The Accord Party Thursday adopted President Muhammadu Buhari as its candidate for tomorrow’s presidential election, adding that its candidate fell short of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) requirements.
The party said it decided to adopt and endorsed the candidacy of the All Progressives Congress because its 36 state chapters and the FCT declined to endorse the party’s presidential and the vice presidential candidates.
Accordingly, the party, which had earlier submitted the names of the presidential and vice presidential candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said they have withdrawn them and adopted Buhari.
Confirming this at a press briefing in Abuja, the national chairman Mr Muhammad Lawal Nalado, said they decided to adopt Buhari because of his consistency in the fight against corruption, improved security and infrastructure development.
“We have withdrawn our candidates for failing to abide by the party constitution and INEC requirements. The structure of the party in the 36 states and FCT did not endorsed the presidential and the vice presidential candidates.
“Again, INEC wrote to us that the vice presidential candidate was underage that is why we have withdrawn our support for them and adopted president Muhammadu Buhari,” Nalado said.
Following this development, the chairman said all members in the 36 states and the FCT have been asked to campaign and vote for Buhari, adding that all the party’s structures in the state and FCT are to be left open for the Buhari campaign,” Nalado said.
“The NEC also directed that all candidates should include Buhari pictures in their posters. Their offices should be used by Buhari’s supporters. All Accord Party agents should work for Buhari in the Saturday’s presidential election”, Nalado said.
He said the party currently ranks third in INEC’s rating but not strong enough to field a presidential candidate hence the decision to support Buhari, saying that the president has done much to deserve a second term.
Meanwhile, the Accord Party’s gubernatorial candidate in Rivers state, Dunu Lulu Briggs has expressed optimism that he would cruise to victory notwithstanding the incumbent governor Nyesom Wike’s popularity.
