Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has said that his latest endorsement by The Economist Magazine, has put to lies the recent claims made by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that the international media is askance of his (Atiku’s) candidature.
Atiku said the newspaper’s endorsement was the second having been endorsed by Policy magazine.
The former Vice-President said that the endorsement was based on the clarity of vision and the detailed policies of his candidate when compared to what he called “the vague and empty promises of the incumbent All Progressives Congress administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Atiku, in a statement from his media office in Abuja on Friday, said that as ‘the Economist’ rightly states, the issues in 2019 are “popular frustration over the rise in joblessness and poverty (two of the biggest voter concerns) on Mr. Buhari’s watch, as well as growing insecurity in central Nigeria.”
He added, “No other candidate has the capacity to address these challenges, like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, under whose watch as Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation, Nigeria had her highest growth in job numbers.
“Indeed, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, is poised to translate the significant success he has made in his private business empire to the public sector.
“This anticipation is responsible for the momentum he now enjoys in all the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
“For the past one year, Mr. Abubakar has traversed the length and breadth of Nigeria, selling his plans, vision and policies to Nigerians.
“Unfortunately, rather than do the same, the All Progressive Congress has focused on negative campaigning by slandering Mr. Abubakar’s past.
“We are not surprised by their actions. When a man’s future intimidates people, they focus on lying about his past because they cannot compete in the present. However, we thank The Economist for proving that no matter how far and fast falsehood has travelled, it must eventually be overtaken by the truth.”
