Atiku says Buhari is not in control of his government because the cabal has taken over

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has said that President Buhari is not in control of his government because a cabal has since seized the mantle from him.

Atiku said this while reacting to a statement made by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday, January 16, 2019.

Speaking on the incident involving the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen,  at a conference organised by the Online Publishers Association of Nigeria (OPAN) in Abuja, Osinbajo said that Buhari knew nothing about the petition against the top law officer until when it was made public.

Buhari is not capable

In his reaction, Atiku said that the Vice-President’s statement proves that the President is not capable of leading the country.

The PDP flag-bearer also cited an incident when Buhari reportedly said he did not know how the 2016 budget was stolen.

Calling on Nigerians to vote for him in the upcoming presidential election, Atiku, in a statement issued by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, said “This president has exhibited gross incompetence, ignorance, poverty of ideas and lack of innovation.

 “This president doesn’t know anything. They may have mentioned the plot to him but he does not remember anything!

 “He didn’t know who stole the budget in 2016. He never knew his Chief of Staff was on the board of the NNPC. 

“President Buhari never knew dead people were on the list of board appointments he signed.

“He never knew Abdulrasheed Maina of the pension scam incident was reinstated into the civil service. 

“Mr. President was not aware that soldiers stormed the premises of Daily Trust newspapers. “What does this president know? In fact, I am so sure President Buhari is not aware he is contesting the February 16 election!

 “The truth is that President Buhari never even intended to act as president for one day and this is one presidency that would be neither here nor there, everywhere and nowhere, visible yet ineffectual, present yet absentee in nature and action; all of which have lent further weight to the complaints of his wife that other people and not her husband are, indeed, in charge of Nigeria.

“A government which has been defined in the AtikuPlan to get Nigeria working again, will ensure that the interest, welfare, wellbeing and goodwill of all Nigerians will be at the centre of every action and decision of the leadership and not the interest and selfishness of two persons who have hijacked Nigeria for themselves at the expense and suffering of the rest of the people.

“The only politician now who has the capacity, capability, intelligence and experience to break this wicked hold of a few people on Nigeria is Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the formidable pan-Nigerian coalition of seasoned and tested leaders, who are now poised to liberate Nigeria from the cabal and open up the country to growth and development which two people have prevented President Buhari from achieving in his four years as Nigeria’s President, according to his wife.”

PDP reacts

Also, the PDP has rubbished Osinbajo’s claim, saying that the decision to arraign the top judiciary officer cannot be taken without the President’s input.

The party also said “Vice President Osinbajo’s assertion has also confirmed the claims by our First Lady, Aisha Buhari that a cabal has taken over the control of the Presidency, for which she forcefully called on Nigerians to take back their country.

 “The PDP notes that the Buhari Presidency is only trying to sway public opinion on the matter following the outrage by Nigerians against the arraignment of the CJN.”

PDP also called on Nigerians to unite against the alleged move by Buhari’s government to clampdown on democratic institutions.