The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for parleying with former President Goodluck Jonathan, saying that the move will not help the candidate of the APC in 2023.

PDP in a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, were trying to clean up their past misdeeds against Nigerians by having a meeting with the former President.

Ologunagba added that Tinubu and the APC vilified Jonathan’s administration in the build-up to the 2015 election but are now distancing themselves from the abysmal performance of the Buhari-led administration, arguing that the APC candidate is trying to hoodwink Nigerians by using photo opportunity with the former President ahead of next year’s election.

Ologunagba said: “Nigerians are scandalised over the disgraceful and hypocritical attempt by the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and other APC leaders to distance themselves from President Muhammadu Buhari over the abysmal failure of the Buhari-led administration in which they are principal actors.

“In a desperate design to whitewash their battered public image, identifying with the obvious successes of the PDP and in an attempt to posture as statesmen, the APC Presidential Candidate, his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, and other APC leaders shamelessly orchestrated a photo opportunity with the distinguished and successful former President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Nigerians have not forgotten how Tinubu callously vilified Dr. Jonathan, spewed hate against his administration and reportedly funded a near riotous protest which was inflamed by concocted economic lies, propaganda, and false statistics to discredit the Jonathan-led PDP administration.”

Ologunagba added that “Nigerians can equally recall how Sen. Shettima as governor of Borno State sabotaged and frustrated Jonathan’s administration in its effort to curb insecurity in Borno State.

“Records still have it on however the APC Vice Presidential candidate as governor of Borno State failed to act on a security report and directive to close schools in remote parts of Borno State and relocate students to the more secure capital of Maiduguri to write their GCE examinations; thus creating the opening for the cruel abduction of school girls in Chibok, Borno State.

“What is expected of APC leaders at this moment is to apologize unreservedly to Dr. Jonathan, the PDP, and Nigerians for the life-discounting situation they have foisted on our nation in the last seven years. After that, they should quietly quit the stage, take valedictory pictures with terrorists, political thugs and election riggers since they cannot have any space among well-meaning Nigerians,” the PDP said.