Dr. Babangida Aliyu, a former governor of Niger State, has mocked the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying a healthy person does not need to tell people that he’s healthy.
A seven seconds video of Tinubu emerged over the weekend where he was seen cycling in response to claims that he wasn’t healthy.
Aliyu described the former vice president and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, as the healthiest of all the presidential candidates.
Aliyu said a medically fit presidential candidate needs no proof by sharing video clip on social media.
“I was looking through newspapers today and I saw a picture of somebody trying to prove he is healthy. If there is health, we don’t need to tell people that we are healthy, but we are aware that Atiku is the healthiest of the presidential candidates in this country”, he said.
He said this in Abeokuta, on Monday, during a flag off of PDP presidential campaign in the Ogun State capital city.
Aliyu declared that Atiku’s presidency would reclaim Nigeria from Boko Haram, bandits and other criminal elements.
He said:-
“We need security and only an Atiku presidency can reclaim our land from Boko Haram, can reclaim our lands from bandits, from IPOB and all other bad people that are making our lives difficult.
“It is only an Atiku presidency that can restructure Nigeria. There must be a state police so as to ensure security in the local areas, only an Atiku Abubakar presidency can do that.
“The economy, there is extreme poverty in the land, therefore, members of PDP and fellow Nigerians, on the day in February, elect Atiku Abubakar because the development of any nation depends on the education of that country.
You have seen what has happened to us, today our students in the public universities have been at home for more than seven, eight months. Our secondary schools many of them are so dilapidated that they cannot serve as secondary schools.
“Our elementary schools, there is no country that has over 20 million children out of school and you expect to be developed, only an Atiku Abubakar presidency can help us solve this problem.
“We have become the poverty capital of the world, that should not be. We are expected to everyday produce 2.1 million barrels of crude oil, but only last month, we were able to produce 900,000, it has gone as low as 600,000.
“What is happening to the rest? Some people are stealing it, are we saying that the current government does not know those who are stealing it? They know, therefore, voting for Atiku Abubakar is saving, is rescuing, is developing Nigeria.”
In his remark, Ibrahim Shekarau, former Kano governor, urged Nigerians to get their voter’s cards ready to vote out the APC government next year.
“We want to change the change in Nigeria. And by the grace of God, victory will come our way in all elections next year,” the former Kano governor said.
Also addressing the gathering, Boni Haruna, former governor of Adamawa State, said, “I want to appeal to you to join us as you make a commitment towards the primaries to support him and you delivered, we want to also appeal to you that now that the campaigns have started, we plead that this campaign should go to the wards, should go to the units.”
Ogun PDP governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, urged the South-West to support Atiku’s candidacy, saying, “PDP is the party that can take you to the mainstream of Nigeria.
“Before the primaries, I told people that for the peace of Nigeria, let us all support Atiku Abubakar, some people were adamant, they insisted that it was the turn of Yoruba, but I told them Yorubas have ruled previously.
“But some people, because of their selfish interest, don’t want Atiku to emerge as our candidate. You cannot lose your integrity because of a pot of porridge.
“We cannot take Yorubaland out of the mainstream of Nigeria. Yorubaland must remain in the mainstream of Nigeria and PDP is the party that can take you to the mainstream of Nigeria.
“I believe in one Nigeria. All those calling for the break-up of Nigeria cannot withstand the destruction of war. We don’t want war, we cannot afford to be refugees, what we want is peaceful resolutions of our problems.
“From the recent developments, it has shown that Atiku is a true leader, he has put himself in the position of a true elder. We want an elder that can rebuild the party and the country,” Adebutu said.
The programme was attended by former governors of Kano and Adamawa states, Ibrahim Shekarau and Boni Haruna, respectively; former Acting National Chairman of PDP, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi; Ogun PDP governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu; his running mate, Adekunle Akinlade, among other South-West PDP leaders.