By Saidu Idris
Two presidential aspirants in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Godswill Akpabio and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state, have denied news of their withdrawal from the race.
It was rumoured that former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio, had stepped down for another prominent aspirant, Senator Bola Tinubu, while Umahi had purportedly stepped down for the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, who is also vying for the same APC ticket.
But both Akpabio and Umahi have in separate statements on Sunday, June 5, 2022, told their supporters and the general public to disregard the erroneous information.
Akpabio: “Dear APC National Delegates, please disregard the wicked lies making the rounds that I, your choice, for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023, has withdrawn from the race. I have not withdrawn from the race because I know you are solidly behind my aspiration.
“I will not withdraw because I have your support. Together, we will triumph and I will emerge the presidential candidate of our great party and we will march together to win the presidential election. I am in the race with your patriotic support to win. Thanks and God bless you all.”
Also according to Umahi’s media aide, Francis Nwaze, “For the sake of discerning minds, what happened was that Senate President, Ahmed Lawal in a last-ditch effort to ramp up partnership ahead of the APC Presidential Primary, visited Governor Umahi in his Abuja residence on Saturday where they both promised to support whoever amongst the two and other Aspirants that emerges the Flagbearer of the Party in the Primary. The Senate President even took out time to eulogize Engineer Umahi for making the Party proud through his purposeful governance in Ebonyi State.
“The teeming supporters of Engineer Umahi across Nigeria and beyond are encouraged to disregard the ill-fated news item which is by all standards fake, and go about their solidarity on the assurance that His Excellency the Governor is still very much in the race to develop Nigeria, God willing, he will emerge in the Sunday Presidential Primary of our great Party, the All Progressives Congress.”