During a joint session of the National Assembly commemorating Democracy Day, President Bola Tinubu stated that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would remain open to accepting members from opposition parties who wish to join.
Gatekeepers News reports that he emphasised that he would not concern himself with the ongoing crises within these opposition parties and expressed satisfaction with their current state of disarray.
“Political parties fearful of members leaving may be better served by examining their internal processes and affairs rather than fearfully conjuring up demons that do not exist.
“For me, I will not say, ‘Try your best to put your house in order. I will not help you to do so either.’ It is indeed a pleasure to witness you in such disarray,” the President said amid cheers from supporters and federal lawmakers on the platform of the APC.
He, however, said a one-party state was not in the offing, adding that the APC would be guilty of political malpractice if it closed its door to those from other parties who sought to join the ruling APC.
The President added, “A one-party state is not in the offing, nor should it ever be. That said, we would be guilty of political malpractice if we closed the door on those from other parties who now seek to join the APC and I sincerely welcome our party’s newest members from Delta and Akwa Ibom states led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and Pastor Umo Eno and other members of this National Assembly.
“We must welcome and accept the diversity and number of political
parties just as we welcome and embrace the diversity of our population. Our efforts must never be to eliminate political competition but to make that competition salutary to the national well-being by working across the political aisle whenever possible.”
