President Muhammadu Buhari says he will only campaign for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 elections.
Garba Shehu, presidential spokesperson, said Buhari will not recognise former members of the party or those who have court cases against APC candidates.
In a statement on Wednesday, the president was quoted as saying he will not betray or undermine the APC ahead of the elections.
“The Presidency wishes to put it on record, and at the same time, reassure faithful party members that President Muhammadu Buhari remains a “disciplined soldier” of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and will, in all the coming elections, support only those candidates fielded by the party and no other,” the statement reads.
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“This is a warning to decamped party members and some others who are still in court against official candidates of the APC that they are on their own and nobody outside the party tent should link what they are doing to President Buhari.
“The President wishes to be quoted as saying that he is the “occupant of the high office of the President by the Grace of God who used the instrumentality of the APC to bring him to power with a historic verdict in 2015.”
“In 2019, he was returned with a bigger majority. For the first time, a non-PDP government came to power with a huge majority after 16 years of the Fourth Republic. His constant refrain is: “I will not betray or undermine my party by supporting candidates other than those of the APC.”
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“This statement is not against any particular candidate. However, our stand is clear that only those candidates fielded by the All Progressives Candidates, APC will enjoy the support of the President and they are the ones he will campaign for. However, we welcome support for our candidates at all levels by other parties.”
The president was quoted as saying he will continue to support the party at all levels “to enforce discipline, synchronization and coordination”.
Buhari also cautioned presidential villa officials against “engaging in loose talk”, while urging them “to resist making controversial statements” that may hurt the party and the government.
The president advised them not to provide “a weapon for the opposition to use against the administration, the party or its candidates” in the election.
