2019: “Jonathan had no shoes, you sold firewood’ – Nigerians react to ‘Atiku Plan’

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has stirred reactions from Nigerians on social media over his campaign policy document ‘The Atiku Plan.’

Atiku had on Monday while unveiling his plan for Nigerians in 2019 narrated a story of how he started selling firewood as an orphan in Adamawa before he got rich.

He was quoted saying: “I started out as an orphan selling firewood on the streets of Jada in Adamawa, but God, through the Nigerian state, invested in me and here I am today. If Nigeria worked for me, I owe it as my duty to make sure that Nigeria also works for you.”

But, this statement did not go down well with Nigerians on social media as they compared his story to that of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan who said he had no shoes while campaigning.
Some Nigerians urged the former Vice President to deviate from such stories as Nigerians would not fall for such sympathetic stories in voting for the next president.
Here are some comments gathered by Fidelis Chidi Blog from Twitter:

@Ugochijanetrump: “Goodluck told us in 2011 he was not born rich and that he had no shoes and school bags. By 2015, GEJ had bought many bags to pack our money. In 2017, Peter Obi said he own only one wristwatch & he doesn’t own any house outside Nigeria. Now, today is for Atiku as firewood seller.”
@Chijev “It’s actually not a good line to start. Nigerians no longer trust those gimmicks.
I’ll recommend concentrating on issue based agenda and not some not-so- convincing poverty root.”
@diran_mendy106 “BURSTED!!! The last president that was shoeless and sell fish, nosedived the economy into recession,we don’t need firewood seller to plunge us into depression.Nigerians are now wise.”
@Abuusamayusuf “This is the kind of story Jonathan told us in is quest to be our president.I don’t know think this kind of sympathetic stories can sell any more.”
@Vexless “Whether as an orphan or you had no shoes, its not news. MKO had to sell firewood to pay his sch fee & that of your former boss. The news now is that @MBuhari constructed that same Jada road which you abandoned for 8yrs. Well, Obj also neglected Otta road that leads to his abode.”
@Joevankas “Last time we heard from Jonathan that was shoeless now it’s Atiku claiming to have started out as an orphan. Nigerians won’t fall for these lies ever again.”
@tbrtroopers “President Atiku Thank you for including all of us in your visions for Nigeria. You have led by example and proven to be resolute and resourceful in you previous endeavors, the same goes to you VP @PeterGregoryObi . I can’t envisage anything but success. Thank you once again.”
@Emperoraustus “His Excellency Atiku …. we once had an aspirant who later became the president. According to him, he doesn’t even have any shoe and he was from a poor family like you. We hope we will not end up experience the same regime if you win? Just asking.”
@Essuharison “Politicians and poverty stories.Playing with our emotions. Let’s talk more about deliverable not all these stories you’re concocting.”
@Musamonsur “This is similar to the story told by GEJ when he said he had no shoe, that made people to be sympathetic with him and voted for him.but Nigerians are wiser now.”
@Sulebaba_Sadeeq “Atiku started by Selling Firewood, Graduated to Selling NITEL, Nigeria Airways etc. Now He wants to Sell NNPC and Nigeria.We say No!