2023: We’ll Pick Consensus Presidential Candidate — APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday assured that sooner the ruling party will present a consensus and agreeable presidential candidate for the 2023 general election.

It said the party was more interested now to stabilise against shocks that may arise from the individual ambition of stakeholders.

Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, National Secretary, APC Caretaker/ Extraordinary Conven­tion Planning Committee (CECPC), in a statement in Abuja in reaction to the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) recent allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari had a self-succession plan, stressed that the party would not allow individual ambitions to derail the Buhari administration, ahead of the 2023 presidential poll.

He said unlike the oppo­sition PDP, the APC was a disciplined party, noting that the former was just being haunted by its past.

Akpanudoedehe recalled the third term agenda of the PDP while it was in power, pointing out that the APC would surprise it with the outcome of its planned con­gresses scheduled to com­mence on July 31.

“APC has no third term agenda like PDP. What we are doing now is to stabilise the party and not allow in­dividual ambitions to derail President Buhari’s administration,” he said.

“Unlike the opposition, we are a disciplined party. PDP is just been haunted by its past. You will recall the in­glorious third term agenda while PDP was in power. So, it is easy to accuse APC now.

“After our (APC) con­gresses and the national convention, we will shock them (PDP) by bringing a consensus and an agreeable candidate that will fly the flag of the party come 2023. APC has no 3rd term agenda like PDP.

“What we are doing now is to stabilise the party and not allow individual ambi­tions to derail the adminis­tration of President Muhammadu Buhari”, he said.

In a related development, Sen. Akpanudoedehe explained why the party is recommending the consen­sus option for the election of party officials at all levels to reduce acrimony.

“For us, we have to take into consideration the need to accommodate everyone because the APC is a party for all Nigerians.

“We are encouraging states to adopt the consen­sus arrangement because it saves costs and reduces acrimony. That is why when you look at Article 20 of our constitution which talks about elections, the first thing there is for members to try reaching a consensus. When that fails, then you go to cast ballots.

“We are making sure we do not leave any room for the opposition, especially the Peoples Democratic Party to sponsor people to cause con­fusion in our midst.”

Culled from independent.ng