The decision was taken to beat the June 17 deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission for submission of party candidates to the INEC online portal.
Umeadi, who was unopposed, became APGA’s presidential candidate at the party’s convention in Abuja, which was attended by its leaders and members from the nation’s six geo-political zones.
A statement issued on Sunday by the Administrative Secretary of the Peter Umeadi Campaign Organisation, Christian Nnabuihe, described Comrade Muhammed Koli as “a frontline labour union activist and social crusader who has led many struggles for the welfare of Nigerian workers in his capacity as Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, in Bauchi State from 1999 to 2002.”
The APGA primary was attended by party leaders and members drawn from the six geopolitical zones of the country where a total of 150 delegates affirmed his candidacy by a voice vote.
The event was also attended by a former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinayya Abaribe; a former Minister of Information, Frank Nweke Jr, and governorship candidate of APGA in Delta State, Great Ogboru.
The national chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Oye, while thanking party members for travelling the length and breadth of the country to attend the convention, expressed optimism that come 2023, Umeadi would be sworn in as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Umeadi promised to make Nigeria a great country every Nigerian would be proud of, if elected.
He promised to anchor his administration on the triple banner of the rule of law, separation of powers and due process.
Umeadi asked Nigerians to imbibe a change of thinking so as to change the way things were done in Nigeria.
According to him, uppermost in his mind when elected would be “to reconcile citizens across the length and breadth of the country and galvanising the old, young, rich, poor, literate or not, from all religious persuasions and all the six geopolitical zones, to deliver a new Nigeria where justice would reign for all citizens equally irrespective of tribe or status.”
While calling on Nigerians to respect the ballot, Umeadi stated that “Nigerians should allow only valid votes to count,” adding that “we should in the most vocal manner possible, enforce the extant laws such that no person who is palpably below the age of 18 years should be allowed to vote.”
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