From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed claims by rival People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that poaching its governors is its greatest achievement, with a reply that its track record on project implementation is attracting new members into the party.
In a statement signed by the National Secretary APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, James Akpanudoedehe, the ruling party equally rejected the allegation from PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus of planned rigging in 2023.
It maintained that the opposition party is doomed to fail in future elections because it is rudderless, leaderless and devoid of anything coherent and organisational, which made it moribund, irrelevant and too feeble to be an effective opposition.
‘The APC’s track record in implementing projects and programmes that meet the needs of Nigerians is attracting more members, supporters and sympathisers from all over the country into the party.
‘Strong internal democracy, transparency and fairness in the conduct of our affairs, which are demonstrably lacking in the PDP, are additional reasons that make the APC a better option for Nigerians, including serving State governors, National and State Assembly members who are abandoning the PDP and joining the APC.
‘We want to remind Nigerians that while many APC members were victims of rigging when the PDP was in power, the APC has no record of rigging elections. The Buhari-led administration has introduced electoral reforms aimed at ensuring that all loopholes that open the electoral process to possible abuse in future elections are sealed and eliminated.
‘With more than 40 million registered members, the APC has a solid foundation to successfully contest and win elections against other parties without tampering with the verdict of the citizens as was the case when PDP misruled the country for 16 years.
‘The PDP is doomed to fail in any future elections because it is rudderless, leaderless and devoid of anything coherent and organisational, thus making it moribund, irrelevant and too feeble to be an effective opposition.
‘The only thing that held the PDP together in the 16 years was access to national resources of which it has been deprived of feasting on by the electorates whose trust it lost during two general elections.
‘Nigerian electorate knows that the APC is a party of people with integrity, who are trustworthy and fully prepared to implement policies that will address their interests and enhance their general wellbeing,’ the statement from the APC read.
Meanwhile, the former National Chairman of APC and former Governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun on Wednesday submitted to the party’s Caretaker Committee the report of the APC South-South reconciliation committee.
Odigie-Oyegun, Chairman of the reconciliation committee, submitted the report to the CECPC National Secretary, Sen. John James Akpanudoedehe at the APC National Secretariat with other committee members like former Deputy Governor of Edo State, Lucky Imasuen (Secretary); Sen. Clever Ikisikpo and Dr Mariam Ali.
Represented by the reconciliation committee’s Secretary, Odigie-Oyegun said the committee met with the majority of party leaders in the South-South notably the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva; Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire among others.
‘We have examined issues confronting the states comprising the zones in all the states. That is the purpose of this report It is our hope that the party will take time out to study critically the content of this report and therefore apply the recommendations,’ Odigie-Oyegun said.
In his remarks, Akpanudoedehe said the Reconciliation Committee did not pursue any agenda against any party leader in the zone but came as a child of necessity to resolve issues amongst APC members in the region.
‘Sometime in December, last year, we decided to leverage on your collective personality and integrity to sow peace into our party in our region. We recognized the fact that all politics is local and we set up this reconciliation committee in that wise.
“We saw that there was unnecessary strife within the party in our region. Most of our leaders were not at peace with each other. We also saw the need for us as a people to have a united front, to enable us to build a consensus on issues affecting us as a people.
‘The Reconciliation Committee came as a child of necessity to enable our people to talk to themselves and resolve issues amongst our party members in the region.
‘We trust that you have deployed your experience into the task. We will forward the report to the National Chairman and the entire Caretaker Committee, the recommendations in the report will be taken under advisement.
“May I state in conclusion that conflicts are part of everyday life and will always exist in organizations. Conflict is one of the most inevitable things in life and occurs at all levels of human society-at home, school, groups, etc.
‘It is caused by the struggle by diverse individuals seeking access to limited resources or the control of political power, identity, value or ideology. This is a fact, therefore avenues and channels must always exist for persons to talk and express their grievances.
‘We may not achieve 100 per cent peace in the process, but as Winston Churchill said, “it is better to Jaw-Jaw, than to War-War”. We thank you for your service to the party,’ he said.