2023 Presidency: Atiku, Tinubu fight dirty

Name-calling takes the shine off campaigns for 2023 presidential election

FELIX NWANERI reports on the raging battle of wits between the presidential candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 general election, which has rekindled the inglorious days of political mudslinging

There is no doubt that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, have come a long way as friends and one-time political allies. However, there is no love lost between them at the moment over clash of political interest as both have their eyes on Nigeria’s number one position.

This, perhaps, explains why the two leading presidential candidates jettisoned their long-standing relationship for brickbats associated with sworn political enemies immediately they emergence as the standard bearers of their respective parties for the February 25, 2023 presidential election.

The verbal war was ignited following Atiku’s disclosure in a televised interview on July 22 that he declined to name Tinubu as the vice presidential candidate of the Action Congress (AC), when contested the presidential election in 2007 because he did not want a Muslim as his running mate.

Atiku, a former vice president made the revelation against the backdrop of angry reactions that trailed Tinubu’s decision to pick a fellow Muslim, Senator Kashim Shettima, as his running mate for the forthcoming poll.

It would be recalled that Atiku contested the 2007 presidential election on the platform of the AC (a party founded by Tinubu) after he lost out in PDP and his running mate was Senator Ben Obi, a Christian.

Atiku, who said in the interview that Tinubu had long been blind to Nigeria’s religious plurality and had supported fielding presidential candidates of the same faith, averred: “My fundamental disagreement with Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu) since 2007 was on the issue of Muslim- Muslim ticket.

That was my fundamental disagreement and departure politically from Asiwaju. “Remember that I came out of PDP on the issue of zoning, and together with Asiwaju, we formed the AC and I was given the ticket in Lagos and he (Tinubu) insisted to be my running mate and I said no!

I am not going to have a Muslim-Muslim ticket and because of that, he switched his support to the late Umaru Yar’Adua. That was the parting point.”

The PDP presidential candidate further said that his rejection of a Muslim-Muslim ticket after the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), amongst other political parties, merged to form the APC, stopped Muhammadu Buhari from picking Tinubu, a fellow Muslim as his running mate in 2015.

Tinubu, in his response to Atiku’s claims then, said the former vice president has fallen out of love with the truth, having been blinded by his ambition.

In a statement by his Media Office, signed by Mr. Tunde Rahman, the APC candidate said that AC actually offered Atiku its platform because of the compelling “need to fight the authoritarian designs then President Olusegun Obasanjo and the PDP had on Nigeria’s democracy.”

Tinubu noted that democratic forces rallied around Atiku, who was unceremoniously pushed aside if not out of the PDP by Obasanjo in order to confront the one-partystateObasanjohadinmind, adding that “Atiku was simply a beneficiary of this collective duty to fight the attack on multiparty democracy the PDP had launched.”

He further said: “I feel sorry for dear old Atiku. Love of his own ambition has eclipsed his relationship with the truth and an honest account of the past. We formed the AC without his knowledge. When President Obasanjo virtually exiled him from the PDP, we lent him our support by giving him the AC platform for the 2007 election.

“Let me say openly that Atiku offered me the vice presidential ticket in 2007.

Let me also say that my religion has not changed. When he offered the position to me, I was a Muslim and I believe he was aware of my religious faith at the time. “When it comes to intrigue, we can say that Atiku is without bias. He will attempt to lie and deceive both Christians and Muslims with equal vigour. Atiku has no business raising the issue of a Muslim- Muslim ticket except as a hypocrite.

“Perhaps he believes people have forgotten his antics during the 1993 election. After he woefully lost his bid to be the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), what did he do?

He canvassed and lobbied harder than anyone to become the running mate to late Chief MKO Abiola. When it benefitted him personally, Atiku did not see anything wrong with a Muslim-Muslim ticket. He saw everything right in such a ticket as long as he was on it.”

As expected, Atiku’s camp fired back at Tinubu, with a challenge for the exgovernor of Lagos State to subject himself to an hour-long interview like their principal did.

The former vice president’s Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, who threw the challenge, said Tinubu can only talk “if he is able to be as articulate and mentally present as our candidate.”

From cold war to real battle

While many described the battle of wits between Atiku and Tinubu after the presidential primary elections of their parties as the usual mind-game that usually characterize build-ups to major elections, what is playing out at the moment has gone beyond throwing of jibes. It is no longer exchange of brickbats but a ferocious verbal war that could instigate crisis on a larger scale.

Campaigns for the election commenced on September 28, but there is apprehension in some quarters over provocative and derogatory remarks being made by the Atiku and Tinubu camps, apparently to score cheap political goals.

This is against the expectation at the commencement of the campaigns that the candidates of the two major parties as well as the other 16 presidential candidates, will focus more on how they intend to address issues of national concern, which centres mainly on insecurity and the economy if elected as the next president.

The APC and PDP presidential candidates, their running mates (Senator Kashim Shettima and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa) and some key members of their campaign councils, particularly spokespersons, who are in their numbers, seem to be dwelling more on name-calling rather than issues, thereby denying Nigerians the opportunity to engage them on the their respective manifestos.

The long list of campaign council spokespersons for Atiku, include Dele Momodu (publisher of Ovation Magazine and former presidential aspirant), Daniel Bwala (a former chieftain of APC), Kola Ologbondiyan (ex-National Publicity Secretary of PDP), Charles Aniagwu (Delta State Commissioner for Information) and Senator Dino Melaye. For Tinubu, are Festus Keyamo (Minister of State for Labour and Employment), Bayo Onanuga (former Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria), Femi Fani-Kayode (ex-Minister of Aviation), Dele Alake (a former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy) and Lanre Isa-Onilu (ex- National Publicity Secretary of APC).

From claims and counter-claims on issues such as health status, capacity to rule, academic records and twisting of facts by the APC and PDP candidates and their lieutenants, it has been endless firing of verbal missiles at each other by both camps since the campaigns began.

Even a chance meeting of the candidates at the VIP Lounge of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on October 17, during which they exchanged banter despite their political differences could not cause a ceasefire.

Tinubu, for instance, hit at Atiku on October 23, when he declared during an interactive session with members of the popular Tijjaniyyah sect in Kano that he would devote 100 per cent of his time and energy to serving Nigerians if elected and not a part-time president who will spend 50 per cent of his time ruling the country from Dubai.

“I won’t be a part-time president who will share time between living in Dubai and Nigeria. I will concentrate attention and energy on confronting and surmounting Nigeria’s pressing challenges,” the APC candidate said.

The statement was viewed as a veiled comment to mock Atiku, who stays in United Arab Emirates most of the time. Atiku responded by saying that a presidential candidate, whose health was shrouded in secrecy should not be taken seriously.

According to him, the president of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is not for comedians. He added that the process of selecting a president is not a jamboree. “Nobody should take the candidate of the APC seriously. No one should take a party and its candidate, whose health situation, early school and early years are all shrouded in secrecy, serious.”

Shettima’s swipe at Atiku revs battle While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has persistently tasked political gladiators to play by the rules and even threatened to apply the full weight of the law on those who breach the rules, the swipe at Atiku by Tinubu’s running mate, Shettima, while speaking at the presentation of the APC manifesto to the business community and organised private sector in Lagos, last Tuesday, has further revved the verbal war between the two major political parties.

Shettima, a former governor Borno State, did not only describe Atiku as a political tourist, but admonished the former vice president not to see himself as an economic expert because he has the ability to sell bottle water. He added that the certificate Atiku got from the Kano School of Hygiene, only qualifies him to be “wole wole” a Yoruba translation for sanitation inspection officer.

The APC vice presidential candidate also taunted the PDP candidate about his history of losing presidential election.

He said Atiku is not Abraham Lincoln, a former president of the United States, but a Raila Odinga, who has a reputation of losing several presidential elections in Kenya. His words: “I respect Atiku Abubakar but leadership goes beyond ‘unstatesman-like’ ranting. Someone who cannot unite his own party; I wonder how he is going to unite this nation.

The world is talking of artificial intelligence, of big data, of nanotechnology. The training that the elder statesman got from Kano School of Hygiene is that of a ‘wole wole.’ “And believe me, the ability to sell bottle water does not make one an expert on the economy. Atiku Abubakar is not Abraham Lincoln, he is more of a Raila Odinga.

Next year, we are going to permanently retire the political tourist back to Dubai.” This is the not first time Shettima would fire such verbal missile on Atiku.

He had at a time described the former vice president as a political tourist, who only returned to the country every electoral cycle. Although he referred to Atiku as a father he held in high esteem, Shettima said Nigerians want a leader whose worth and output could be felt at home. The former governor of Borno State had equally attacked Tinubu’s perceived political opponents in like manner.

He had in the runup to the APC presidential primary election, in his capacity as the chairman of the Tinubu campaign organisation, verbally attacked Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan. Shettima, then described the duo, who contested for the APC ticket alongside Tinubu and others as unfit to lead Nigeria.

He acknowledged that Osinbajo is a nice man, but opined that nice people ought to be selling ice cream and popcorn. On Lawan, Shettima said he doesn’t have the brand name that would sell in the Eastern region of the country, saying when one mentions Lawan in Ohafia, the people will think he is a tomato dealer. He later apologized to the duo for the costly jibe.

Atiku, PDP fires back at Shettima Describing Shettima’s remarks directed at him as not only irresponsible but also disrespectful, Atiku particularly demanded an apology from the APC vice disarray with prominent members of his party openly apologizing to Nigerians for the unmitigated disaster it has foisted on Nigeria since 2015.

This is one of the reasons APC members have been migrating in droves to PDP. “It took almost forever for APC to achieve the simple task of constituting its presidential campaign council due to the total lack of unity in their party.

It is very obvious that APC has become completely rudderless and many selfrespecting members are jumping ship and being recovered by PDP. How can these APC candidates ever unite Nigerians when they’ve shown open disdain for the democratic and voting rights of certain ethnic groups within their domains? “Everything about APC and its candidates have been shrouded in secrecy and they are just unable to tell Nigerians the truth about anything.

How can Nigerians be expected to place their faith in such mysterious characters? How can APC be expected to guarantee the safety of lives and property, when right under the watch of Alhaji Shettima as governor of Borno State, Boko Haram became an intractable menace and Nigeria is yet to fully recover till this day?”

Manifesto war

Besides the unending mudslinging between Atiku and Tinubu, both camps have also clashed over their respective manifestos. While Atiku’s camp is of the view that Tinubu’s campaign manifesto is an appropriation of Chief MKO Abiola’s legacy, Tinubu’s camp claimed that Atiku’s manifesto is an extract of President Buhari’s agenda for Nigeria.

Momodu has described the manifesto of Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as an appropriation of MKO Abiola’s legacy.

The Director of Strategic Communications of the PDP presidential campaign, Momodu, who said Tinubu’s 80-page manifesto, tagged “Renewed Hope 2023” is filled with “half-thoughts, poor reasoning and copied notes” from Abiola’s ‘Hope ’93’ manifesto, added that the former Lagos governor’s presidential bid is a “forlorn hope.” He described the manifesto as an insult to the sensibility and needs of Nigerians, while accusing the authors of copy and paste.

His words: “After carefully reading through the much-awaited APC Presidential Campaign Manifesto, we cannot but conclude that the elephant has given birth to an ant.

After such a long delay, what the APC presidential candidate has come up with is a series of platitudes, half-thoughts, poor reasoning, and copied notes packaged and presented as ‘Renewed Hope.’ “The APC and its presidential candidate, Tinubu, could not even come up with something original: ‘Renewed Hope 2023.’ Really?

This is again, another attempt by the APC candidate to appropriate Bashorun MKO Abiola’s legacy. It would be more salutary if he were to run on his own steam instead of copying the memory of a man whose life trajectory was uncommon and whose hope for Nigeria was noble.

And the APC candidate should be reminded that 1993 is far different from 2023. “The late MKO Abiola was known for industry and brilliance. Shall we ask what the APC candidate is known for? Whereas MKO’s Hope ‘93 was a genuine course; for the APC and Nigerians, it’s a forlorn hope ~ and that’s the message of Bola Tinubu and the APC campaign in 2023. In all honesty, the 80-page document that the APC has put together comes across as a little more than an insult to the sensibility and needs of Nigerians.

The Director of Public Affairs and Chief Spokesperson, Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, Keyamo, on his part, faulted Atiku’s manifesto, saying: “What a failure! His 74-page campaign document has in it, ongoing milestones of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration. From lifting millions out of poverty to power generation to economic revitalisation, it is clear that they are either too lazy to think or bereft of fresh ideas.

“Everywhere Atiku went, he was never caught speaking to issues of governance. Rather, if he is not promising the Igbo, presidency in 2027, he is playing the ethnic card. Nigerians are wise; they know he has nothing to offer. He was just huffing and puffing without substance.”

Stakeholders insist on issuebased campaigns

Reacting to the name-calling and jibes that have so far characterised the campaigns, most stakeholders insisted on issue-based campaigns.

It was advanced by the stakeholders that issue-based campaigns will enthrone a new order that will make way for visionary leadership, which is the principal element that ensures government serves as a vehicle for the attainment of the socio-economic aspirations of citizens.

The stakeholders noted that leadership deficit that assails Nigeria is legendary that from all indications, the nation has continued to lag behind in an emerging world order that emphasises clearheaded and able leadership.

According to them, Nigeria’s problem has never been paucity of funds and resources but lack of political will to do the right thing, which explains why the country has stagnated in almost all facets of national life as it takes commitment and focus on the part of a leader to deliver good governance.

President Buhari, who shares the view of the stakeholders, had during the recent signing of the peace accord by the presidential candidates, organised by the National Peace Committee, in Abuja, advised all candidates vying for positions in 2023 elections to engage in issue-based campaigns while selling their candidacy to the Nigerian public.

The President welcomed the initiative undertaken by the National Peace Committee to commit all political actors to issue-based campaigns devoid of incitement, personal insults and attacks, particularly appealed to the contestants, especially their publicity agents and media advisers “to shun personal attacks, avoid insults and incitement, reject the spread of fake news, and commit to issuebased campaigns and political rallies.”

He warned that the rise of fake news and misinformation have continued to pose a significant threat to democracy in Nigeria. According to him, fake news and misinformation have shifted focus away from issue-based campaigns to amplifying the potential for personal attacks, insults and incitements.

He added that this has significantly diminished the civility and decency in public discourse and debate. “The 2023 election is more than an election; it is an opportunity to serve Nigeria, to defend Nigeria and to uphold her unity and progress.

Therefore, I call on all Nigerians, political parties, politicians, security agencies, INEC and all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria is placed first above regional and sectional claims.” Secretary General of Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Chief Willy Ezugwu, who spoke on the issue, said the obvious lack of tolerance for opposing political views, among candidates and their supporters are wrong political values most politicians inherited from the military in 1999 and have refused to jettison.

“Nigerian democracy should have advanced beyond the narrow understanding of the essence of democracy. But until politicians understand that it is the electorate, who decide the fate of every candidate or political party in an election, the key gains of democratic governance will remain elusive in the country, while Nigerians on the streets will continue to bear the unfortunate brunt of bad governance due to elimination of competition in the political arena.’

Executive Director of Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Idayat Hassan, who added her voice to the issue, noted that debates that prioritise religious and ethnic division only serve to distract citizens from making informed decisions while voting since such discourses add no value to surmounting the challenges confronting the country’s governance and development.

She described disinformation as a threat to the sustainability of the country’s democracy and urged the Nigeria Peace Committee and INEC to institute a fact check hub in order to monitor the peddling of fake news by the parties, their candidates and supporters before, during and after the general election and sanction defaulters appropriately.

“With an estimated 95 million registered voters deciding 1,491 election contests, including a termlimited president, it is important for governance issues affecting citizens to beattheforefrontof thepoliticaldebate. We urge political parties, candidates and their supporters to focus on the issues affecting the country’s governance and development.

These include challenges in the security and economic sectors, and its result impact in other areas of governance, such as education, health, power and agriculture among others. “CDD notes that the current nature of campaigning is cause for concern.

The period has been dominated by a proliferation of electoral disinformation, misinformation and the weaponization of fake news. This rising trend poses the biggest threat to the peaceful pre and post-election conduct of the polls. This is because fake news and disinformation have the potential to further fragment the country and skew the electoral outcome.

This could play a part in affecting the legitimacy of the elections and the leaders who emerge from the process.” No doubt, politics of mudslinging by deliberately spreading negative information about opponents to worsen their public image in order to score cheap political goals could turn a risky strategy, especially if disingenuousness is detected by the public, but it is left to seen how INEC will sanction those who fail to play by the rules.