APC Primaries: Emulate Ambode, Buhari Urges Losers

Agency ReporterOctober 8, 2018

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President Muhammadu Buhari has advised those who lost out in the primary elections to emulate Lagos State Governor, Akinwumi Ambode, who despite failing to secure a second term bid, did not abandon the party.

The President, however, congratulated those who emerged successful in the primaries across the country, urging losers to demonstrate sportsmanship by accepting the outcomes without bitterness or resentment.

“Nigerian politicians must learn from several aspirants like Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State “who despite his loss didn’t abandon APC for another party because he was angry over the outcome of the gubernatorial primaries,” he said in a statement made available by Garba Shehu, his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity.

Commenting further, he said, “In every competition, someone has to win and someone has to lose, but those who lost should not abandon the party or lose their enthusiasm for the advancement of the party.

“The larger interest of our party is greater than our individual ambitions, and we should, therefore, work together for its success, despite our losses”.

According to President Buhari, “in politics, we shouldn’t lose hope permanently because tomorrow could present another opportunity for us to contest again and win.”

He advised the losers of the primaries “to always put the party first because we are in it together to serve the country, and I am always proud of our members who demonstrate sportsmanship and a good party spirit.”

Buhari also enjoined the winners “to show grace in victory instead of mocking the losers, as such action is capable of destroying party unity and cohesion. The tent is large enough for us.”

He added that “those elected should see their positions as a public trust instead of abusing their mandates to amass personal wealth at the expense of the ordinary voters who voted them into power.’’

Recall that the just concluded primaries of the party appeared to have further polarised the members, with å good number of them accusing the party’s leadership of wielding the big stick against some loyal members of the party.