President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said the opposition lost the 2023 presidential election due to overconfidence, complacency and wrong moves, stating that they were so sure of victory over the ruling party before the poll was conducted.
He stated this when he received the Progressives Governors’ Forum led by its Chairman, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State at the state house, Abuja.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President said the All Progressives Congress blended confidence with caution and worked hard to retain power in the 2023 elections.
“They were already telling their foreign backers they would defeat the APC. Our party blended confidence with caution; we worked hard and won. Their overconfidence is creating more problems for the opposition than anyone else. They find it hard to convince those who supported them from the outside why they cannot beat us.
“A combination of overconfidence, complacency and bad tactical moves made them lose, plain and clear. It has created more problems in their camp. Why did they fail to remove us?”
In response to an issue raised by Governor Bagudu, the leader of the forum, President Buhari said: “An important reason I congratulate Asiwaju on winning is that 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. How more wrong could anyone be?”
President Buhari also criticised the opposition parties for failing to accept defeat.
The President charged the Progressive Governors to stick together and openly address issues among themselves.
“Try and keep solving problems. Be courageous to discuss them openly between yourselves. This is the best way to survive politically in Nigeria,” said the President, who further urged: “You (governors) [should] have a program to meet regularly and to discuss issues and how to maintain the party nationwide.”
Gov Bagudu said the visit was to fecilitate with the president on the Eid-El-Fitr celebration and also to thank him for his leadership of the party and the nation.
“Congratulations, your party won the Presidency, the majority in the Senate and [is the] the leading party in the House of Representatives. These successes would not have happened without your support,” he said.
Asserting that history will remember the President kindly, Bagudu noted: “We won by sheer hard work, the same thing you have always encouraged us to do. We thank you immensely for everything.”
The Governors in attendance were Governor of Plateau, Imo, Kwara, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kogi, Lagos, Cross Rivers, Jigawa, Katsina, Ogun and Nasarawa States.
The Deputy Governors of Kano, Gombe, Borno and Ebonyi were in attendance, as well as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
