The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has described the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari at a town hall meeting held on Wednesday night in Abuja as a comedy show.
Atiku made his position known on Thursday in a statement by his media aide, Phrank Shuaibu.
He said the town hall meeting had exposed Buhari as a person unfit for office and unprepared to lead a 21st century nation.
He said, “The town hall meeting neither added value nor content to public discourse. Clearly, it exposed the fact that the incumbent is neither prepared to rule for another four years nor does he have a reason to seek a second term.
“The President’s response to questions borders more on classic dementia than reason. It was practically a display of wretched illiteracy.
“How else does one explain the following exchange between the interviewer and the Nigerian President?
Kadaria: What are your thoughts on restructuring with regards to education?
Buhari: I’m expecting the press to investigate the corruption in the local government.
Kadaria: Why should the Nigerian people vote for you again?
Buhari: I’ve said before that if my party nominates me, I will contest.
Kadaria: The soldiers are protesting poor treatment and are ill equipped. What are your thoughts?
Buhari: I get situation report from the military. The military should investigate the demonstrations because they are not supposed to demonstrate.
Kadaria: Boko Haram targeting the military and killing soldiers. Are you worried about that?
Buhari: They choose the time to attack. We have resource limitations. Boko Haram gets help from external forces.
Kadaria: What’s the solution to the conflict between farmers and herdsmen?
Buhari: we studied grazing routes from the First Republic. Benue Governor shouldn’t ban grazing but provide routes for grazing.”
Atiku said it was obvious that the President had shown a lack of knowledge of the goings on in his administration, absence of policy direction and minimal capacity.
He added, “It is a shame that this is the best that a supposed ruling party can produce in the 21st century: a man lacking in vision, elementary knowledge and depth. Buhari is a joke, a parody of the 21st century.
“This man has shown that he is unfit to be an administrator of a WhatsApp group, let alone being President of Nigeria. He is not fit neither should he be allowed to lead the over 200 million Nigerians in the 21st century.
“Of a truth, President Buhari is a man to be pitied because it is apparent he cannot help himself. It is now left for Nigerians who are desirous of charting a new course for their country to salvage it by voting Atiku Abubakar on February 16.”