The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, yesterday, apologised to Nigerians and the international community for what it described as shameful and embarrassing outing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu at Chatham House, London, United Kingdom.
Tinubu had come under criticisms from a cross section of Nigerians for calling on the Governors of Kaduna and Cross Rivers states, Nasir El-Rufai and Ben Ayade, respectively and others to provide answers to security, economic and personal questions thrown at him as guest of the event.
Spokesman of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, who addressed a press conference in Asaba, described the outing by Tinubu and his handlers at Chatham House as ignoble and show of shame, saying by his action, the APC candidate denigrated the office of the president he seeks to occupy.
He said it was necessary that the PDP apologised to avoid sending wrong signals to younger generation of Nigerians on how to participate in international examinations.
“We needed to render this apology so that our children will not go for an international examination and think that it is the right thing to do to distribute examination questions for others to answer for them. Nigerians at any given time can stand their ground on any issue; so we are making this apology on behalf of the APC since they have not appreciated the shame they have brought to our wonderful country.
“As a party and as a Presidential Campaign Organisation, I want to on behalf of my principal, Atiku Abubakar to apologise to the international community that, that kind of disgrace is not who we are in Nigeria. For us in PDP as a political party, beyond the fact that we have continued to engage with different stakeholders and Nigerians across all works of life, our presidential candidate and his running mate are still very much ever ready to interface with Nigerians wherever they are in terms of their geographical location, or the ethnic group they belong or the class that they find themselves that we will continue to do so.
“In line with our party motto, we are quite convinced that power belongs to the people and that they represent the sovereign and as such, we will not take for granted the rights of Nigerians to scrutinise our candidate, the rights of Nigerians to continue to ask questions as to what we are putting on the table.
“Beyond the fact that our candidate has come up with his policy document titled “My Covenant With Nigerians” that it is a covenant with Nigerians which embodies policy priorities that the Atiku-Okowa government will deploy for the purpose of adding value to the lives of Nigerians,” he said.
Aniagwu who is Delta State Commissioner for Information said Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa would continue to seek more ways for additional input from Nigerians for the purpose of enriching the discuss, and “our desire to have a country that works and works for all of us.
“I am happy that you have continued to monitor developments in our country. Yesterday we were in Lafia and today our presidential train is in Jos, where and where has the APC been to apart from the disgrace that was visited on all of us at Chatham House?”
