APC primary: Presidency reacts to Buhari’s victory

The Presidency has said that the outcome of the All Progressives Congress (APC), ‘American-style’ direct presidential primaries held on Friday was a clear indication that President Muhammadu will emerge victorious in 2019 presidential election.

The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

The presidential aide emphasised that the presidential primaries, which was held across the states, with President Buhari as the sole aspirant was a major boost to his success at next year’s general election.

He maintained that the huge turnout of millions of registered party members at all voting centres had indicated that, “the President had an incomparable ability to reach out to people and mobilise votes.’’

Shehu said: “It is significant that President Buhari has won a major victory, fair and square through direct nationwide primary, a system that seeks to break the mould.

“The President has shown that you don’t have to be a party owner or go through a difficult inner party consensus to emerge as candidate.

“Beyond this being a victory for the party and the President, it is a message to everyone that development and good governance are more important to our people than divide and rule politics.

“The message in the air from this unique achievement by the APC is that all true democratic parties in the country need to start raising their act by copying the leadership of the President.

“We thank everyone for their role in bringing about this victory.’’