Buhari to APC delegates: Exercise your franchise — but reject inducement

President Muhammadu Buhari says the ad hoc delegates who have been elected to pick the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential standard-bearer should exercise their franchise without manipulation or inducement.

Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, quoted Buhari as saying this in a statement on Monday.

The special convention which was scheduled to kick off on June 6 is yet to commence.

While Abdullahi Adamu, APC national chairman, declared Senate President Ahmad Lawan as the party’s consensus candidate, the governors in party insisted that the presidential ticket must go to the south.

But Buhari said there will be no imposition of presidential candidate on the party.

Buhari said the outcome of the presidential primary election should show that the APC is a democratic party.

“As I said when I met with the Progressives Governors Forum last week, the outcome of this primary election should prove to the world the positive quality of the APC regarding democratic principles, culture as well as leadership,” he said.

The president said the APC stands for positive change, adding that “we must reflect this in all areas of our lives and conduct”.

“The true pillars of the party, who have been our strength from formation, to our first electoral victory, to the second in 2019, and to the third, by the grace of Almighty Allah, in 2023,” he said.

He said the delegates should vote wisely, and pick a standard-bearer that would fly the flag of the party to victory in 2023.