Adams Oshiomhole says the PDP is responsible for Buhari’s third term bid

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole yesterday said that the speculation that President Muhammadu Buhari was planning a third term bid was the handiwork of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

President Buhari had in his new year message reinstated his resolve to withdraw from political activities at the end of his tenure in 2023.

Speaking to State House correspondents after leading some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to a meeting with President Buhari, the APC Chairman said it was necessary for Buhari to give the assurance to Nigerians because of the experience with the PDP under a former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“I am surprised to see that there are people who begin to wonder why should the President reassure Nigerians that he is not going to do third term in office… third term was planted by PDP,” the chairman said.

“It is still in the sub-consciousness of most Nigerians that the first (sic) Nigerian president tried to do third term, emptied the treasury to bribe members of the national assembly and since that president left, thanks to the national assembly, no other next president has done eight years in office.

“You can recall that President Yar’Adua unfortunately has since joined his ancestors, and President Jonathan did six years and so by the special grace of God, this President (Buhari) whom we pray will do his eight years complete in line with the provision of the constitution.

“And because there is a level of idleness within a section of the political class people can sponsor all kinds of publications and to give doubt whether or not the President is planning to stay longer.

“And I think it is his decision that at every interval he needs to remind Nigerians that he is not about to do what a PDP President did. For me it is necessary and in any case it costs us nothing to reassure us that ‘I am leaving’.’’

He expressed surprise that people were questioning the president’s reassurance in the New Year message.