2019: Obasanjo, others endorsement of Atiku will count for nothing, says Buhari group

A pro-Buhari group, Re-elect Buhari Movement (RBM), has described former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s endorsement of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for President in 2019 as meaningless and of no effect.

This is even as the group frowned at the presence of top clergy men, including Bishop David Oyedepo, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Sheik Ahmed Gumi and others at the event last week, noting that, “the endorsement will count for nothing in the next general election.”

The RBM stressed in a statement by its convener, Mr. Emmanuel Umohinyang that “this is in view of the fact that the decision as to who emerges the next president resides with the Nigerian electorate.”

The statement read: “If endorsement wins votes, former President Goodluck Jonathan would have won the 2015 general election because under that era, we saw how humongous resources were expended to buy endorsement.

“Today, Nigerians are not only wiser, they are properly informed on the right they have on the election day, so the endorsement of Atiku is neither here nor there, and nobody should take Obasanjo seriously on it.

“Ex-President Obasanjo is one man who plays to the gallery. He speaks from both sides of his mouth as he has shown again.

In one breath, Atiku is a thief, and God will not forgive him if he supports Atiku. The next week you saw him telling you that Atiku has shown remorse.

“I do not think Nigerians should take the ex–President serious. He is also one man who likes to control any government in power.

“Ever since he left government, he has tried to bring in people and control them. When he endorsed this President (Buhari) before the 2015 election, some of us didn’t take it as anything because what electoral value does he have? Has he ever won his local government for any presidential candidate? So Atiku’s endorsement does not have any substance.

“What Nigerians are voting for now is performance, but the Baba has forgotten that time has changed, the Kabiyesi’s kind of election has gone”

The statement further said that the people look at the performance of the administration and cast their votes, saying, “these are the only people who can decide their next president in 2019 and so, we should not for any reason allow Obasanjo’s miserable endorsement distract anybody.”

According to Umohinyang, the only concern is about people masquerading as clergy men, using their office to deceive people.

“When I saw some clips of some charade in Abeokuta, I felt the way some of the men of God are going, sooner than later, they may easily lose whatever is left as respect from their followers.

“Recall that sometime in 2015, there was an allegation that about 9 Billion naira was released to some men of God to endorse former President Goodluck Jonathan and that the money was shared somewhere in Lagos.

I don’t know what is wrong with our religious leaders. I think they should focus on God’s mission by trying to build the society.

“That does not mean they should not have their opinions, but such should not be to teleguide their followers on who to vote for” Umohinyang, a lawyer concluded.