The Obi-Datti Presidential campaign and the Labour Party has raised alarm that Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are not physically fit to lead Nigeria in 2023.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the Obi-Datti campaign tasked the duo to respect the electorate and publicly declare their health status and quit the Presidential race immediately to enable Nigerian voters to choose from among the fit and proper candidates.
According to the statement by the Obi-Datti Media Office: “Abubakar and Tinubu should stop ridiculing the Nigerian electoral system by running in and out of hospitals for treatment abroad while withholding the truth about their true health status, still expecting Nigerian voters to look their way.
“We challenge the two candidates to unveil their true health condition to the Independent National Electoral Commission to enable the electoral umpire to make a meaningful decision on their continuing in the race.
“The office of the President is the biggest job in the land and requires that those aspiring to do the work must not just be healthy but must be seen to be so.
“By the constitution of Nigeria, the buck stops at the table of the President who takes responsibility for virtually every aspect of governance including delicate areas like that of Commander-in-Chief of the nation’s military. The occupier of such an office must be of sound mind and body.
“To do this job the candidate aspiring must not just be mentally and physically ready but his discernment must be above average at all times.
“The Obi-Datti media team finds it extremely embarrassing and insulting that spokespeople of the would-be presidents deceiving the public with lies and photoshopped images of obviously physically and mentally handicapped candidates.
“Nigerians deserve some respect from these candidates; a few days after the APC spin doctors fed Nigerians with lies about the health of its flag bearer, claiming he was in the United Kingdom attending meetings and consulting with Diasporans. He indeed was being treated for undisclosed ailments. The PDP candidate, also Tuesday, abandoned all his scheduled campaign programmes and rushed to France to attend to his health, but instead of telling Nigerians the truth, spokespeople are busy showing fake photos to deceive and distract.
“What is glaring and cannot be hidden anywhere any day is age and so long as these two candidates are economical with their true age and health status so long they will be living in denial.
“We, therefore, demand that INEC take more diligent and conscientious steps in scrutinising these candidates ahead of the election rather than feed the public with choices from incapable and challenged candidates.”