By Matthew Don
National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun has said the party has not endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari to run for the office come 2019. He said the APC has also not endorsed Buhari to run for the office of the president in that year.
However, he said as the architect and arrowhead of change Buhari will be a front runner for the office of the president in 2019 if his health permits.
Oyegun said: “If Buhari wants to run in 2019 God giving him good health, he will be a front runner for the office, not that the party has endorsed him.”
Speaking in an interview on a national television monitored in Lagos on Tuesday, June 6, the APC national chairman said because Buhari is the arrowhead and architect of change which he is committed to, the message of change will not be concluded in four years of Buhari’s first term, nor would it end with a second term of eight years, but will continue to be propagated in the future history of the country for as long as the APC holds sway and for as long as Buhari is alive. “Change is not going to be concluded in four years, eight years but in generations to come. So we need him his idea and what he stands for even if for 2019, Oyegun explained, adding that “2019 is in God’s hands.”
Oyegun said the prayer of APC members and leadership is for God to restore Buhari to good health so that he will see through the change message he started.
The APC national chairman said contrary to insinuations that his party had endorsed Buhari for a run in 2019, there is no such thing from the party that would make any person to start thinking that the APC leadership has taken sides over contest for their elective offices.
recently, Oyegun was quoted by the media that he has endorsed Buhari for a second term in 2019, a report many interpreted as attempt by the APC leadership to shut out other interested aspirants to the office of the president.
Oyegun also spoke on the lingering crisis between the executive and the legislature, saying though what is going on may not be ideal, “in politics or government business there is no perfection.”
He said his party is working hard to deal with alondered why Nigerians were more concerned about 100 per cent from either the executive or the legislature, and observed that regardless of the so-called face-off, the lawmakers have been doing what is expected of them in terms of making laws that would positively impact the lives of the citizens.
He said Buhari was concerned about a healthy executive\legislative relationship but that the president will never compromise on corruption related matters, particularly if such would affect his fight against corruption and graft.