The presidency says the success of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary is a major boost to President Muhammadu Buhari’s chances in the 2019 general elections.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, said this in a statement on Saturday.

According to him, the huge turn out of voters in the presidential primary which took place across all the states on Friday, was a proof of his popularity among the electorate.

He said, “The outcome of the All Progressives Congress, APC, American-style direct presidential primaries on Friday 28th of September 2018, held across the states with President Muhammadu Buhari as the sole aspirant is a major boost to his success at next year’s general election.

“In a more direct way, the huge turnout of millions of registered party members at all voting centres proves that the President has an incomparable ability to reach out to people and mobilise votes.

“It is significant that President Buhari has won a major victory, fair and square through direct nationwide primary, a system that seeks to break the mould.

“The President has shown that you don’t have to be a party owner or go through a difficult inner party consensus to emerge as candidate”.

Shehu further stated that beyond being a victory for the party and the President, it is a message to everyone that development and good governance are more important to the nation than “divide and rule politics”.

“The message in the air from this unique achievement by the APC is that all true democratic parties in the country need to start raising their act by copying the leadership of the President.

“We thank everyone for their role in bringing about this victory,” he said.

•Sourced from a Channels TV report