The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed insinuations in the political circle that the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Sen Rabiu Kwankwaso, poses a threat in the forthcoming general election.
The party said the difference between APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties is that APC is grounded in the minds of Nigerians.
National vice chairman, North West of the APC, Salihu Lukman, who allayed fears over Kwankwaso’s presidential bid however said because the party is not taking anything for granted, it is working hard to be victorious in the 2023 polls.
“We have made it very clear. The difference between APC in 2015 and Kwankwaso in 2023 is that APC was grounded in the minds of people. You can see for yourself but in the case of other parties, including PDP, what they are hoping they are waiting for us to mismanage ourselves on the basis of which they pack whatever we are not able to achieve.
“Now, the reality is that we are not taking anything for granted. We are not dismissing people. We are going to work hard,” Lukman told journalists in Abuja.
Lukman also calmed frayed nerves over the Muslim-Muslim ticket, saying choice of Sen Ibrahim Shettima as running mate to presidential candidate of the party, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was made after the party leadership had weighed all the options.
He noted that Tinubu will protect the interest of all, and that the party is doing everything to convince Nigerians in this regard.
“You see, my position, which I have always buttressed, is that politics is about contest and managing interests. Certainly, the party leadership will have to consider all the factors before arriving. Arrive with respect to the running mate. In the end, we have to convince Nigerians that Muslim-Muslim ticket or however you look at it does not mean discrimination against anybody,” he stated.
On the ongoing fact-finding tour by zonal officials to all the states in the North West, the national vice chairman said it was basically a listening visit to hear from some of the aggrieved members and also get suggestions on how to unite the party ahead the general elections.
He said, “The key issue is basically the issue of reconciliation. There in many of these staates, aggrieved party members, who unfortunately have lost primary elections we need to listen to them.
“So the recommendations include setting up committees at state level to go around and meet everybody and try to pacify, and that is being done across most of the states. The second issue has to do with complaints that some the people who have left the party are still holding on to federal appointments.
“There are other issues which of course, are very critical and as you have seen, we have reflected in some of the statements we have issued, for instance, the issue of insecurity, issue of unity among party members and the question of mobilizing for voter registration.”
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