.’’
He noted that the opposition reaction to this successful nomination convention has come by way of a counter offensive, ‘’so that we not go on the offensive.’’ According him, in some instances, there is clear evidence of a conspiracy to destabilize the governing party and defame the President.
He described how the media was inundated with ‘’made up stories’’-speculating about the role of the President in the flagbearer contest: whether he had a favoured candidate, and whether manoeuvres were made to install them; whether the chosen flagbearer was the President’s choice, or another.
Mr Shehu also noted that the President has always said he had a favoured candidate and that candidate was whoever was chosen by the APC in a democratic primary to lead the party at the election.
‘’Those still assailing the APC and the President expounding conspiracy theories and making all manner of speculations about who did what or did not need to understand the important point the country’s leader: President Buhari takes his own decisions and carries them out without the backup of so-called ‘’cabal’’ or back room boys. The strong leader myth in Nigeria has lasted far too long.’’
He said the President had a clear purpose leading up to the primary: to ensure a transparent, free and fair process that will bring back people’s faith in democracy by taking good governance up to the grassroots level.
‘’The flagbearer has been chosen. He has the President’s unwavering support. The Journey to victory continues,’’ he said.
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