[center] LEADERSHIP - The Allied Congress Party Of Nigeria (ACPN ) has abandoned its presidential candidate , Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, and announced its endorsement of the re - election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC )
This sudden change , the party said , was predicated on Dr Ezekwesili’ s alleged use of her position in the party to negotiate for the position of finance minister without the knowledge of the party .
In yesterday ’ s press conference addressed by the party ’ s national chairman , Alhaji Gani Galadima, who also served as Ezekwesili’ s running mate , the party accused her of not showing the necessary commitment to the presidential race.
The party ordered her to render account of all the donations she had received and to go a step further to return all the monies and the party’ s property in her position , or face court action .
Galadima said : “ She must return whatever money she collected from people on behalf of the party because whatever is given to her belongs to the party . And don ’ t forget that, at the end of the day , as a party , we must render account to INEC. This is mandatory ; it is in the Electoral Act .
“ We want to use this medium to tell her that we are not unaware of what was given to her, and of the various accounts that she herself and her personal aide have opened to generate funds .
“ We are aware that monies were coming in , in droves, but we didn ’ t know the sources of these funds . She should please come and render account to us . She should come and give back to the party all that belongs to it , because without the party , nobody will give her any fund or donate anything to her .”
… Why I Stepped Down – Ex - minister
Meanwhile , Ezekwesili yesterday defended her withdrawal from the presidential race and described the allegations against her by her party , ACPN , as a figment of the party’ s imagination.
The former minister of education , in a statement early yesterday morning , said she withdrew from the presidential race to help build a coalition to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ) in the February 16 , 2019 election .
Reacting to the allegations raised by her party chairman , Galadinma, on why she withdrew from the race, Ezekwesili’ s media aide , Ozioma Ubabukoh , said , “ Those allegations are a figment of Galadimma ’ s imagination. We realised that a coalition was indeed needed to defeat the # APCPDP and that was why Madam Oby sacrificed her ambition (in order ) to build a coalition .”
In a statement issued by the spokesperson for the Obiageli Ezekwesili Presidential Campaign Organisation , Ozioma Ubabukoh, Ezekwesili was quoted as saying that her decision to withdraw from the race followed extensive discussions with Nigerians at home and abroad.
According to her, the action was also prompted by an examination of the country’ s electoral environment following the 2019 presidential debate of Saturday, January 19 , 2019.
She said : “ This decision followed extensive consultations with leaders from various walks of life across the country over the past few days . I deem it necessary for me to focus on helping to build a veritable coalition to ensure a viable alternative to the # APCPDP in the forthcoming elections .
“ It is my ardent belief that this broad coalition for a viable alternative has now become more than ever before an urgent mission for and on behalf of Nigerian citizens . I have therefore chosen to lead the way in demonstrating the much needed patriotic sacrifice for our national revival and redirection .
“ I wish to state that over the past three months , I have been in private , but extended talks with other candidates to birth a coalition that would allow Nigerians to exercise their choice without feeling helplessly encumbered by the evil twins of # APCPDP .
“ While the deliberations continued , I never hesitated for a moment in my willingness and determination to sacrifice my candidacy in order to facilitate the emergence of the envisaged strong and viable alternative that Nigerians could identify with in our collective search for a new beginning .
“ My commitment to this promising political recalibration has been consistent and in consonance with my agreement, at the request of candidates under the Presidential Aspirants Coming Together (PACT ) arrangement in 2018, when I consented to supervise the internal selection process as an outside observer passionate about building an alternative force .”
“ However , despite resistance from the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria on these and other issues , I have decided that it is now necessary to show by action and example my determination on this issue by stepping down my candidacy so as to focus squarely on building the coalition to a logical conclusion .”
The former World Bank vice president for Africa and also former minister of solid minerals development in the Obasanjo administration further urged Nigerians not to despair over what the political class has now become, but to be “ determined to ensure that the message keeps resonating that our beloved country deserves better , and that we will get the best that we deserve .”
She added, “ From last year , when I joined the presidential race , I made it clear to Nigerians that the country has always had a 20 - year cycle of change – 1959, 1979 and 1999. As such , 2019 begins another 20 - year cycle , and together with all Nigerians of good will , I stand ready to play my part to ensure that we do not miss this golden opportunity to sing a new song .
“ There is no more time to waste. Let’ s get to work !” [/center]
Source : https://leadership.ng/2019/01/25/3-weeks-to-elections-acpn-dumps-ezekwesili-for-pmb/