The Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) says it will support President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid.
The development is coming hours after Oby Ezekwesili, presidential candidate of the party, withdrew from the race.
On Thursday, Ozioma Ubabukoh, spokesperson of the Obiageli Ezekwesili Presidential Campaign Organisation, said the former education minister will now devote her time in building a coalition that would the defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking with journalists, Gani Galadima, national chairman of the party, said Ezekwesili only wanted to use the ACPN platform to negotiate to be finance minister.
Galadima said the former minister did not show seriousness in her campaign.
“The reason for calling this press conference is to let the world know about the presidential aspiration of Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, which in actual fact, is not the truth. I have been put into confidence by one of her aide named Iyinoluwa Aboyeji that she only wanted to use the platform of the ACPN to negotiate to be Nigeria’s finance minister,” he said.
“This she does not deem fit to inform the party whose mandate she is holding. If you observe, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili is the only presidential candidate who was so militant in her campaign without any tangible thing on ground to indicate any seriousness in the prosecution of her campaign.
“No campaign secretariat, billboard or great commitment on ground to indicate any seriousness. It is on this ground that the ACPN is withdrawing support for her presidential aspiration and endorsing the second term bid of President Muhammadu Buhari to take Nigeria to the next level.”
Galadima said she did not inform the party of her decision to withdraw from the race.
He asked her to return to the party all the donations “from all over the world” because the party would have to account to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“We may take her to court. She was just using us to play,” he said.
According to the chairman, the party’s fee for expression of interest and nomination form is N10.5 million but she only offered N100,000.
Other ACPN leaders who signed the statement are Paul Isamade – National Secretary, Bosun Omosule – Deputy National Chairman (South), and Ibrahim Goronyo – Deputy National Chairman (North).