Obiageli Ezekwesili

The presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Obiageli Ezekwesili has stepped down from the presidential race

to help build a coalition to defeat the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party in the February 16, 2019 election.

According to her, her decision to withdraw from the race followed “extensive consultations with leaders from various walks of life across the country over the past few days, I have decided to step down from the presidential race and focus on helping to build a Coalition for a viable alternative to the #APCPDP in the 2019 general elections, she twitted”.

She added that the coalition for a viable alternative has now more than ever before become an urgent mission for and on behalf of the citizenry.

“Over the past three months, I have been in private extended talks with other candidates to make a coalition possible that would allow Nigerians to exercise choice without feeling helplessly saddled with the #APCPDP”.

“In doing so, I have not hesitated to offer my willingness to step down my candidacy in order to facilitate the emergence of a strong and viable alternative behind which Nigerians can line up in our collective search for a new beginning”.

“My commitment in this regard has been consistent and in consonance with my agreement, at the request of candidates under Presidential Aspirants Coming Together (PACT) in 2018, to supervise their internal selection process as an outside observer passionate about building this alternative force”.

But reacting to the development, the party in a press conference on Thursday accused Dr Ezekwesili of using its platform to negotiate a ministerial position in the next political dispensation, said Ezekwesili did not consult them before withdrawing from the race, according to DailyPost.

Addressing the press, the party’s National Chairman and running mate to Dr Ezekwesili, Alhaji Ganiyu Galadima, National Secretary, Chief Paul Isamede, Deputy National Chairman, South, Otunba Bosun Omosule and his counterpart for the North, Alhaji Ibrahim Goronyo said they received with consternation but not surprising Ezekwesili’s withdrawal which was to preempt the decision that the party would have reached after its meeting on Thursday.

The party added that they intended to withdraw her candidacy and give to somebody else.

“She only preempted the decision we would have reached today which was to withdraw her candidacy and give to somebody else”.

“Our presidential nomination ticket is N10 million and expression of interest is N500, 000 but when she came she said she did not have money, that she only had N100, 000 and because we wanted to encourage women, we gave her our platform”, said Mr Galadima.

“The ACPN has declared its support for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress APC,” he said.