The health of President Muhammadu Buhari, rather than seeking a second term ticket for him was the priority of the All Progressives Congress (APC), according to the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.
Daily Post said that Oyegun spoke Monday in Abuja while addressing the media on the midterm scorecard of the APC-led administration.
Oyegun, however, said the issue of the candidacy of the party in the 2019 presidential election was not a priority now but Buhari’s good health.
“Why build bridges if there is no river to cross? Why don’t you wait until you come across a river then you build a bridge. With all due respect, for what it stands for, what is critical today is that our prayer is our good Lord will restore the president to robust, good health; that is the first thing.
“But the prime thing that he will be considering today isn’t to think of 2019. It is to have his health fully restored and I am sure he will give anything just to have his health restored. Let’s terminate it at that point; when 2019 comes we will deal with the issues that arise.”
On the alleged frosty relationship between the presidency and the party leadership, Oyegun denied alienating himself from the seat of power, but said he was always in good communication with Buhari.
His words: “I have done a lot of things with the president in the past. I have known him from the civil service days; I have known him from the military head of state days.
“I was one of his close aides. So let them enjoy themselves and pose for photograph. That isn’t the issue. The issue is that we communicate and the relationship is cordial.”