APC to PDP: We will soon shock you with our consensus 2023 presidential candidate

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the party will soon shock the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) when it announces its consensus candidate for the 2023 presidential elections.

APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) National Secretary John Akpanudoehede said this in a statement issued on Tuesday in reaction to a statement by the PDP accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of a self-succession plan in the 2023 presidential election.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Akpanudoedehe, however, stressed that the party would not allow individual ambitions to derail the Buhari administration ahead of the 2023 presidential poll.

He said unlike the opposition PDP, the APC was a disciplined party, noting that the former was just being haunted by its past.

Akpanudoedehe recalled the third term agenda of the PDP while it was in power, pointing that the “APC would surprise it with the outcome of its planned congresses scheduled to commence on July 31.”

“After our congresses and the National Convention, we will shock them (PDP) by bringing a consensus and an agreeable candidate that will fly the flag of the party come 2023.

“APC has no third term agenda like PDP. What we are doing now is to stabilise the party and not allow individual ambitions to derail President Buhari’s administration,” he said.

PDP had accused President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC of plotting self-succession in 2023 following a remark by the presidency that the ruling party would not hand over power in 2023.

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Buhari’s Spokesman Garba Shehu had charged the PDP and other opposition parties to forget about taking over power from Buhari in 2023.

Shehu said Nigerians who were firmly in support of Buhari would not allow PDP or other political parties to take over power.

Condemning the remark, PDP said Nigerians would not allow the APC to stay a day beyond May 29, 2023.

PDP argued that Garba’s statement explained why there had been a heavy onslaught against the country’s institution of democracy as well as the Electoral Act.

“Our party and indeed the majority of Nigerian across board and even across party lines caution President Buhari’s handlers to note that such plots cannot stand as it will be firmly resisted by the people” PDP’s statement stated in part.

“Shehu Garba should be bold enough to announce that President Buhari will be on the ballot for another term in 2023 and watch how Nigerians will respond.

“The 1999 Constitution (as amended) is clear on the tenure of office of the President and such cannot be extended under any guise or conditions whatsoever.

“It is imperative for Shehu Garba to note that Nigerians have been subjected to the worst forms of hardship under the Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration and will never allow anything that will keep this administration in office a day beyond May 29, 2023.”