Atiku, Not Your Problem, Channel Your Energy to Saving Your Sinking Government, Showunmi Fires Back at Buhari’s Supporters.

The Spokesman of the 2019 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Segun Showunmi has counselled supporters of President Muammadu Buhari to rather concentrate their energies on saving “the sinking APC government” than wasting their precious time and data attacking the former Vice-President who he said was never their problem.

Showunmi stated that instead of urging Buhari to roll up his sleeves and embark on series of reforms that will set the nation again on the path of progress and prosperity and douse many ongoing agitations across the country, his hangers on had continued chasing shadows, looking for those to blame for the sheer gross failure and incompetence of the APC led federal government.

He said that “and if you must blame, please do not blame Atiku Abubakar. He has held himself up better than Buhari when the roles were reversed!

In a statement made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, Showunmi said that Atiku Abubakar would however not because of fear of Buhari or misguided attack walk on eggshells in a country he had served in numerous capacities, both as a public servant and a political leader, sacrificing so much to build a pan-Nigerian acceptability across tribe, gender, religion and generational divides.

He said “in all the politics of Atiku Abubakar, even the strongest of his detractors would agree that he is never garrulous, bitter, vindictive or destructively violent. He has never been. That he has borne so much with the dignity of a statesman cannot be contested; but let it be said loudly and clearly that he will not be made to walk on eggshells in this country”

Showunmi said it was quite unfortunate that at a time when all opinion leaders are soberly thinking of how to douse the somewhat lingering tension in the country and reassure the youths of Nigeria that tomorrow holds a better promise, those with the responsibility of solving today’s challenges are in their characteristic manner of looking for enemies where none existed.

He said “when we campaigned in the last election, we were very clear that one of the main issues before Nigerians, based on well-researched evidence, was the quadruple issues of very high unemployment, a greatly divided country, an urgent need to open up more opportunities for prosperity, and of course, an unacceptably high dose of insecurity.

“We campaigned passionately, and we believe the election was rigged against us, but as democrats, we took the very high moral ground of going to court. We are not convinced that we lost on truth, no, we are not. But the verdict came and we accepted it knowing full well that our country was in too fragile a state to endure anything untoward.

“Though, a good number of our people wanted a long-drawn agitation; some wanted a situation that the country would be made volatile and ungovernable, but Waziri Atiku Abubarka would have none of those.

“He believed, in doing these, the sacrifices of democrats; a few of them who lost their lives to the struggle to enthrone civil rule in our country, would be lost, and that this would not be in the overall interest of our country.

“We therefore moved with the Nigeria First attitude, placing our opinions on national issues in a manner that has earned great admiration from other democrats the world over. We acted according to our conviction that no ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian.

“We have managed our rhetorics in as civil a way as possible, never inciting nor shaming anyone. However, rather than get reciprocated goodwill, those uncivil, undemocratic, near irresponsible rivals have continued to embarrass themselves in the glare of the entire world”.

Showunmi disclosed further that “humanity must continuously strive to achieve a mindset of good over evil, and moderation in tone of narrative for we have seen what angry narratives can do and we all must do all within our means to avoid anything that can make a fluid situation combust.

“I suppose it is fair to say that we are not like you guys. We don’t jump in front of citizen advocacy and protest like you all did with Bring Back our Girls, Enough is Enough and the numerous other protests you all funded, energised and actively participated in before the 2015 election circle.

“The truth is that the then leader of the country, Dr Goodluck Jonathan was and remains an excellent example in democratic behaviour. The same cannot be said of you and your group. You cannot handle a protest of that nature; you react with high-handedness to everything. For you, every problem is a nail, as such, the only solution you know is a hammer.

“At this time, a worthy leader in his final term would be healing the country and bringing everybody to the table to discuss the future, but no, not you and your irritating paid agents.

“Look, the issues that young Nigerians are agitating for are not the types that go away. Truth be told, they are things we all see, and shamefully it has taken young Nigerians to force the issue. We must make good currency of it by embarking on the necessary reforms in the true sense of the word, not chasing shadows, looking for those to blame. And if you must blame, please do not blame Atiku Abubakar. He has held himself up better than Buhari when the roles were reversed!”.