BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The National leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that neither the National Chairman nor any member of the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has the power to endorse any aspirant.
The party stated this while reacting to a statement credited to a group on the aegis of “Unity Mandate Agenda” which alleged that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has been “endorsed” for a second term by the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu described the statement as “a grievous falsehood” intended to create disaffection among our members.
While refuting the statement, Issa-Onilu stated unequivocally that the APC is not in the business of endorsing aspirants.
According to him; “As a progressive party, our ultimate guiding principle is strict adherence to the tenets of participatory democracy.
“Our members in Ondo State and elsewhere should ignore this unfounded report. As we move close to governorship primaries in both Edo and Ondo States, it should be expected that mischief makers would do their worst to impugn on the process. As always, they would fail in this current campaign
“Our responsibility as the National Working Committee is to provide level playing ground for every eligible aspirant to contest for the ticket,” he said.
The APC spokesman said that the Party’s schedule of activities for the Edo and Ondo Governorship elections have been released, adding that the NWC’s focus now is to ensure proper screening of aspirants, due diligence and conduct free, transparent and credible primaries to elect the Party’s candidates for both elections.
Issa-Onilu therefore urged members of the party to continue to count on the NWC to provide responsible leadership and act strictly by the rules at all times.
