APC Denies Involvement in 2023 Political Posters in Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Blames PDP

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dissociated itself from the 2023 political posters of some party members and leaders recently pasted in some parts of the country.

The 2023 political posters of the national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu; the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, were recently seen in some parts of the country.

While those of Tinubu were pasted in Lagos, El-Rufai's posters were seen in Kaduna, allegedly sponsored by the Northern Youth Forum, just as Oshiomhole's were seen in some parts of Abuja.

The APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, while addressing a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, stated that having won election convincingly and having been given the mandate to run the government for the next four years, the major and only focus of the party now is governance.

He said: "Some posters being pasted in some states of the country about 2023 as some of our party members and leaders purported to be interested in elections; it is the PDP usual strategy of intimidating the state institutions to achieve their devilish objectives.

"We are not involved in any activity about 2023 elections, and wherever you see such, you can be sure it is from mischief-makers. And of course, we know it is part of the PDP strategy to continue to take actions to distract the governing party from focusing on what is important to the people of Nigeria, which is to deal with challenges that we are all faced with, the challenges of governance, the issue of economy, security and corruption and many other associated issues."

Issa-Onilu noted that the APC understands the social contract it signed with the people of Nigeria, stressing that  with the renewal of the party's mandate,  whatever posters of any of its leaders seen anywhere in the country was irrelevant.

"We don't have a hand in it, it is not from us, it is not from those leaders or anybody that work with them," he stated.

To this end, the party spokesperson urged all its members to focus on what is important to the party.

Issa-Onilu said the party dissociates itself and  leaders from issues that have to do with another election, adding that election is done and dusted, and the party is now faced with the issue of governance.

Reacting to the allegation by the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) that the ruling party was arm-twisting the judiciary, Issa-Onilu noted that it was not the practice of the party to strangulate the judiciary.

He stressed that the party understands the importance of this arm of government, noting that by the time the judiciary is strangulated, it is a pathway to the collapse of the institution that the country relies on.

However, the party spokesman described the allegation of CUPP as baffling and very disturbing.

He noted that the party understands where PDP is coming from, saying for 16 years, that has been the practice under them.

Also, commenting on the alleged cracks in the presidency, Issa-Onilu said he has important issues of governance than to continue to respond to fallacies.

He argued that the vice president had been sent out to represent the president at an international event, adding that Osinbajo presided over the Federal Executive Council (FEC/meeting just on last Wednesday.