More Politicians Knock Buhari Over 800mtrs Comment

More criticisms have greeted President Muhammadu Buhari for stating that he walked 800 metres’ from Daura Mosque, Katsina State to his home on Tuesday.

Recall that a statement issued by the presidency said Buhari, after prayers and slaughtering his ram, decided to walk home from the mosque.

The statement said the feat proved that Buhari was fit to seek re-election in 2019.

Former vice president and presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar said it was a shame that Buhari was seeking Nigerians vote because of he “walked”, stating that he (Atiku) regularly jogs more than a mile.

“I want my party – the PDP, and Nigerians, to vote for me because I WORK not because I WALK. I will work to create jobs. I won’t walk to create an illusion,” he said.

In a swift reaction, another 2019 Presidential aspirant on the platform of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, took a swipe at both Buhari and Atiku, stating that he ran the New York marathon and finished under 4 hours.

On his Facebook page, Sowore said: “Buhari is celebrating an 800m walk as a sign of fitness, a few hours later another aspirant Abubakar Atiku is celebrating his regular exercise of 1 mile on a treadmill.

“In 2017, I ran the New York marathon and finished under 4 hours! You can now guess who is most qualified to become Nigeria’s President. Take it back from the tired, corrupt, incompetent and atrophied oldies.”

Similarly, Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose suggested that the Athletics Federation of Nigeria should be involved in selection of Nigeria’s next president.

He tweeted, “May be the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) should be the one to choose president for Nigeria since being fit to be president is only determined by 800m walk.”

Also commenting on the matter, a former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, said, “There’re relevant and important indicators with which the world measures whether a serving leader deserves reelection.

“Walking is NOT one of them. Keep the meters to yourselves pls.”

Reno Omokri, media aide to former President Good luck Jonathan, in his reaction, advised Buhari to “work not walk.”

“#WorkNotWalk is the message to President @MBuhari. We need a leader who can work for Nigeria, not one who can walk in Daura. Retweet if you agree!” he said on twitter.

The National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, on his own part, said a mere walk is no yardstick to be used in measuring a competent president.

“A mere walk of 800 metres by the President was not enough to determine his health status and ability.

“When does a mere walk become readiness of someone to lead? Why celebrating a mere walk of 800 metres? Was the President on a wheel chair before? Why treat him like a child who was just learning how to walk?

“Is Nigeria or are Nigerians looking for walkers to lead them or someone who has the capacity to lead and tackle their problems?

“Now, is that what Nigeria has become? Just that someone claimed he walked 800 metres, he is good to go. When he was younger about two or three years ago, we saw his capacity.

“Is it now that he is old, hardly reads and hardly grants interviews that he would do better? No, tell them that what we need is not what he is offering us. Nigerians deserve more and he needs to do more to convince us that he can lead for the next four years,” he said.