"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?"
President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday asserted that while the All Progressives Congress (APC) was working hard to retain power in the recent elections, the combined opposition was a victim of overconfidence - the main reason he believed they lost.
Speaking at his residence in the State House where he received the Progressive Governors Forum led by its Chairman, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, 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?"
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, as the winner of the 25 February election.
He defeated 17 other candidates, including Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).
No fewer than five parties and a presidential candidate in the 2019 election are currently challenging the outcome of the February election in court.
Speaking in response to an issue raised by Mr Bagudu, Mr 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?" he asked.
The president charged the governors to stick together and openly address issues among themselves.
"Try and keep solving problems. Be courageous to discuss them openly between yourselves. This is the best way to survive politically in Nigeria," said the president, urging that "you (Governors) have a programme to meet regularly and to discuss issues and how to maintain the party nationwide."
Mr Buhari spoke at length about his retirement proposal, saying that he intended to be at home in Daura for six months before moving eventually to Kaduna.
He thanked Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State for the infrastructure he has provided that would make 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.
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Mr 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 poll, 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 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.
