President Muhammadu Buhari has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) blended confidence with caution to retain power in the 2023 elections, while the oppositions were victims of overconfidence.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu quoted his Buhari who spoke at the State House when he received the Progressives Governors’ Forum led by the Chairman, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, Northwest Nigeria.
The President was quoted to have said, “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 overconfidence 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 overconfidence, 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?”
In response to an issue raised by Bagudu, Buhari 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.”
He further asked, “How more wrong could anyone be?”
Buhari, therefore, charged the Progressive Governors to stick together and openly address issues among themselves.
The President said, “Try and keep solving problems. Be courageous to discuss them openly between yourselves. This is the best way to survive politically in Nigeria,… you (Governors) have a program to meet regularly and to discuss issues and how to maintain the Party nationwide.”
Aside Kebbi governor, other governors in attendance include Plateau, Imo, Kwara, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kogi, Lagos, Cross Rivers, Jigawa, Katsina, Ogun, and Nasarawa States.
The Deputy Governors of Kano, Gombe, Borno, and Ebonyi, as well as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha were also in attendance.
