Ahead of next year’s general elections, the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari has made it clear that he will only campaign for the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 elections stressing that there will be nothing like ‘Villa candidates’.
Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, who made it known to the public asserted that Buhari will also not recognise former members of the party or politicians who have court cases against APC candidates.
This was contained in a statement on Wednesday which was obtained by Africa Daily News, New York.
‘The Presidency wishes to put it on record, and at the same time, reassure faithful party members that President Muhammadu Buhari remains a “disciplined soldier” of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and will, in all the coming elections, support only those candidates fielded by the party and no other,’ the statement read in part.
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It went on to add that, ‘This is a warning to decamped party members and some others who are still in court against official candidates of the APC that they are on their own and nobody outside the party tent should link what they are doing to President Buhari.’
He said, ‘In 2019, he was returned with a bigger majority. For the first time, a non-PDP government came to power with a huge majority after 16 years of the Fourth Republic. His constant refrain is: “I will not betray or undermine my party by supporting candidates other than those of the APC.
‘This statement is not against any particular candidate. However, our stand is clear that only those candidates fielded by the All Progressives Candidates, APC will enjoy the support of the President and they are the ones he will campaign for. However, we welcome support for our candidates at all levels by other parties.
‘The President says he will continue to support the party at all levels to enforce discipline, synchronization and coordination.
‘He also directs officials in and around the Presidential Villa and all those engaging in loose talk to resist making controversial statements that eventually end up hurting the party and the government, thereby providing a weapon for the opposition to use against the administration, the party or its candidates in the coming elections,‘ he added.
Africa Daily News, New York reports that the next elections will hold in February and March next year.
