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The national
chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Mr Ogbonnaya Onu, on
Thursday, turned down the request by one the party’s presidential
aspirants, Harry Akande to attend his formal declaration for the race.

Mr Onu, told a
delegation which came to purchase the expression of interest and
nomination forms for Mr Akande, that honouring the invitation will
amount to declaring support by the party leadership for him against
other aspirants.

He added that
neither he nor any other member of the National Working Committee (NWC)
will attend the ceremony, which will hold in Abuja.

He, however, said
the NWC will meet soon to take a stand on such requests so as not to
give the impression that the committee is supporting some aspirants
against the others.

“We assure you that
we will provide a level-playing field for every aspirants. Therefore,
it will be improper for members of the party NWC to attend that
ceremony. Morally, it is not right to attend any declaration of any
aspirant because if we do, we may be sending the wrong signal,” Mr Onu
said.

Fairness to aspirants

“We will be staying
out until such a person becomes the candidate. After all our
constitution says the chairman shall lead the campaign of our
presidential candidate. Once you are an aspirant, it is not fair for us
to attend unless it is sure that we are going to attend the declaration
of all aspirants.” The national chairman explained that he was
compelled to attend the declaration ceremony of the Yobe State
governor, Ibrahim Gaidam recently when he was told that out of the
three governors produced by the party, he was the only one seeking
re-election. According to him, the governors of Borno and Kano, Ali
Modu Sheriff and Ibrahim Shakarau are not seeking re-election since
they are serving out their second term in office. The national chairman
wished Mr Akande success and stated that the party will respect the
provision of the constitution in all matters relating to the contest.

Mr Onu later presented the forms to the leader of the delegation, Bisi Lawal for onward transmission to presidential aspirant.

Earlier, Mr Lawal,
who is the director of administration of the Harry Akande Presidential
Campaign Organisation (HAPCO) said the delegation was sent by the
presidential aspirant to pick the form.

According to him, Mr Akande will be making his formal declaration in Abuja soon and had invited the national chairman to attend.

“He believes in the
dynamism of ANPP and he has been in the stable of ANPP since its
formation. He still believes in your emergence and your leadership. He
is letting you know that we need to take this party to the next level,
place it on the rightful position.” Mr Lawal said the aspirant, who has
been a member of the ANPP since its birth, still believes in the party
and will work for its progress, despite losing the chairmanship
election to Mr Onu. Mr Akande contested against Mr Onu for the
chairmanship position of the party last September but lost.

Apart from Mr Akande, other presidential aspirants on the platform of the party are Dauda Birma, Bashir Tofa and Mr Shekarau.