Chief Emma Eneukwu, Deputy National Chairman, South, of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), says the party organised one of the most peaceful presidential elections in Nigeria’s democratic history.
Eneukwu, who was one of the first chieftains of the APC to congratulate their Presidential Candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu, after his emergence, made this known to newsmen in Enugu on Monday.
He stated that all the party’s aspirants were given equal opportunity to clinch the party’s ticket since the attempt to present a consensus candidate failed.
The APC chieftain described as “political mischief”, the statement credited to him in an online publication which quoted him as saying that most of the presidential aspirants spent millions and billions.
He said that some persons intentionally quoted him out of context as he was only referring to the high cost of running elections in Nigeria.
He said: “My attention has been drawn to reports flying online where I was attributed to making a statement that aspirants for the presidential ticket of the ruling APC, spent billions, while others spent millions to get the ticket.
“That was a wrong interpretation of my comment during a lunch party organised by the friends of our leader and former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.
“I was referring to the high cost of running elections in Nigeria and the desperation of some people to clinch power at all cost – an act which has deterred good people from running for elections in Nigeria.
“The presidential primary of APC is so far one of the best in terms of transparent, free, fair, credible and peaceful elections, ever conducted by any political party since the inception of our democracy.
“I know our opponents in other political parties that milked this country for 16 years are afraid of the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the party in general.”
Eneukwu noted that APC now has a capable Presidential Candidate in Sen. Bola Tinubu, who has the political capacity and national goodwill, to win election as his emergence had already sent panic into the camp of the opposition.
He also congratulated the party on its victory during the just-concluded Governorship Election in Ekiti State where its candidate, Chief Biodun Oyebanji, emerged victorious with a landslide margin.
According to him, the APC landslide victory in Ekiti State is a sign of greater positive things to come for the party.
“I also wish to state that APC has the best candidate for the presidential election in the country.
“Since his emergence, it has always been one panic to another in the camp of the opposition political parties as his pedigree still remains the best and he has all it takes to win the 2023 general election and make Nigeria a better place.
“The Ekiti victory is a tip of the iceberg on what to expect during the 2023 general elections as APC is the only party that has the interest of Nigerians at heart,” he added.