…Denies allegations, promises to give account of campaign funding
Patrick Okohue, Lagos
The presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) for the 2019 election, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, who Thursday stepped down her ambition to rather pursue a coalition among other candidates to oust the duo of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),
has described the action of the leadership of the ACPN in adopting President Muhammadu Buhari same day she stepped down her ambition as a confirmation of her realization in the divergence of values and vision with the leadership of the party which made it impossible for her to continue with them.
She said her decision to step out of the party and the race was borne out of the realisation that her vision and that of the leadership of the party was not aligned as according to her, “Nigeria and Nigerians deserve a New Order of ethical, competent and capable leadership.
I had earlier assumed the ACPN was aligned with me to offer that, until it proved otherwise.
The values and vision divergence with the party was a key factor that triggered my withdrawal from the presidential race on their ticket prompting me to dissociate immediately in order to help build a coalition for Good Governance.
It is why I was instant in sacrificing my candidacy to uphold my values by withdrawing.”
Ezekwesili in a statement she personally signed and sent from Cabo in Mexico where she is attending Albert Einstein’s Genius100 Visionaries meeting, noted that the “party’s decision to immediately today endorse the candidate of APC,
which was announced by my erstwhile VP candidate who is also the Chairman of ACPN was their classic political entrepreneurship in full display for Nigerians to see. It is instructive.
“The party leadership’s transactional approach to politics began to manifest in their attitude following after the convention that adopted me as their presidential candidate.
All who know me can attest that I detest transactional mindset. I would have none of such and therefore extremely delighted to part ways after a tumultuous three months of hoping that the ACPN leadership would elevate to the new values of disruptive politics that one had desired for and preached within the party.
“As for the defamatory statements made against my person by the ACPN leadership in their malicious statement, I want Nigerians to know that there is no iota of truth in any of them.
Everything ACPN wrote or said of the campaign donations is fabrication and outright lies. Our campaign was conducted with the highest level of transparency and accountability with impeccable evidence.
“I know and can guarantee that at all times because, these standards firmly underpin my commitment to lasting values and professionalism.
“Only those who desperately wish to believe falsehoods would lend any credence to such puerile accusations by the leadership of ACPN.
Only those who pretend ignorance of my legendary and uncompromising passion for accountability would give heed to such baseless statement.
“I have declined any interviews until my return to Nigeria upon which I shall hold a World Press Conference to engage Nigerians on the actions I shall take even as we present full report of our three-month old campaign for the 2019 presidential election to the public.
“I want to again thank all who supported us in the last three months with their talent, time and treasure to run a formidable campaign. Without your support we would never have attained the height #Hope2019 achieved.
“You gave our Disruptive Campaign real VALUE.
“We shall at the World Press Conference also provide insights into the citizens movement that we are energised and committed to build. There is no end to our zeal to end the reign of Bad Politics in our country.
“Finally, take it from me that WE shall definitely build the Coalition force that will terminate the poverty escalating governance of the two dominant parties in the 2019 election,” she said.
