In a statement released this morning, Oby Ezekwesili announced her decision to withdraw from the Presidential Race as she seeks to create a credible third party to contend with the forces of the two most dominant forces in Nigerian politics, APC and PDP.
Ezekwesili had emerged as one of the main candidates in the running considered to be a credible enough alternative but the former Vice President of the World Bank’s Africa division has opted to drop out of the race in the bid to help facilitate a coalition.
This is not the first time talk of a coalition has come up with candidates going as far as picking a consensus candidate in 2018 with PACT. That agreement however, was not honored after Fela Durotoye emerged victorious. Ezekwesili’s task in the coming weeks shall be to oversee the selection process for a new candidate under a similar arrangement.
Following the reactions of Nigerian citizens at home and abroad to the 2019 Presidential Debate held on Saturday 19 January 2019, and after extensive consultations with leaders from various walks of life across the country over the past few days…— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 24, 2019
I have decided to step down from the presidential race and focus on helping to build a Coalition for a viable alternative to the #APCPDP in the 2019 general elections.
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 24, 2019
This coalition for a viable alternative has now more than ever before become an urgent mission for and on behalf of the citizenry.— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 24, 2019
Over the past three months, I have been in private extended talks with other candidates to make a coalition possible that would allow Nigerians to exercise choice without feeling helplessly saddled with the #APCPDP.
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 24, 2019
In doing so, I have not hesitated to offer my willingness to step down my candidacy in order to facilitate the emergence of a strong and viable alternative behind which Nigerians can line up in our collective search for a new beginning.— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 24, 2019
My commitment in this regard has been consistent and in consonance with my agreement, at the request of then aspirants under PACT in 2018, to supervise their internal selection process as an outside observer passionate about building this alternative force.— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 24, 2019
Despite disagreements within the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria on these and other issues, I have decided that it is now necessary to show by action and example my determination on this issue by stepping down my candidacy and focusing on building the coalition once and for all.— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 24, 2019