By Emeka Alex-Duru
The erstwhile presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, has taken umbrage at the leadership of the party for accusing her of some nebulous campaign finance impropriety.
The former Minister of Education announced her decision to drop out of the February 16 presidential election on Thursday, January 24, 2019, noting that she wants to “focus on helping to build a veritable coalition to ensure a viable alternative to the APC-PDP in the forthcoming elections.”
She accused the party leadership of playing politics with a transactional mindset that betrays her personal values.
But apparently, her decision didn’t go down well with the party hierarchy as its National Chairman, Ganiyu Galadima, who was also the party’s vice presidential candidate, accused her of dishonestyy. Galadima said the former minister was using the party’s platform to negotiate for the position of Minister of Finance with the opposition.
Galadima further announced that the ACPN will now back President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for re-election .
In a reaction to the party’s allegations, Ezekwesili fired back on Friday, accusing the ACPN leadership of “political entrepreneurship” that clashes with her vision to mobilise citizens to disrupt the old order politics in Nigeria.
In a signed statement she released from Mexico, she said the party’s malicious reaction to her withdrawal proves that she made the right decision to withdraw her membership.
“How could I upon realising the divergence of values and vision with the leadership of the party continue to stand on such a political platform? My abiding vision has been to mobilise citizens to disrupt the old order politics of APCPDP.”
Below is the full statement titled: No amount of lies can stop the emergence of a new political mindset and order
NO AMOUNT OF LIES CAN STOP THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW POLITICAL MINDSET AND ORDER
Some hours ago, I arrived far flung Cabo in Mexico where our Albert
Einstein’s Genius 100 Visionaries meeting is holding. I was delighted to
read reactions of real patriots to my announcement that I have decided
to withdraw from the 2019 presidential race and end my membership of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN). I have also seen the reaction
of ACPN leadership to my decision.
Fortunately, they have divinely helped me by making the Nigerian public
now fully understand why I had to swiftly depart from their midst. How
could I upon realising the divergence of values and vision with the
leadership of the party continue to stand on such a political platform?
My abiding vision has been to mobilise citizens to disrupt the old order
politics of APCPDP.
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.
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.
We are citizens of Nigeria.
And we are resolved.
Obiageli K. Ezekwesili.
January 25, 2019.