My withdrawal from race not ill-conceived, says Ezekwesili

Presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, (ACPN), Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili yesterday explained that her withdrawal from the race was not ill conceived.

She spoke at a press conference in Abuja, where she asked her supporters to be prepared to vote for the consensus candidate that the fringe political parties would come up with soon.

Ezekwesili condemned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying there is nothing appealing about them.

Reading from a speech she titled “A sacrifice for a new political order,” she said that the allegations leveled against her by her estranged party members were alien to her character.

Ezekwesili, who insisted that she has suspended her campaign, acknowledged that the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC)’s concern over her candidacy is in line with the Electoral Act, saying she would resume her campaigns once a consensus is reached on a candidate.

She described the allegations against her concerning her withdrawal from the presidential race as the height of political comedy.

“I declined offers to serve in previous governments when I left the federal cabinet. Why would I now be negotiating for a ministerial position when I had reason to reject in the past? It is because of smear campaigns like this that good people don’t enter into politics.

“I took 90 per cent cut in my salary to serve the nation. If I remained incorruptible in government, why would I now divert campaign funds,” she queried.