2023: Ohanaeze Reacts, Sends Strong Warning To APC After Report Of Lawan’s Emergence As Consensus Candidate

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has rejected the idea of the emergence of Senate President Ahmad Lawan as the consensus presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

It said such a move is immature and a political miscalculation by the ruling party.

The Ohanaeze stated that if the APC picks Lawan as its 2023 candidate, the ruling party can say goodbye to winning the presidential election.

The statement signed by the Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro said Lawan lacks the national acceptability needed of a presidential candidate and the APC may just be shooting itself in the leg by such action.

The reaction follows earlier viral reports that the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu has announced Senate President Ahmad Lawan as the consensus presidential candidate of the ruling party.

However, members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress have denied endorsing Ahmad Lawan as the consensus presidential candidate of the party ahead of the party’s presidential primary.

The Northern Governors also denied choosing Lawan as their consensus candidate.

Reacting to the episode, Isiguzoro, in a statement, said the entire Ndigbo rejects the choice of Ahmad because he lacks the personality and character they want in a leader.

The statement reads: “The announcement of the APC National Chairman Senator Adamu that Senator Ahmad Lawan is the APC consensus candidate for 2023 depicts immaturity and is a game over for the ruling party to retain power at the centre, as this miscalculation will backfire on the ruling party’s chances to win 2023 election and we call on President Buhari to caution the party National Chairman Sen. Adamu, who appears to be biased and compromised by hawks in the party.”

Isiguzoro also commended the APC governors for promptly rejecting Adamu’s announcement of Lawan.

“We salute the courageous stance of APC Northern Governors to reject the APC National Chairman’s choice for consensus those pushing for the choice Ahmad Lawan are oblivion to the fact that a political tsunami is sweeping across the country with the resurrection of the third force in Labour Party, Atiku and Lawan will lose the Presidential election against a united front of Nigerians and Southerners behind the third force.

“Senator Ahmad Lawan lacks the personality, and character, and appears clueless to fit into the legacies of President Buhari which only an Igbo can do, as a rubber stamp Senate President, his candidacy will crash out the ruling party from Aso Rock.

“Ndigbo rejects the candidature of Ahmad Lawan, a man who couldn’t find solutions through the legislative process to the insecurity challenges of the Northeast, this man will lead Nigeria into disintegration and collapse of Nigeria’s sovereignty and unity”, to be forewarned is be forearmed,” he added.