The Peoples Democratic Party said on Tuesday that its description of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari, as “semi-literate jack boot” was a compliment to him.
The PDP maintained that the description did not, in any way, compare with the many instances of vicious, malicious and provocative attacks on the person and office of President Goodluck Jonathan by the APC.
The PDP, which said this in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, insisted that it has not reneged on its earlier promise that its campaign would be focused on issues.
Metuh spoke against the backdrop of the statement by the National Secretary of the PDP, Prof. Wale Oladipo, on General Buhari.
Metuh recalled the attack on Jonathan by the Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwakwanso, who is a member of the APC.
Kwankwaso described Jonathan as an incompetent commander-in-chief.
The statement by Metuh reads in part: “We have also taken up the responsibility of drawing the attention of Nigerians to the obvious cases of incompetence and failings of the APC and those who aspire to the leadership of our nation through that platform.
“There has never been any instance that we have maliciously attacked the characters of those on the presidential ticket of the APC; rather, we have been alive to our responsibility of offering public service so that Nigerians will not be deceived.
“Similarly, the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has consistently prosecuted a hate campaign against President Jonathan, describing him as an enemy of Rivers people.
“I ask the APC and my friend, Lai Mohammed, if this destructive campaign sounds like a love song to him?
“Also, the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun, at the church event to mark the 60th birthday of APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Segun Oni, in Ifaki-Ekiti, attacked the person of President Jonathan describing him as ‘a misfit’ for the presidency of the nation.
“Even my friend Lai Mohammed is not blameless. For him to declare to the world that President Jonathan was responsible for the killings of Nigerians by Boko Haram insurgents, when he knows those whose utterances and clandestine activities fuel the insurgency, smacks of political mischief.”
Metuh declared that PDP is fully prepared and ready to defend all personal attacks on the President and the leadership of the PDP.