President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that he will support All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the general elections in 2023.
The President stated he will not recognise politicians or former party members involved in legal disputes with the APC in a statement released Wednesday by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu.
Part of the statement said, “Buhari remains a “disciplined soldier” of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and will support only those candidates put up by the party and no other in all upcoming elections.
“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.””
The statement made by President Buhari, he emphasised, is not directed at any particular contender. But he added that it is apparent from his position that “the President will only endorse and campaign for those candidates fielded by the All Progressives Candidates, APC. However, we welcome other parties’ support for our candidates at all levels.
The President declared that he would continue to assist the party in enforcing discipline, synchronisation, and coordination at all levels.
He also directed officials in and around the Presidential Villa and all those engaging in loose talk to resist making controversial statements that eventually end up hurting the party and the government, thereby providing a weapon for the opposition to use against the administration, the party, or its candidates in the coming elections.