2019: APC South-east have endorsed Buhari for reelection - Party chieftain

macfranc007 October 15, 2017 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Jerrywright Ukwu

- Nigeria's ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), seem to be divided ahead of the 2019 presidential election

- APC chieftains are singing different tunes ahead of the election

- A chieftain of the party however reveals that the southeast chapter of the party are solidly behind President Muhammadu Buhari

A chieftain of the APC and director-general of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Osita Okechukwu, has said majority of the party's state chapters in the southeast have endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for reelection in 2019.

Okechukwu stated this in reaction to comments credited to a former interim chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, who said there is no automatic ticket for President Buhari in 2019.

Political analysts have interpreted Akande's comment to mean leaders of the southwest region are withdrawing their support for the president.

2019: Buhari has more than a right of first refusal to contest - Osita Okechukwu

Osita Okechukwu has been an ally of President Buhari since their days in the defunct CPC

Okechukwu however said Buhari had “more than a right of first refusal” as far as the 2019 presidential election is concerned.

In a phone interview with Thisday, the Okechukwu said: “Well, Akande was our first interim national chairman and a highly respected elder of the party but Chief Oyegun is today our current national chairman of APC – substantive – so we align with Oyegun’s submission, because he is the current chairman.

“Even some state chapters of the party like Enugu, Ebonyi and Kaduna had endorsed the president for a second tenure. To be honest with you, the good luck is that his miraculous recovery has encouraged us to endorse him. He has more than a right of first refusal.”

Okechukwu, a close ally of President Buhari since his days in the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, however exonerated Akande from any wrongdoing.

His words: “From my understanding of what Chief Akande has said, I think he meant that President Buhari has not formally informed the party and it is only when he tells the party.

“I don’t think what he is saying is that the issue of the right of first refusal be discountenanced. For me, I am one of those, who is saying we should support him to finish what he is doing to set the nation on a solid foundation.”

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously listed six APC leaders who may replace Buhari in 2019.

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