Joseph Bakare
The Presidency on Monday defended the eligibility of president Muhammadu Buhari to stand in for the 2019 presidential election.
The defense is coming following the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), threat that it will challenge the eligibility of the President to stand for re-election due to the controversy over his academic credentials.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said it was a waste of time because the record was available, as well as those of higher qualifications obtained by hard work and truly merited by the President.
A statement signed on Monday reads: “This certificate story is an old one. As Femi Adesina stated clearly, it is a settled issue in the courts. To approach the court to pursue a matter long settled by the temple of justice is an abuse of the judicial system. It is shameful, disgusting and disgraceful.
“It is clear to all at this time that the PDP, facing an imminent humiliating defeat wants to sow division and chaos by seeking the destruction of the institutional structures that support our young democracy.
“They are attacking the courts and the police, they are molesting INEC commissioners. They are theatrical in spreading falsehoods against persons including the President.
“By doing these, they assume that they can take away attention from the discussions on issues gaining momentum in the country; the issue of internal security which has been jeopardized by years of near-zero investment under 16 years of the PDP; the provision of long-delayed infrastructure which the President is pioneering; corruption to which the PDP is incurably tied and the sustenance of the prevailing good days in the economy, a business-friendly government working day and night, creating more jobs and affordable life for the poor.
“This election isn’t about the settled issues of certification. No matter how honeyed their sweet words, don’t believe them.
“Their evil record can never be washed away. The PDP set a record of murdering opponents of government and corruption on a scale never seen anywhere before.
“They put the national security at stake by diverting huge budgetary allocations to service their greed. Don’t believe their honeyed promises.”