The All Progressives Congress (APC), has said that it is premature to confirm if the ruling party will give an automatic ticket to the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari for the 2019 presidential election since he has not formally indicated interest to re-contest.

Although the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun once said that the party will offer President Buhari the choice of first refusal if he decides to go for second tenure, the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi told Saturday Sun over telephone yesterday that the party cannot react to such speculations.

“Has President Buhari told anybody that he wants to re-contest in 2019,” the party spokesperson asked rhetorically, adding: “Since he has not declared, it will be wrong for anybody to expect the APC to confirm if the party will give him automatic ticket.

“So, so long as he has not declared to go for second term, the party cannot react to speculations. And this is the official statement of the party on the issue,” he noted, rebuffing every other attempt to comment on the issue.