President Muhammadu Buhari has said the All Progressives Congress, APC, worked hard to retain power in the 2023 elections, while the opposition was bogged down by overconfidence.
Mr Buhari, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistants on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, stated this when he received the Progressives Governors’ Forum at the state house on Thursday.
“They were already telling their foreign backers that they would defeat the APC. Our Party blended confidence with caution, we worked hard and won.
“Now, their over confidence is creating more problems for the opposition than anyone else. They are finding it hard to convince those who supported them from outside why they are unable to beat us.
“A combination of over confidence, complacency and bad tactical moves made them lose, plain and clear. This has created more problems in their camp. Why did they fail to remove us?” the President was quoted to have said.
In response to an issue raised by the Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, Atiku Bagudu, the president said, “An important reason I congratulate Asiwaju on winning is because the opposition got support and false hope from outside and went on to create the impression that they will win, that they will defeat us.”
“How more wrong could anyone be?” he asked.
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The president charged the Progressive Governors to stick together and openly address issues among themselves.
“Try and keep solving problems. Be courageous to discuss them openly between yourselves. This is the best way to survive politically in Nigeria,” said the President, urging that “you (Governors) have a program to meet regularly and to discuss issues and how to maintain the Party nationwide.”
Mr Bagudu said the visit was ostensibly to say “Happy Sallah” to the President and to thank him for the leadership he had given to the Party and the nation.
“Congratulations, your Party won the Presidency, a majority in the Senate and for being the leading Party in the House of Representatives. These successes would not have happened without your support.
“History will remember you kindly. Around the world, the election is being celebrated because of the turbulence in the region and in the developing world, all courtesy of your leadership. We won by sheer hard work, the same thing you have always encouraged us to do. We thank you immensely for everything,” he added.
The governors in attendance in addition to Kebbi were from Plateau, Imo, Kwara, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kogi, Lagos, Cross Rivers, Jigawa, Katsina, Ogun and Nasarawa States.
The deputy governors of Kano, Gombe, Borno and Ebonyi were in attendance, as well as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
