The Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) has announced their support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s second bid, a few hours after their Presidential candidate Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili popularly known as Madam Oby quits the Presidential race.
According to reports, the ACPN who are also threatening a court order on Madam Oby for reasons they are yet to give, saying her plan to joined others and form a coalition was done solely by her without the knowledge of the party, most importantly her running mate, Ganiyu Oseni Galadima who also doubles as founder and National Chairman of ACPN.
Madam Oby sensing that she had lost her party, on Thursday morning made a shocking announcement pulling out of the Presidential race, and somehow trying to avoid embarrassment and ridicule, called for yet another Presidential Aspirants Coming Together (PACT).
Madam Oby giving reasons why she “stepped down”, said:
“Following the reactions of Nigerian citizens at home and abroad to the 2019 Presidential Debate held on Saturday 19 January 2019, and after 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 said.
While all these may be good reasons, a lot of questions are already being asked, as to why she had to wait until now to realise all these, when she actually chaired PACT in 2018, with a candidate emerging, but went ahead with her Presidential ambition with her Party.
Ganiyu Oseni Galadimathe on his part and party has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term bid, leaving Madam Oby with no Party to enter PACT.
Galadima at a briefing today accused Ezekwesili of using the party for her selfish interest.
…and while Madam Oby gave hints in her withdrawal notice that she had lost the party when she mentioned the resistance within over her idea to forge a coalition candidate, it is still not clear how the party ended up at where they are today.
“Despite disagreements within 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 and focusing on building the coalition once and for all.”