The federal government has said that former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s preferred candidate for the presidential election in 2019 “will be defeated roundly and comprehensively.’’
Information minister Lai Mohammed said this on Monday in Abuja.
Mr Mohammed added that though it is Mr Obasanjo’s constitutional right to support a candidate for an election, his endorsement however does not guarantee victory.
“With due respect to former President Obasanjo, it is his constitutional right to support any candidate of his choice and we urge him to go out and campaign vigorously for any candidate he wants to support.
“He has not hidden his preference for the PDP candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and we wish him very best of luck.
“However, I want to assure you that his candidate will be defeated roundly and comprehensively. It is not about endorsement, endorsement does not win election,’’ Mohammed said.
The minister also responded to a statement credited to the former president that “only a fool will sit on the fence when his or her country is being destroyed with incompetence, corruption lack of focus, insecurity nepotism and brazen impunity.’’
Mohammed said he held Obasanjo in high esteem and probably he was not properly briefed on the development in the country to have made such conclusions.
“The facts are all there that this government has done more than any other governments in three and half years,” he said.
