The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Sunday denied sponsoring any anointed aspirant or endorsing anybody for the local government election in Lagos State.
Tinubu in a statement on Sunday, indicated that the alleged plot to influence the APC primary election for the nomination of candidates in Lagos were falsely raised to destabilize the party.
The national leader disclosed that the APC Governance Advisory Council in Lagos had a meeting last Friday to deliberate on how to ensure fair and transparent primaries for the local government election in the state.
Tinubu affirmed that he has no intention to anoint or endorse any aspirant for the local government election.
Tinubu had declared: “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu would like it to be known, by way of this statement, that he has no preferred candidates for the upcoming local government primaries.
“He has no intention to endorse any of the people contesting for the party nomination in any election, whether for chairmanship or councillorship positions.
“On this matter, Asiwaju believes he can speak for the rest of the GAC regarding their belief in the impartiality and transparency of the internal party process.
“Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the other GAC leaders seek a free, fair, and transparent process in which the candidates who emerge are those who gather the most support among the party rank and file. Only in this manner, do we best prepare ourselves for the general election.”
Tinubu emphasized that the integrity of the primary process is of the highest priority for the APC, stating that all efforts must be geared towards the realisation of a free, fair, and transparent process.
He stated that party officials have been mandated to make the necessary arrangements to ensure orderly, peaceful, free, and fair primaries. He further said that the APC officials have been empowered to deal appropriately with anyone who might attempt to undermine, or otherwise try to inject or impair the party primaries; he called on the party to adopt a policy of no tolerance.
Tinubu also urged party aspirants to negotiate or accept consensus wherever possible so as to minimize tension, avoid discord and in-fighting within the party.
Tinubu further declared: “However, where consensus is not possible, fair and clean primaries must be held so that party members have a chance to choose the candidate they want from among the competing aspirants.
“All aspirants, however, must realise that only one person can win any given contest. While we encourage everyone to compete with zeal and energy, we encourage all aspirants and party members to respect the results of our primaries.
“Once the primaries end, we must unite as a party so that we win the general elections thereby ensuring the continuity of progressive governance at the local government level throughout the state.
“In this vein, Asiwaju appeals to party leaders in all the local governments to allow democracy to flourish. He urges them to do everything humanly possible to protect and promote the democratic process.”