- The APC has reacted to the allegations of its involvement in the refusal of the FCT administration to grant Kwankwaso access to use Eagle Square
- The party said the matter was a private transaction and as such, it should not be “dragged” into it
- It also alluded to the attempt to blame it for the refusal as "cheap campaign ground antics"
Following the refusal of the Federal Capital Territory to grant the Kwankwaso Campaign Organisation access to use the Eagle Square for his presidential declaration, the All Progressives Congress has distanced itself from the matter.
Recall that Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso was denied access to the Eagle Square, which had been scheduled as the venue for his declaration to run for president in the 2019 elections.
He, however, moved the venue to Achida Hotel, where he made his declaration on Wednesday, August 29.
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In a statement made available to NAIJ.com by the APC acting national publicity secretary, Yekini Nabena, the ruling party said the matter was a “private transaction between entities” and as such, it should not be “dragged” into it.
The party also alluded to the attempt to blame it for the refusal as "cheap campaign ground antics", noting that 2019 elections would be won by "actual votes from the electorate who are wise and know who is working in their interest".
Read the statement in full: “We frown at mischievous attempts in some quarters to blame the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the inability of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential contestant to secure the Eagles Square for his declaration.
“The party read in the media reasons given by the facility managers of the Abuja International Conference Centre and Eagles Square not to allow campaigns in its facility on Wednesday, August 29, to avoid disruption of workflow at the federal secretariat, the main hub of civil servants in Abuja. Hence the allegation is unnecessary and misplaced. We should not be dragged into a private transaction involving entities we have no business with.
“In any case, the 2019 elections will not be won by cheap campaign ground antics but actual votes from the Nigerian electorate who are wise and know who is working in their interest. Never again will we return governance of our dear country to the hands of those that selfishly have held us back for years.”
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NAIJ.com previously reported that Nigeria's Senate president, Bukola Saraki, condemned the ban on Kwankwaso's use of the Eagle Square for his presidential declaration.
Saraki said the last minute cancellation by the federal government on the facility sent a wrong message about the tolerance level in our politics.
In a statement signed by his special adviser on media and publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja on Wednesday, August 29, Saraki said the refusal to allow Kwankwaso use the venue sends a wrong message about Nigeria's democracy.
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Source: Naija.ng