Atiku not in contention, presidential race is between Tinubu, Obi – Smart Adeyemi

BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA

The Senator representing Kogi West in the National Assembly, Smart Adeyemi, has declared that the upcoming presidential election on February 25 is between the All Progressives Congress’ standard bearer Bola Tinubu and his Labour Party’s counterpart, Peter Obi.

Adeyemi who was at the national headquarters of the APC to pick his governorship expression and nomination forms for Kogi State on Monday said the election is a two-horse race in which the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar has no place.

“Why will anybody ask you to vote for Atiku? Was he not in charge of privatisation? Was he not the one who sold out assets to non- performing companies? All those who do not know the history will be shouting Atiku. Atiku is not in the equation.

“I am supporting Asíwájú and Shettima not because they are APC but because of their past records and down contemporary issues in the Nigerian nation.

“We must commend the northern governors for supporting the power shift to the south,” he said.

On the Naira redesign, Adeyemi said the idea was a plot to disgrace the APC and its candidate.

“The Naira redesign was a calculated attempt to ridicule the APC government and manipulate the people to vote for the PDP but Nigerians are wiser today. They now know why you are having this problem. Why do you think a ruling party will work against the interest of the people who we are asking to reelect us?”

He said, “Are you aware that Emefiele aspired for the presidency? When he lost out, he felt he had put in so much money in politics. So he wanted a cover and so he brought his cousin, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to come and contest election and he bankrolled them. What audacity will a person (Atiku) who wants to be president of Nigeria ignore five of his own party governors?

“The audacity was not out of courage. The CBN governor should explain the role he played in the PDP convention and the emergence of Okowa. This is why Atiku cannot also remove the party chairman, Ayu because all of them were involved in the discussions with Emefiele which brought in Okowa.”

Adeyemi, who was full of praise for the northern governors in the APC who insisted on a power shift to save Nigeria from the crisis said, “History will forever be kind to them. This election is between Asíwájú and Obi. Atiku is not in the race. Atiku cannot be in the race. They brought this redesigning of our currency to ridicule APC.

“Asíwájú creates wealth. Atiku sold our wealth and resources. I pity Peter Obi because politics isn’t the way you are seeing it. Just yesterday, the entire Labour Party structure in the North West collapsed its structure for the APC. So, how is he going to win the election? Maybe he is a man for the future but in this election, the strength is not there. It is beyond street politics. I am from Kogi. There is no Labour Party presence in my constituency. Winning an election is about strategic thinking and planning, not about talking too much,” Adeyemi said.