Some presidential candidates of opposition political parties in the 2023 elections have called on the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, to prevail on President Bola Tinubu to include them in his government.
The presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Ambassador Felix Johnson Osakwe, who spoke on behalf of the Forum of Concern Presidential Candidates, said they were for peace, hence Tinubu should include them in his government.
Some of the Presidential candidates in attendance that met with Ganduje on Thursday in Abuja included: All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Action Democratic Party (ADP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Action Peoples Party (APP), among others.
He said the opposition candidates are for peace and development of Nigeria, hence they refused to challenge Tinubu’s victory in the court of law.
His words: “We are here, sir, not only to see Mr President; number one is to be identified with you and to thank God for your appointment; number two, we see you as a father, sir, who has been a Commander-in Chief of a state, and here you are today to be the pilot that will lead the presidential candidate, especially those who are ready and those who love this country and the interest of this country first before politics, before parties.
“That you will be the right person to lead us to meet with Mr President, so he can hear our own views in person and also for him to know that it is not all the presidential candidate that is against him.
“We choose not to go to court because this is Nigeria and we have no other country to go.
“So we are here to thank you and to thank God and everyone seated here and to say that as presidential candidates, there is something we can offer this country and I believe with a government of inclusion, it will be necessary in terms like this.”
Responding, Ganduje promised to convey their views to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“I will convey your views and requests. And I will ensure that you see Mr President eye to eye. I thank you for being faithful to your respective parties. What I am seeing is one political aspirant who became a presidential candidate by accident. He became a presidential candidate by hijacking another party because he was partyless,” he said.
Gaduje’s last statement was assumed to be directed to the candidate of Labour Party Mr. Peter Obi or the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso in the 2023 presidential election.
