From Romanus Ugwu
The Senior Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment to the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Oliver Okpala, has said that disgruntled party members planning to dump the ruling party will automatically become political spent forces if they actualise their threat.
Reacting to speculations that founding members of the party like Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), among others, might leave, Okpala warned that they are undertaking a dangerous gamble.
In a statement in Abuja, he noted that leaving the ruling party would be tantamount to losing relevance in their wards, local governments, states, and zones.
He wrote: “If they decide to join another party other than the APC, then they will lose their villages, local governments, states, and zones because the APC is the platform that brought them into political prominence. The APC remains the party that triumphs above any other party in their zones. If they move, then their followers will see them as spent political forces.”
Similarly, Okpala claimed that the political ingenuity of the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has become a sure ticket that has put the party ahead of others in the country.
“His political sagacity and prowess are assets and qualities that have showcased Dr Ganduje as a leader with sound political acumen to continue to steer the ship of the APC to a safe anchor,” he said.
Commenting on the vote of confidence reposed in Ganduje and the APC National Working Committee (NWC) during the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, Okpala noted that the accolades and endorsement were a testament to Ganduje’s outstanding and unrivalled leadership stature.
According to Okpala, the accolades bestowed on his principal, Ganduje, during critical meetings of the party’s organs are a testament to his political prowess and sagacity.
“Against the wishes and expectations of many naysayers, you can see what happened. The very powerful NEC of the APC expressed confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s leadership of the country and Ganduje’s steering of the party.
“The NEC passed a vote of confidence in Abdullahi Ganduje for the remarkable record of successes that he has led the party to attain.
“Successes in electoral victories, in holding the party together, and creating opportunities for members and leaders of the party to dialogue and engage with each other, express themselves freely, and ensure that the APC operates more cordially.
“You can see the clear peace, decorum, and stability that the APC has enjoyed under Ganduje and his entire National Working Committee. People are rushing into the party in droves because, in Ganduje’s APC, they have seen hope, civility, and security,” Okpala noted in the statement.
Okpala commended the leadership of the APC under President Bola Tinubu for reposing confidence in Ganduje, stressing: “So we commend the leadership of the APC—President Tinubu, Senate President Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen—for the confidence reposed in Ganduje and his team.”
Okpala emphasised that the positive vibes coming from the entire leadership of the APC were promising ahead of the 2027 general election.
“I believe that this will spur Ganduje and his NWC to do more and lead the party to achieve greater success even as we prepare for 2027. You know that 2027 is just around the corner, so our party will be entering the field very strong and united, without any distractions,” he noted in the statement.