Ezekwesili tells real reason she dropped race for presidential seat

As reactions continue to trail her sudden drop from the race for the seat of Nigeria’s President, the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Oby Ezekwesili, has explained the real reasons behind her action.

She said her “values and vision divergence with the party was a key factor that triggered my withdrawal from the presidential race.”

Her decision to quit the race was announced on Thursday morning by the spokesperson of her campaign organisation, Uzoma Ubabukoh. What followed were reactions from different quarters.

While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had since rejected her decision and said that she cannot quit the race at this eleventh hour, her vice presidential candidate and chairman ACPN, Abdul -Ganiyu Galadima, took to press to give a bad picture of her.

Galadima did not only say she escaped intended decision of the party to sack and replace her, but also said she was insincere and engaged in double dealing while running as the party’s candidate.

In her response through Ubabukoh, Ezekwesili had described Galadima’s allegations against her as baseless and promised to give real reasons why she stepped aside.

In fulfillment of this, the former Vice President of the World Bank did that in a statement she released on her Facebook page on Friday morning.

The statement read in full:

Three hours ago, I arrived far flung Cabo in Mexico where our Albert Einstein’s Genius100 Visionaries meeting is holding. I was delighted to read reactions of real patriots to my announcement that I’ve decided to withdraw from the 2019 Presidential race and my membership of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria- ACPN. I have also seen the reaction of ACPN leadership to my decision.

Fortunately, they have divinely helped me by making the Nigerian public now fully understand why I had to swiftly depart from their midst. How could I upon realizing the divergence of values and vision with the leadership of the Party continue to stand on such a political platform? My abiding vision has been to mobilize citizens to disrupt the old order politics of APCPDP.

Nigeria and Nigerians deserve a New Order of ethical, competent and capable leadership which I had mistakenly assumed the ACPN was aligned with me to offer, until it proved otherwise. The values and vision divergence with the Party was a key factor that triggered my withdrawal from the Presidential race on their ticket prompting me to dissociate immediately in order to help build a coalition for Good Governance. It is why I was instant in sacrificing my candidacy to uphold my values by withdrawing.

The Party’s decision to immediately today endorse the candidate of APC which was announced by my erstwhile VP candidate who is also the Chairman of ACPN was their classic political entrepreneurship in full display for Nigerians to see. It is instructive.

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The Party leadership’s transactional approach to Politics began to manifest in their attitude following after the Convention that adopted me as their Presidential Candidate. All who know me can attest that I detest transactional mindset. I would have none of such and therefore extremely delighted to part ways after a tumultuous three months of hoping that the ACPN leadership would elevate to the new values of disruptive politics that one had desired for and preached within the Party.

As for the defamatory statements made against my person by the ACPN leadership in their malicious statement, I want Nigerians to know that there is NO IOTA of truth in any of them. Everything ACPN wrote or said of the campaign donations is fabrication and outright lies. Our Campaign was conducted with the highest level of transparency and accountability with impeccable evidence. I know and can guarantee that at all times because these standards firmly underpin my commitment to lasting values and professionalism.

READ MORE: Ezekwesili faults party’s claims, promises to give details on why she withdrew

Only those who desperately wish to believe falsehoods would lend any credence to such puerile accusations by the leadership of ACPN. Only those who pretend ignorance of my legendary and uncompromising passion for accountability would give heed to such baseless statement.

I have declined any interviews until my return to Nigeria upon which I shall hold a World Press Conference to engage Nigerians on the actions I shall take even as we present a full report of our 3-month old Campaign for the 2019 presidential election to the public.

I want to again thank all who supported us in the last three months with their talent, time and treasure to run a formidable Campaign. Without your support, we would never have attained the height #Hope2019achieved. You gave our Disruptive Campaign real VALUE.

We shall at the World Press Conference also provide insights into the citizens’ movement that we are energized and committed to building. There is no end to our zeal to end the reign of Bad Politics in our country.

Finally, take it from me that WE shall definitely build the Coalition force that will terminate the poverty escalating governance of the two dominant parties in the 2019 election.

We are citizens of Nigeria.

And we are resolved.

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