Bayo Onanuga said Nigerians should no longer be in doubt about those working with fifth columnists to inflict pain on citizens for a political end.
Bola Tinubu's outburst concerning fuel scarcity and naira redesign was not directed at President Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress has claimed.
This was stated by APC Campaign Council Media Director, Bayo Onanuga.
He said Nigerians should no longer be in doubt about those working with fifth columnists to inflict pain on citizens for a political end.
Onanuga noted that after Tinubu empathised with the people facing the dual crises of fuel and naira notes scarcity, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate Atiku Abubakar issued a knee-jerk response.
In a statement on Thursday, the spokesperson attacked the PDP for “derailing” from the issues and distorting Tinubu’s statement and trying to create a wedge between him and the President.
He stressed that the flagbearer during a campaign rally in Abeokuta on Wednesday “did not mention, blame or accuse President Muhammadu Buhari for the current challenges in the country”.
“Asiwaju Tinubu was only diverting the government’s attention to the sabotage being carried out by some Fifth Columnists in the system, possibly working in cahoots with the PDP.”
The APC said although the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, officials including Governor Godwin Emefiele confirmed enough new notes had been supplied to the banks, Nigerians are complaining of non-availability.
“Tinubu is aware of the salutary efforts by President Buhari to end the fuel queues, by chairing a 14-man panel. Yet the queues and agony continue.
“For a presidential candidate, who cares about the suffering of our people, he has a duty to warn the government that its efforts to make life better for Nigerians are being sabotaged on several fronts.”
Onanuga said Tinubu only re-echoed what is known even by the President that there are Fifth Columnists in and outside of government who throw spanners against good intentions and programmes of the government.
The APC campaign council advised the PDP to “remember not to get high on their own smoke”, insisting no political blackmail and attempt to create a conflict between Tinubu and Buhari could succeed.
Onanuga informed Nigerians that Tinubu would not look indifferent as his party and the administration “get dirtied with a black brush at a critical time like this, whether he is a candidate or not”.
“Atiku camp’s hasty move to mine political capital out of the clearly difficult situation betrays his campaign’s possible connivance, due to its desperation”, the statement added.
The APC added that “these orchestrated hardships” will not stop Tinubu’s victory on 25 February because the electorate “shall vote for a party that is working to solve all the problems and mess created by the PDP”.