Statement on Buhari: PDP campaign council suspends director

The Presidential Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party has suspended its Director of Research and Strategy, Mr. Mike Omeri. He was suspended for issuing unauthorised statement that was considered to have impugned on the character of the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) in which he described the former head of state as being corrupt. Investigations by our correspondent showed that President Goodluck Jonathan had raised the issue when he came to the PDP presidential campaign office located at Legacy House, Maitama, Abuja. He was also said to have verbally queried Omeri for issuing the statement without clearance from the leadership of the campaign. The President, it was further gathered, was livid with anger, saying that he had not authorised anyone to abuse his opponents just because election was on hand. Omeri had, in a statement he signed on Saturday, accused Buhari for being the mastermind behind the 53 suit cases that were not searched at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos during his regime. He also said in the statement that President Jonathan would soon expose Buhari for his “hypocritical stand on anti corruption.” Jonathan was quoted as saying that “General Buhari is a former Head of State of this country and therefore should not be rubbished because he is contesting the April presidential election.” He was also said to have said that he believed in issue-based campaign and not in character assassination of anyone. Omeri was also accused of issuing a statement during the Suleja bomb blast, accusing the CPC and Buhari of being responsible for the blast. The statement was later withdrawn. His last statement compelled the spokesperson of Buhari, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, to issue a response to the allegation, in which he also impugned on the character of the wife of the President, Patience. While condemning the CPC’s reply to Omeri, the President had, through his spokesperson, Mr. Ima Niboro, described Omeri’s statement as unfortunate. The letter that contained the suspension of Omeri, dated March 22, and signed by the Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Dalhatu Tafida, was titled “Query and Suspension.” He was queried and suspended for making unauthorised statements. By Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja Courtesy of: Punch