President Muhammadu Buhari has said the opposition parties lost the recently conducted general election due to overconfidence.
The President asserted that while the APC was working hard to retain power, opposition parties were overwhelmed by political miscalculations.
He made the assertions at the State House, where he received the Progressive Governors Forum, led by its Chairman, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State.
President Buhari said the APC blended confidence with caution, worked hard and won.
He said the opposition’s over-confidence was now creating more problems for them than anyone else.
The President maintained the opposition was finding it hard to convince their foreign supporters why they were unable to defeat the APC.
“A combination of over confidence, 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?”
President Buhari said the important reason he congratulated Asiwaju on winning was because the opposition got support and false hope from outside, and went on to create the impression that they would defeat the APC.
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, urging that “you (Governors) have a programme to meet regularly and to discuss issues and how to maintain the Party nationwide.” He maintained.
The Chairman of the Forum, Atiku Bagudu said the visit was ostensibly to thank the President for the leadership he had given to the party and the nation.
This being their first visit since the elections, they congratulated the President on the party’s victory in the Presidential Polls.
“History will remember you kindly. Around the world, the election is being celebrated because of the turbulence in the region and in the developing world, all courtesy of your leadership. We won by sheer hard work, the same thing you have always encouraged us to do. We thank you immensely for everything.” He added.
The Governors in attendance in addition to Kebbi were from Plateau, Imo, Kwara, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kogi, Lagos, Cross Rivers , Jigawa, Katsina, Ogun and Nasarawa States. (RN)
