BY: News Peddlers
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| Bola Tinubu |
Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged South-east residents not to listen to former President Olusegun Obasanjo or Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Atiku Abubakar when deciding who to vote for in 2023.
This was stated by Mr Tinubu during the APC presidential campaign rally in Enugu on Wednesday.
Between 1999 and 2007, Mr. Obasanjo and Atiku served as Nigeria's president and vice president, respectively, on the PDP platform.
Mr. Atiku has been urging Nigerians, including Igbos, to vote for him in the 2023 presidential election.
During a rally in Anambra State in December, the former vice president urged residents of the South-east to vote for him, promising that he would be "a stepping stone" to the emergence of a Nigerian president from the region.
Mr Obasanjo endorsed Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi as his preferred choice for president in the 2023 general election in an open letter to young Nigerians on January 1.
During the rally, Mr Tinubu told an Igbo crowd not to believe the duo because they had previously "deceived" the region.
"Don't pay attention to them. They are no longer credible. They've duped you several times since 1999," he explained.
According to the APC candidate, Mr. Obasanjo and other successive presidents who governed the country under the PDP platform failed to build the Second Niger Bridge despite repeatedly promising to do so.
He claimed that while they were still in office, Mr. Obasanjo and Atiku were abusing and accusing each other of syphoning funds.
"They didn't do it (build the Second Niger Bridge) for 16 years. They ate your money and abused themselves," Mr Tinubu said of the PDP's previous presidents.
"If you forgot, let me remind you: that bridge was finished by the APC (government)," he said.
The APC candidate claimed that some unidentified PDP members "duped" Mr Obi into leaving the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and joining the PDP, then the LP, to run for president.
"They believe they want to vote for Obi. They want to return (to power). That's how they duped your brother into leaving Okokorokoo and joining the Labour (Party)," he explained.
Okokorokoo is an Igbo expression for the crowning of a cock, which signals the beginning of a new day. The APGA faithful frequently use the expression.
The APGA's logo is a cock in a circle on a yellow background.
The former governor of Lagos State urged people to abandon other political parties in order to "use a broom to sweep away the dirty men and bloody foes" in the country.
'Keep sweating, no praise until you achieve victory.'
Mr Tinubu told APC leaders in the South-east that while they were "sweating and working hard" for the upcoming election, he wanted them to keep the effort going in order to achieve results.
"No one will be praised until the party wins the election," he said.
"I want you to work hard for this party until you achieve victory. Until Bola Tinubu became the Federal Republic of Nigeria's president.
"I want you to work hard for this party until you achieve victory. Until Bola Tinubu became the Federal Republic of Nigeria's president.
"We will only give you a slight clap or a soaked slice of bread," said the APC candidate.