ACPN accuses Ezekwesili of lobbying to be minister, declares support for Buhari

Ezekwesili had announced her decision to withdraw from the presidential race in the early hours of Thursday, January 24, 2019, in order to devote her time to building a coalition that would defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

But this did not go down well with the party following claims that the former minister did not officially inform officials of her decision.

Oby Ezekwesili drops out of presidential race (Guardian) ece-auto-gen

Addressing journalists in Abuja, national chairman of the ACPN, Alhaji Ganiyu Galadima, who doubled as Ezekwesili's running mate, said Ezekwesili only wanted to use the party platform to negotiate for the position of Finance Minister and that she did not inform the party that she was going to withdraw.

Galadima accused Ezekwesili of not showing any seriousness in her campaign.

The ACPN chairman also announced the decision of the party to support President Muhammadu Buhari's reelection bid.

"The reason for calling this press conference is to let the world know about the presidential aspiration of Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, which in actual fact, is not the truth," Galadima began.

Ganiyu Galadima was lost on debate night (ChannelsTV) ece-auto-gen

"I have been put into confidence by one of her aides named Iyinoluwa Aboyeji that she only wanted to use the platform of the ACPN to negotiate to be Nigeria's finance minister.

"This is why she does not deem it fit to inform the party whose mandate she is holding. If you observe, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, is the only presidential candidate who was so militant in her campaign without any tangible thing on ground to indicate any seriousness in the prosecution of her campaign.

"No campaign secretariat, billboard or great commitment on ground to indicate any seriousness. It is on this ground that the 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.

"We may take her to court during her brief sojourn," he declared.

Purchase of ACPN form

Galadima also added that Ezekwesili didn't have the money to purchase the presidential form and that she was given concession as a female aspirant.

“She only preempted the decision we would have reached today which was to withdraw her candidacy and give to somebody else.

“Our presidential nomination ticket is N10 million and expression of interest is N500, 000 but when she came she said she did not have money, that she only had N100, 000 and because we wanted to encourage women, we gave her our platform”, said Mr Galadima.

National Secretary of ACPN, Chief Paul Isamede, said Ezekwesili, when confronted on why she was using the platform to raise money "showed us a piece of paper and said there was $5000 in one account and then in another account, about N35 million in local donations and that if we wanted her to transfer it to the party’s account right away, she would do so. That was over a month ago”.

Ezekwesili has promised to account for all the monies donated to her campaign.