Oby Ezekwesili withdraws from presidential race
Oby Ezekwesili, the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), has withdrawn from the February 16 presidential election, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.
In a statement released early on Thursday morning, Mrs Ezekwesili said she stepped down from the election to help build a coalition to defeat the All Progressive Congress and the peoples Democratic Party in the election.
When reached to confirm a statement on her withdrawal from the race to become the number one citizen of the country seen on Twitter, an aide to Ms Ezekwesili, Ozioma Ubabukoh, confirmed that the statement was genuine.
“Yes, she has withdrawn. It is true. You can run with it,” he said.
A close associate of Mrs Ezekwesili, Aisha Yusufu, also confirmed the withdrawal.
Meanwhile, the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) has withdrawn its support for its presidential candidate, Oby Ezekwesili.
The party declared its support for President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) is withdrawing support for her presidentia| aspiration and endorsing the second term bid of President Muhammadu Buhari to take Nigeria to the next level,” the party said in a statement on Thursday.
The ACPN was reacting to a decision Thursday morning by Mrs Ezekwesili to withdraw from the presidential election.
Mrs Ezekwesili announced her decision in a statement released by her campaign organisation.
She said her decision is to help build a coalition to defeat the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This decision, she said, was taken despite resistance from her party.
However, the ACPN in a press statement made available to journalists during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday said her action was taken without consulting the party.
“This she does not seeing fit to inform the party whose mandate she is holding,” the party stated.
Negotiating ploy?
In addition, the party accused Mrs Ezekwesili of using it as a platform to negotiate to be Nigeria’s finance minister.
“I have been put into confidence by one of her aides named lyinoluwa Aboyeji that she only wanted to use the platform of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) to negotiate to be Nigeria’s finance minister.”
Gani Galadima, its national chairman and running mate of Mrs Ezekwesili; Paul Isamade; National Secretary; and other officials signed the party’s statement.
The party also accused Mrs Ezekwesili of opening several accounts in the name of the party and her campaign without the knowledge of the party. It urged her to return all properties and donation received.
When asked if the party had an idea how much she got, the secretary of the party, Paul Isamade, revealed she admitted to the party about a month ago that she got $5000 and N35 million from local donations.
He also said she opened up to have spent N29 million so far.
Mrs Ezekwesili had said in her Thursday morning statement that she would provide details of her campaign expenses
By Premium Times