2023: APC to produce consensus presidential candidate

The All Progressives Congress (APC) said on Wednesday it would produce a consensus presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.

The National Secretary of APC Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John Akpanudoehede, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, made available to Nigerian NewsDirect  in Abuja.

The party was reacting to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s claim that President Muhammadu Buhari was planning a self-succession bid.

APC stressed it would adopt the consensus option for the election of party officials at all levels to reduce acrimony.

The statement read: “Unlike the opposition, we are a disciplined party. PDP is just being haunted by its past. You will recall the inglorious third term agenda while PDP was in power. So, it is easy to accuse APC now.

“After our congresses and the National Convention, we will shock PDP by bringing a consensus and an agreeable candidate that will fly the party’s flag come 2023. APC has no 3rd term agenda like PDP.

“What we are doing now is to stabilize the party and not allow individual ambitions to derail the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“For us, we have to take into consideration the need to accommodate everyone because APC is a party for all Nigerians.

“We are encouraging states to adopt the consensus arrangement because it saves costs and reduces acrimony. That is why when you look at Article 20 of our constitution which talks about elections, the first thing there is for members to try and reach a consensus. When that fails, then you go to cast ballots.

“We are making sure we do not leave any room for the opposition, especially the People’s Democratic Party to sponsor people to cause confusion in our midst.”