Presidential Primary’ll Not Disintegrate APC, Says Saraki

Former Governor of Kwara State and Senator representing Kwara Central, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) will emerge stronger from its December 2 presidential primary.

The Senate Committee Chairman on Ecology and Environment was responding to insinuations that the ambition of APC presidential aspirants would tear the party apart at the primary.

Speaking with reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, Saraki said: "This is propaganda from the opposition. I assure Nigerians that the primary would not disintegrate the party, but unify it. After the primaries of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), the party did not disintegrate but became stronger.

"In the early days of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Alex Ekwueme contested a primary and the party did not disintegrate. I have sat with General Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Kano State Governor Musa Kwankwaso and there are assurances from them that whichever way the primary goes, they will support the party. When we merged with the legacy parties, the opposition said the party would disintegrate. After that, they said it would disintegrate at the national convention.

"The party will not disintegrate because we are all making sacrifices every day. It is not easy to come together to take on a government with this level of impunity. We are doing this because we truly believe is the best for Nigeria. I have utmost confidence that everyone would rally round whoever emerges as the presidential flag bearer".

On whether he has a presidential ambition, Saraki said: "I will make my position known soon. I appreciate the demands I have seen coming from different parts of the country on this issue. I believe 2015, for a lot of us, is all about Nigeria. It is about the sacrifices that will have to be made. The key thing is to rescue Nigeria and put it in the right direction".