By Opeyemi Adelakun
The All Progressives Congress has rejected accusations that it orchestrated the political realignments involving former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, insisting the opposition figure’s movement across political parties predates the APC’s emergence as Nigeria’s ruling party.
Speaking on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, dismissed claims that the party had a hand in the internal crises and defections affecting opposition platforms.
Yilwatda argued that Obi’s political journey has been shaped by his own decisions rather than interference from the APC.
“Nobody in APC chased Peter Obi out of PDP. Nobody from APC chased him out of the Labour Party; nobody in APC chased him out of the Labour Party to ADC. Who chased him from ADC again to the NDC?” he said.
According to him, the former Anambra State governor had been changing political parties long before the APC assumed control of the Federal Government, making allegations against the ruling party unfounded.
The APC chairman also dismissed suggestions that the party was losing its grip following the exit of some members, maintaining that most defections were driven by politicians seeking favourable electoral tickets rather than dissatisfaction with the party’s direction.
He maintained that the APC remains cohesive and continues to attract support nationwide, adding that the party has made significant progress in strengthening its internal structures since he assumed office as national chairman.
Yilwatda said the party would continue to consolidate its organisation while preparing for future electoral contests, insisting that recent political developments have not weakened its standing.
Leave a Reply