APC welcomes prediction, PDP, LP groan as Fitch ratings favour Tinubu

Pulse reports that Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research, the subsidiary of Fitch, said in its report that the former Lagos State Governor had a higher possibility of winning, but predicted that the country might slip into a political unrest following that outcome.

The global rating company also predicted that a win for the APC candidate will likely trigger sentiments of perceived marginalisation among Christians while supporters of his opponents may take to the streets to question the credibility of the electoral process.

The agency, however, added that the APC candidate's chance of winning will likely reduce if public concerns around his health persisted.

APC, PDP, LP react: Meanwhile, there have been a flurry of reactions trailing the Fitch prediction as the ruling APC said its candidate would work to abort the predicted post-election.

As reported by The Punch, the chief spokesperson for APC Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, warned that presidential candidates of all political parties must be willing to congratulate the winner of the 2023 elections if the country hoped to avert the imminent political unrest predicted by Fitch Ratings.

Keyamo also tasked the Nigerian media on the need to enlighten the public and further put pressure on parties to concede to the victor ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

Keyamo's word: “We have always known the demography they (agencies) use. That is our own calculation. We always knew Asiwaju is the candidate to beat and we also know that all these projections by some other groups are not realistic.

“But I am saying this with all sense of humility that Asiwaju is a massive unifier. I just want to say that the talks of unrests and perceived marginalization are what Asiwaju will work on. He will make every single part of this country, every tribe and religion feel wanted. We have absolutely no fear about this at all.

“I think the press should begin to educate all actors in the field of play on what they call the sportsmanlike behaviour. This is the time to dedicate to our supporters on the need to behave like sportsmen by ensuring that we congratulate those who win and for the losers to join hands with those who have won for nation-building. That’s all.

“But we need the press to play down that incendiary comment and other ones that seem to divide us and set the nation ablaze.”

PDP kicks: However, in its reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the Fitch projection, stating that the party works with the people and not with polls.

The spokesman for the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, said the party refused to accept the prediction by the Fitch Ratings because it doesn't reflect the reality on the ground.

Ologunagba's word: “What Nigeria needs today and in the years to come is a leader who feels the pulse of the people, not an arrogant man who tells them to shut up when they raise their voices to speak against the ills in the land.

“We don’t work with rhetoric, we don’t work with polls; the PDP works with the people. But the polls have even said it all that the man, Tinubu cannot be a good president.

“What we need today is a man who feels the pulse of the people, not an arrogant man. Insecurity is worsening and embassies are evacuating their people. That is the shame Tinubu and his co-travellers have brought upon us.”

Labour Party also disagrees: In his own reaction, the chief spokesperson for Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko, also questioned the authenticity of the Fitch Ratings’ prediction, while insisting that the party's presidential flag bearer, Peter Obi, would sweep the votes at the poll.

He also frowned at the violence prediction and reiterated that Obi’s movement was not known for violence.

Tanko's word: “The Fitch Ratings cannot obviously be a reflection of what will go down in the 2023 presidential election. This is because we have the momentum of the Nigerian youths. At the same time, we are not anticipating any form of unrest as long as the Nigerian youths will be the ones to vote for Peter Obi. The process has been on.

“I think people making this particular rating need to find reasonable questions to add to their rating standard. And, of course, they are sending a very negative signal that there will be a kind of unrest in Nigeria. We are not praying for that. What we pray for good leader based on a credible election by the Nigerian people and we strongly believe the masses will vote for Peter Obi in large numbers.”