With just 23 days to Nigeria’s February polls, former Minister of Education and Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (APCN) Presidential candidate, Oby Ezekwesili, has officially stepped down from contesting in the 2019 Presidential Elections.
Making the announcement through her campaign organization on Thursday, the former World Bank Vice President who played a major role in the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, stated that the decision stemmed from various consultations and a need to form a coalition to effectively take down the All Progressive Congress (APC) and its main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“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 in a signed statement.
Ezekwesili, who happens to be one of the 73 candidates running against the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, stated that a coalition is imperative in ensuring that Nigerians get the leadership they deserve.
She further explained that while talks about the coalition had been going on in private for a while, she had always been prepared to sacrifice her own personal leadership ambitions, for the greater good.
Shortly after Ezekwesili’s announcement, her political party, led by its National Chairman and her running mate, Alhaji Ganiyu Galadinma, released a statement. Reacting to Ezekwesili’s withdrawal, they announced that Ezekwesili’s withdrawal didn’t come as a shock and noted that it had been brewing for a while.
The party, however, accused Ezekwesili of using it as a platform to negotiate for the seat of the Minister of Finance in the next government, claiming that it had gotten its information from an aide close to the former Minister.
Galadinma, speaking on behalf of the party, called for Ezekwesili to return all funds and properties donated towards her campaign in the name of the party, and announced that the party would support the re-election of APC candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.
“The Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (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,” he said.
Following the drama that ensued after Ezekwesili’s announcement, the country’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released a statement declaring that Ezekwesili’s withdrawal has come a little too late.
Speaking on the withdrawal, the electoral commission’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi said: “According to the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2019 General Elections, the last day for withdrawal by candidates or replacement of withdrawn candidates by political parties was 17th November, 2018 for Presidential and National Assembly Elections. Therefore, the deadline for Ezekwesili or any candidate in that category to withdraw or be replaced has passed.”
INEC stipulates that a candidate cannot be withdrawn or replaced later than 45 days to the set Election Day.
