President Bola Tinubu does not have an identity problem and does not require reintroduction, the All Progressives Congress (APC) declared on Wednesday. It was reacting to an insinuation made earlier on Wednesday by Mr Peter Obi, Labour Party’s presidential candidate IN the 2023 election, at a news conference he addressed.

Mr Obi focused on Mr Tinubu’s academic records from Chicago State University throughout his press conference.

“President Tinubu does not need a reintroduction because he does not have any identity problem, except the one contrived by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi. Obi only etched a script authored by Atiku at his news conference,” said APC in a statement by his spokesman Felix Morka. “At his press conference of Wednesday, Obi blathered on about President Tinubu’s identity and academic records, like a broken voice note of Atiku Abubakar.”

The ruling party added, “He cut a pitiful profile as though forced to read a prepared statement by his unimaginative handlers and mendacious associates in the PDP. Unwilling to miss out in the campaign of calumny over Tinubu’s Chicago State University certificate, Obi jumped on the tailboard of Atiku’s bandwagon to satisfy his insatiable thirst for cheap media attention.”

It noted that Mr Obi’s action came long after his Labour Party had dissociated itself from the former vice-president’s call to action. The APC emphasised that Mr Obi demanded that Mr Tinubu reintroduce himself to Nigerians as though the 8.9 million Nigerians who voted for him in February’s presidential election were unaware of their choice.

The party also stated that Nigerians who voted Mr Tinubu into office were and remain aware of his outstanding record and accomplishments as a defender of democracy, freedom, and social and economic justice for over three decades.

“Nigerians know President Tinubu as a thoroughbred professional and former auditor and treasurer of Mobil Nigeria, now ExxonMobil. Nigerians know the president as a former senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where he served as chairman of the influential finance and appropriations committee,” said the statement. “They know him as a former governor of Lagos state who designed and paved the pathway to the growth and prosperity of present-day Lagos state, the fifth largest economy in Africa. Nigerians know who they voted for as the 16th president and commander-in-chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

According to the ruling party, Nigerians voted for Mr Tinubu with full faith and confidence that his track record and wide competencies will help re-engineer the country’s economy in the interest of all.

“Beyond regaling Nigerians with false and embarrassing statistics for which he had gained notoriety, Peter Obi cannot be said to be known for any outstanding performance even as governor of Anambra for eight years,” the statement added.

It noted that “Peter Obi has no worthy legacy standing in his name. As for President Tinubu’s academic record at the Chicago State University, the facts are clear and settled except for those politically jaundiced by the trauma of electoral defeat.”

APC accused Messrs Abubakar and Obi of perpetrating public deception, acting as accusers and judges in their “base cause.”

“We condemn the disgraceful attempt by Obi, Atiku and their cheerleaders to use mainstream and social media to intimidate the judiciary, incite the public to violence, and disparage justices of the Appeal and Supreme Courts,” said the APC statement. 

It added, “We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to condemn this anti-democratic and irresponsible conduct of both political naggers. For the records, our team of lawyers stand advised to explore all available judicial mechanisms towards bringing Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar to justice for their ceaseless contemptuous conduct.” 

(NAN)