President Muhammadu Buhari has given insight into what led to the defeat of opposition political parties during the 2023 presidential election, saying poor tactics and overconfidence were responsible for their defeat.
The president pointed out that while the All Progressives Congress, APC, worked hard to retain power, the opposition parties were victims of overconfidence and hence their defeat.
The president spoke at Government House on Thursday while hosting the ruling party’s Progressive Governors Forum led by Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the group’s chairman.
A statement by Garba Shehu, the president’s senior special assistant for media and publicity, quoted the president as saying that “they were already telling their foreign backers that they would defeat the APC.
“Our Party combined confidence with caution, we worked hard and we won.
“Now his overconfidence is creating more problems for the opposition than for anyone else.
“They are having a hard time convincing their outside supporters why they can’t beat us.
“A combination of overconfidence, complacency and bad tactical moves made them lose, plain and simple.
“This has created more problems in your camp. Why couldn’t they get us out?”
Buhari justified his congratulatory message to the declared winner, Bola Tinubu, by saying: “A big reason why I congratulate Asiwaju on winning is because the opposition got support and false hopes from abroad and kept creating the impression that they will win, that they will beat us. What more wrong could anyone be? he asked him.
He urged governors to: “Try and keep solving problems. Be brave to openly discuss them with each other. This is the best way to survive politically in Nigeria.”
He stressed that “you (Governors) have a program to meet regularly and discuss issues and how to maintain the Party at the national level.”
In response, Bagudu explained the purpose of the visit and thanked him for the excellent leadership he has given the party.
“Congratulations, your Party won the Presidency, the majority in the Senate and for being the leading Party in the House of Representatives. These successes would not have happened without your support,” Bagudu said.
He stressed that “history will remember you fondly. Around the world, the election is being held due to turbulence in the region and in the developing world, all courtesy of his leadership.
“We won by sheer hard work, the same thing you have always encouraged us to do. We thank you immensely for everything,” she added.
Governors of Plateau, Imo, Kwara, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kogi, Lagos, Cross Rivers, Jigawa, Katsina, Ogun and Nasarawa states also attended.
In attendance were the Vice Governors of Kano, Gombe, Borno and Ebonyi, as well as the Federation Government Secretary, Boss Mustapha.
