High wire intrigues, cold calculations and schism within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) continue to unfold with Chief Charles Udeogaranya, a chieftain of the party and its 2019 presidential aspirant joining the fray. In this interview, Chief Udeogaranya, a business mogul and seasoned business administrator, warned that fielding President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election will spell doom for the party, insisting that the president has failed Nigerians and therefore, has no business seeking a re-election.
Spate of defections to the ruling party, APC, which also happens to be your party, moves by prominent opposition leaders to form a coalition to oust President Tinubu from office in 2027 and the fear that Nigeria is on the verge of becoming a one-party state currently dominate political discourse. Do you foresee a political shift in the next general election?
These things are storms in a tea cup and there is nothing new or more about it.
At the right time, Nigerians will take the right action and render all these moves as a bridge to nowhere.
Can you rate the chances of the emerging coalition and your party as regards the 2027 presidential election. Are you worried that the coalition could after all turn out a potent force against President Tinubu’s re-election?
May I point out clearly that I am not in favour of a continuous reign of President Tinubu as Nigeria’s President. To me and most Nigerians, he has failed woefully to address the concerns of most Nigerians. In my unmistakable view, he has no business seeking a re-election, and the greatest mistake my party, the APC will make at the party’s presidential primary and convention, would be to renominate an incompetent president as its flag bearer, but God forbid!
Failure of my party, APC, to nominate me or any other worthy aspirants as its presidential flag bearer for the 2027 presidential election, will translate to automatic victory for the opposition parties, if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will uphold the wishes of Nigerian electorates.
Critics allege your party is neck deep in planting crisis in opposition parties with the view to destabilising them, weakening them and coercing their bigwigs to defect so as to pave the way for an easy victory for the APC in 2027. How do you react to this?
I think the critics should be questioning those in government and not the party, APC. They need to ask President Tinubu and Buhari what they have done with the 12 years Nigerians have given to them so far. Are the 12 years of manna from heaven or 12 years of canker worms and locusts? You cannot be a devourer in reality and at the same time claiming a miracle worker. One more tenure is meant for miracle workers and not for devourers of our common heritage. So, let’s leave the party out of this.
As a chieftain of the ruling party, tell us your party’s Unique Selling Proposition (USP), that could attract votes to it in 2027?
Very simple, present to Nigerians a candidate like Charles Udeogaranya, who is young, creative, well informed, connected, and has the ability to transform the Nigerian economy in the quickest possible time and strongly willing to make the people of Nigeria, the primary focus of his government.
Recently you released a press statement berating your party for adopting President Tinubu as sole candidate for 2023; in the press release, you sounded more like an opposition politician than a loyal party member. Are you disenchanted with your party, the APC and why, if you are?
You see, a few people can gather and say whatever they like, it is given. That’s not the party, after all, the minority will have their say but the majority will have their way. The general assembly of the party known as the party convention will decide, a presidential primary, will decide who will fly the party’s presidential flag. Anything aside that is the minority having their say. (Daily Sun)
