Garba Shehu react to Obasanjo's statement asking Nigerians to reject Buhari in 2019

The Presidency on Thursday said it was not surprised by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s endorsement of the Peoples Democratic Party ’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

It boasted that both Obasanjo and Atiku will lose the 2019 presidential election to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, made the Presidency’s position known in a statement made available to journalists.

Shehu said the President was not in any way surprised about what he described as Obasanjo’s predictable “U-turn and somersault” on Atiku.

He said Obasanjo’s statement betrayed a lack of understanding of today’s politics which he claimed is about good governance.

The presidential spokesman said Buhari would not be distracted by the endorsement but would continue with his anti- corruption fight and other laudable projects.

He said Nigerians were yet to forget that both Obasanjo and Atiku accused each other of corruption during their fight for power about 11 years ago.

The statement read, “The Presidency has received the news of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s predictable U- turn and somersault on the endorsement of the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar, at a meeting Thursday, and to say that we are the least surprised by the well - rehearsed theatre.

“They will lose together. Listening to the prepared statement of the former President after the meeting showed the usual ego trip and ‘I know it all’ character of Chief Obasanjo.

“In the first place, we dare to say that a pompous statement from the former President advising Nigerians on a vote against President Buhari is the best recommendation that can come at this time.

“It also betrayed a lack of understanding of today’s politics which is about good governance.

“The country voted for change in 2015 and a leader that ensures good governance which only President Buhari and the APC can provide.

“Bent on these laudable goals, we will not allow ourselves to be distracted.”