The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressive Congress (APC) leaders of abandoning it’s presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, following the claim by Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola that Jimi Agbaje of the PDP was too old to govern Lagos. The party described the comment as a direct jab at Buhari, who is 15 years older.
According to a statement by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in Abuja on Saturday, APC leaders have continued to betray their inner aversion towards the candidacy of Buhari and have abandoned his campaigns for the February 14 presidential election as most of them do not believe in his personality.
“While key APC leaders such as Atiku Abubakar, Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, Sam Nda-Isaiah have since abandoned Buhari and his rickety campaign to an inclement fate, Governor Fashola has not been able to hide his preference for a younger, more educated and more articulate president who is able to connect with the current generation of citizens as embodied in President Goodluck Jonathan.
“Recently, in his failed attempt to discredit the PDP Lagos state governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje, Governor Fashola betrayed himself by stating that Agbaje, who is only 57 years was too old to govern Lagos state. This is indeed the height of hypocrisy considering the fact that the same Governor Fashola is on the other hand campaigning for a 73 years Buhari to become the president of Nigeria.
“And we ask, who better fits into this picture than General Buhari who could not remember the name of his running mate at his campaign rally in Owerri and nearly fell while trying to climb up the stage in Calabar.
“Recently, while speaking to journalists, Fashola said, ‘when 40-year olds are now leading nations and our 40-year olds can’t even get to the Senate, they can’t even become governors. Are we really preparing this generation for the future? Those are the issues really. We cannot point to success in other countries and refuse to do what those people are doing to get things right.’
The PDP asked again: “Is this not as many Nigerians put it, a coded way of saying Buhari is now way too old for Aso Rock?”