The Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate for the 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar, has welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari’s New Year message in which he said the 2019 election should not be a do-or-die affair.
Abubakar, in a statement by his spokesman, Mazi Paul Ibe, on Tuesday, said this in reaction to the President’s new year message in Abuja.
The former Vice President said leaders should lead by example by preaching peace at all times.
Abubakar, however, noted that it is not enough for the President to condemn do-or-die politics if he cannot control the activities of overzealous aides, including the country’s security chiefs, especially the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, “whose activities lately gives him away as a partisan player in negation of his constitutional role”.
The statement added: “The PDP presidential candidate advises Buhari to go beyond lip service and urge security chiefs to be politically neutral during the election, adding that their loyalty to the constitution doesn’t include putting themselves at the service of the ruling party at the expense of free and fair elections.”
Abubakar also counseled President Buhari to follow the example of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who, in 2015, walked the talk of the 2015 elections not being worth the blood of any Nigerian.
According to Abubakar, Jonathan lived by his noble words and statesmanship when he conceded defeat without hesitation, thereby contributing to peaceful conduct of election.
The PDP presidential candidate reminded Buhari that it is not enough to preach peace when he cannot publicly condemn the violent behaviour of his supporters who harass, molest and publicly humiliate his opponents and their supporters.