by S’ola Filani

A few days ago, President Goodluck Jonathan verbally attacked his opposition party’s presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, claiming he is too old to even remember his phone number.

During a rally in Enugu on Friday, he asked how the APC presidential candidate would develop the country’s economy if elected, a feat he could not achieve while he was in office as Head of State between 1983 and 1985.

“Is it now that Buhari cannot even remember his own phone number that he can change the economy of the country,” Jonathan asked.

Well, the All Progressives Congress has responded by describing Jonathan’s comment as “petty” and “silly” for a President.

The APC, while reacting through its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, told Punch this:

“It is silly and petty to say Buhari cannot remember his telephone number. For the 20 moths Buhari was in power, he ran a surplus budget and he was the first Head of State to introduce local content. Mr. President is ignorant.”

“He is too lazy to read and understand this. It is sad and contradictory for him to rely on a speech made by a military regime. Mr. President should read our manifesto, which shows our robust solutions,” the APC spokesman added.

 “Jonathan’s body language and being surrounded by corrupt people makes it impossible for him to fight corruption.”

“As to his (Jonathan’s) claim that he has done more than his predecessors to shore up the country’s defence; that is absolutely untrue. It was under Jonathan’s watch that our Army was so ill-equipped and ill-motivated that there were mutinies.

“Is it not strange that a President, who for six years has been unable to fight insecurity, corruption and unemployment, is casting aspersions on a man whose twenty months’ reign has become a reference point for discipline and transparency?”