By Joy Odor
The Presidential candidates of some opposition political parties in the last general elections has promised the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to offer their services to the country.
This is even as they seek opportunity for President Bola Tinubu to include them in the slots of the campaign council for the off season Governorship elections and other party activities in the future.
The candidates, under the aegis of the Forum of Concerned Presidential Candidates made this known when they paid Ganduje familiarization visit at the APC National Secretariat Abuja on Thursday led by the Presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Felix Osakwe.
The Forum opined that the need for peace and development of the country informed their decision not to challenge the victory of Tinubu at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), saying not all the presidential candidates were against his victory in the 2023 general election.
They promised to do their best to ensure that the three states that are going into polls for would be delivered through mobilisation of their parties in those states.
“I feel Mr Chairman, you will be the right person to lead us to meet with Mr. President so that we can air our own views in his presence and also to let him know that it is not all the presidential candidates were against him. We choose not to go to court because this is Nigeria.
“We are here to thank you and God. The former presidential candidates assured we will offer our services to this country. We have a demand for the party. That a slot in the campaign council for the Governorship elections should be made available to us.
“Those of us that have piloted this, we held a meeting. And we are asked to demand from you a position in the campaign Council. We believed that our job is much more wanted now as we prepare to go into the polls in the three states in November.
“I am to submit the two names to the chairman. And we believe by your power and by the special grace of God, it shall be done by your power. We will do our best to make sure that three states that are going into polls for succeed. And with what we have been doing, we are going to mobilise our parties in those states for your party” They said.
In his response, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje called one of political aspirant who became a presidential candidate by accident and hijacking another party, partyless.
Alhaji Ganduje informed that the said political aspirant could not give account according to INEC and cannot qualify it to be political party which he decided to hijack a political party.
According to him, since, the candidate could not realise his aspirations he decided to make that party a revenue platform rather than a political party.
The APC National Chairman salute the Forum for being good ambassadors of their own political parties, not destroyers of political parties and not turning their political parties as a source of revenue.
Ganduje reiterated the party commitment to include the Forum in the three states off season gubernatorial elections come November this year.
“Thank you for this visit. I will convey your views and requests. And I will ensure that you see Mr President eye to eye. I thank you for being faithful to your respective parties.
“What I am seeing is one political aspirant who became a presidential candidate by accident. Who became a presidential candidate by hijacking another party because he was partyless.
“He could not give account according to INEC that it cannot qualify it to be political party. He decided to hijack a political party. And since, he could not realise his aspirations he decided to make that party a revenue platform rather than a political party.
“He has now decided to even expel the founder. God forbids. He will not succeed. You presidential candidates I salute you for being good ambassadors of your own political parties not destroyers of your own political parties.
“And not turning your political parties as a source of revenue. Since you cannot get the presidential tickets, you will get pocket ticket. I thank you. No doubt we will include you in the three states that we are having elections come November this year. Than you and God bless” Ganduje noted.
The Presidential candidates in attendance are of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Action Democratic Party (ADP); National Rescue Movement (NRM) and Action Peoples Party (APP) among others.
