Akande stops Buhari from commenting on 2015 ambition says ‘call your own press conference’
Interim National Chairman of the newly registered All Progressives Congress (APC), Bisi Akande, on Wednesday in Abuja showed traits of a dictator when he prevented , Muhammadu Buhari, from speaking on his Presidential ambition.
The drama took place during the question time, as Akande addressed a press conference after a closed-door meeting of the APC leaders at the Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja.
When Buhari made attempt to answer question on his rumoured 2015 Presidential ambition, Akande simply stepped in, saying he would not allow him (Buhari) to do so.
Akande had just finished addressing the press on the plans of the party after the closed-door session.
During question and answer session with newsmen, Buhari was asked by journalists to confirm if he would contest the Presidential election in 2015 but before he could answer, Akande cut in restraining Buhari from speaking.
Akande said: 'I overrule Buhari from answering that question. This is my press conference and if anybody wants to declare to contest, he should call his press conference in his house.'
The response of Akande, however, contradicted his earlier directive that questions could be put to any of the leaders of the party at the high table which included Buhari, Tom Ikimi, Audu Ogbeh, Aminu Masari and John Oyegun, among others
Also at the event, Interim Deputy National Chairman of the party, Annie Okonkwo, was literally forced to withdraw from the November 16 Anambra State governorship election, leaving the stage for Chris Ngige, a former Governor of the state.
The meeting, which was attended by who is who in the APC, had all the state Governors under the banner of the new party in attendance.
The meeting was called to announce the commencement of nationwide registration of new members and to solicit the support of members for funds to run the party.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had last month formally registered the APC which emerged from the merger of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
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Another dramatic event at the meeting was the announcement by Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, that Okonkwo had stepped down for Ngige for the Anambra governorship race.
Okorocha, who took the audience by surprise, called out Okonkwo and Ngige to the podium and asked Okonkwo to raise the hands of Ngige, though it was obvious Okonkwo was not too happy with the situation.
Akande, in his address at the gathering, reiterated that APC represented credibility and transparency, adding that 'nothing will stop APC in 2015.'
He explained that if Nigeria had been well governed since Independence in 1960 'there would not have been a disconnect between generations but because of bad governance, most youths remained unemployed.'