Buhari reacts to Obasanjo’s endorsement of Atiku for president

President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the endorsement of his opponent by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Mr Obasanjo on Thursday endorsed Atiku Abubakar for next year’s presidential election.

The president’s reaction was contained in a statement on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu, who referred to the meeting as a “well-rehearsed theatre”.

“They will lose together. Listening to the prepared statement of the former President after the meeting showed the usual ego trip and “I know it all” character of Chief Obasanjo”, he said.

“It is just eleven years ago that the former President (Obasanjo) and Vice President (Abubakar) in their ugly fight for power accused each other of corruption. Nigerians are yet to forget all that,” Mr Shehu said.

Mr Abubakar recently clinched the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party and is expected to be the main challenger to Mr Buhari in next year’s election.

Although he served as vice president to Mr Obasanjo for eight years, Mr Abubakar had been repeatedly castigated by the former president.

However, after a closed-door meeting mediated by religious and political leaders, Mr Obasanjo endorsed Mr Abubakar on Thursday.

Mr Obasanjo had in 2015 supported Mr Buhari for president, but later fell out with him saying Mr Buhari was managing Nigeria and its economy poorly.

– Premium Times