Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
A governorship aspirant under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ogun State, Sen. Gbenga Kaka, has warned the leadership of the party in the state not to embark on activities capable of scarring people away from the party.
Kaka gave this warning, on Tuesday, while speaking with newsmen shortly after meeting with APC members in Odogbolu Local Government Area of the state as part of his consultative visit to local councils in the state.
The gubernatorial hopeful urged members of the party in Ogun East senatorial district not to be swayed by the report that gubernatorial aspirants from the zone would be barred from participating in the party primary.
He wondered why APC leaders in the state would scare away prospective members by denying them access to party registration ahead of the forthcoming party primaries, stressing the party should not embark on activities capable of polarising the party, noting “the party belonged to all the party members in the state”.
“Individually, we are all stakeholders and the party is supposed to be the property of all of us, not the property of any individual.
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“But I’m surprised rather than expanding the party, rather than building the party, rather than welcoming well wishers, they are trying to scare them away.
“I doubt if many of us understand what political party means.
“So, I wouldn’t want to talk, we belong to the same political family. I pray for forgiveness for them because they don’t know what they are doing.
“They don’t know that politics is a matter of number. If nine is saying one is not important, it can never become 10.
“I hope they will learn their lesson and the various leaderships, the people are enthusiastic, they are welcoming the message we brought to them and some people want to deny them that unique opportunity.
“They want to deny them their right of franchise as provided for in the constitution of our great party and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So, it’s a pity.
“If you look at what some of them are arrogating to themselves that certain area would not be allowed to present candidates and barred to even participate in the primaries.
“The National Working Committee states it in an unambiguous manner that where there is a single dissenting voice, you go to the primary and the option of the primary is either direct or indirect and we have all collectively agreed to go direct.
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“So, I don’t know why some people will want to scare people away.
“We are not going to contest against APC; APC is going to contest against 90 other political parties.
“The people are having unlimited choices, so we should be careful so that we don’t destroy our home that we have built,” Kaka stated.
He, therefore, sought for the support of the party members, assuring them that if emerges the party flagbearer, he would bring his experience into governance.
