2023 election: Opposition lost due to overconfidence, complacency ― Buhari

•receives APC governors in Aso Rock

President Muhammadu Buhari has blamed the loss of the opposition in the 2023 presidential election on their overconfidence, complacency and bad tactical moves going into the exercise.

He made the observation on Thursday at his residence in the Presidential Villa, Abuja when he received Progressive Governors Forum led by their Chairman, Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State,

According to a statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), the President was of the view that while the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) was working hard to retain power, the combined opposition was a victim of overconfidence – the main reason why he believed they lost.

The President said: “They were already telling their foreign backers that they would defeat the APC. Our Party blended confidence with caution, we worked hard and won.

“Now, their overconfidence is creating more problems for the opposition than anyone else. They are finding it hard to convince those who supported them from the outside why they are unable to beat us.

“A combination of overconfidence, 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?”

Speaking in response to an issue raised by Governor Bagudu, President Buhari said “An important reason I congratulate Asiwaju on winning is because 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?”

The President charged the Progressive Governors to stick together and openly address issues among themselves, saying: “Try and keep solving problems. Be courageous to discuss them openly between yourselves. This is the best way to survive politically in Nigeria,” adding that “you (Governors) have a program to meet regularly and to discuss issues and how to maintain the party nationwide.”

Buhari spoke about his retirement proposal, saying that he intended to be at home in Daura for six months before moving eventually to Kaduna.

The statement said that he thanked Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State for the infrastructure he has provided that would make a life for his retirement and that of the people of the state much better, adding that the Governor of Kano had equally done the same.

On his part, Bagudu said the visit was ostensibly to say “Happy Sallah” to the President and to thank him 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, saying, “Congratulations, your party won the Presidency, a majority in the Senate and for being the leading Party in the House of Representatives. These successes would not have happened without your support.

“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.

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.

READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE