2023: There Will Be No Kingmakers In APC – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has warned chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against anointing candidates or appointing roles to members.
Buhari gave the warning on Thursday in an interview with the National Television Authority (NTA) and monitored by Naija News.
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the President stated that there will no kingmaker or godfather roles in the ruling party and will not tolerate such.
The Nigerian leader advised aspirants seeking elective positions to embark on a massive campaign and let the people decide their candidate.
He said: “My position is simple. I think I succeeded in making my position understood. I said that we start from the bottom-up, from polling units to wards, local government, state, and Abuja.
“So that the party—because I am concerned about my party—members will know that they can earn their position coming up. So when they come to Abuja, they are likely to work together.
“There is no kingmaker from Abuja. No constituency is being dictated upon by the national leadership. All constituencies are supposed to produce their leadership in our party.
“What other parties do is their own business. We have to make sure that our party members understand that they are respected, from polling units, wards, local governments, states and up to Abuja.
“So those who want to be elected to any level, let them work for it. Nobody is going to appoint anybody.”
Speaking further, Buhari advised the APC leadership to unite warring members and get ready for the forthcoming elections or risk being displaced by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In order not to suffer defeat in the 2023 elections, Buhari urged his party to work within the timeframe available and organise an acceptable National Convention.
The President also advised the APC leadership to determine substantive leadership, and chart its course ahead of the 2023 elections.
He said, “We have a time frame; we have to work around it because the four-year cycle is constitutional. It cannot be interfered with by anybody. So, if the party cannot agree, then the opposition will take over.
“What did the PDP do? They thought that the opposition could not come together. But when ACN, ANPP, CPC, APGA came together, before PDP realised it, they were off. They are still off.”
This article was originally published on Naija News