Ezekwesili’s ACPN Declares Support for Buhari

On Thursday, January 24, 2019, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, the Presidential Candidate of The Allied Congress Party of Nigeria ACPN announced her withdrawal from the February 16 Presidential Elections and the party has reacted to this news. 

Ezekwesili in a statement said she stepped aside 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, the decision to withdraw from the race followed extensive discussions with Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora and after a close examination of the country’s electoral environment sequel to the 2019 presidential debate of Saturday, January 19, 2019.


In reaction to this news, 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 and stated that Ezekwesili did not consult them before withdrawing from the race. 

Read Also: Ezekwesili "Steps Aside" from Presidential

While addressing the press, ACPN’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Bosun Omosule and his counterpart from the North, Alhaji Ibrahim Goronyo said they were not surprised Ezekwesili has withdrawn from the race as they see it as a move to preempt the decision the party would have reached after its meeting on Thursday.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. Mr Galadima states:

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

He concluded by stating that the “The ACPN has declared it’s support for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress APC.”