The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has tackled Bola Tinubu, saying he should not exonerate himself from the anti-people policies of President Muhammadu Buhari-led government. 

This came a few hours after Mr Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), accused the Buhari regime of using the fuel scarcity and recently-introduced naira notes to block his chances in next month’s poll. 

“Let them increase the price of fuel, only them know where they have hoarded fuel, they hoarded money, they hoarded naira; we will go and vote and we will win. Even if they changed the ink on Naira notes,” he said on Wednesday at his campaign in Abeokuta, Ogun state “Whatever their plans, it will come to nought. We are going to win. Those in the PDP will lose (won ma lule).”

But in swift reply, the opposition party, in a statement, said Mr Tinubu was only trying to hoodwink Nigerians and blame others for fuel scarcity currently being experienced nationwide. 

“It is unfortunate that Tinubu is trying to hoodwink Nigerians by seeking to exonerate himself and blame others in the Buhari led-APC administration from the biting fuel scarcity in the country, when in reality he (Tinubu) is known to be behind the insensitive and anti-people policies that have brought so much calamity to our country including the current persistent fuel scarcity,” Kola Ologbondiyan, spokesperson for the PDP said in the statement obtained by Peoples Gazette.

The two-term former governor of Lagos state would be facing 18 other presidential candidates among which are Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Peter Obi (LP), and Rabi’u Kwankwaso (NNPP), even as Mr Buhari has repeatedly promised to allow a level-playing field during the next month’s election. 

Speaking further, Mr Ologbondiyan specifically took a swipe at the former Lagos governor, saying that blackmailing Mr Buhari would not help Mr Tinubu win the election. 

He stressed that politician who has always won elections by relying on bullion vans has now become troubled over the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) monetary policy to redesign the naira. 

“How can Asiwaju Tinubu accuse an administration he had been a part of since 2015 of trying to sabotage the 2023 elections except he is making revelations to Nigerians about their plans? It is imperative to state that Nigerians, who are prepared to trek distances to cast their votes are the patriots who have been at the butt of pains which the government Asiwaju Tinubu installed has foisted on them.

“In any case, from the songs of lamentation of Tinubu, it is clear that his Presidential life ambition has collapsed,” the PDP spokesperson added.