By Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA — National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said that the party has no intention of transforning Nigeria into a one-party state.

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

He also stated that the party needed a viable and responsible opposition to keep the ruling party in checks.

Oyegun, who spoke, yesterday, at the end of meeting of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the APC held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in attendance also submitted that his party owed no apology to anyone in the way and manner President Buhari is going about the fight against corruption in the country.

According to him, corruption had permeated in the country and needed to be thoroughly cleaned, assuring that APC will fulfill its campaign promises to Nigerians.

He said: “We have absolutely no intention to pressurize any group or any nation towards a one-party state. It is not in our interest to do so because we need a vibrant opposition. We need an opposition that will contribute constructively to national discourse, that will make us sit up and deliver to the people what we promised. But the task is enormous and if anybody is ready to help to discharge these responsibilities, he is most welcomed.

“The APC is not in anyway apologetic. We promised change and there is a lot of rot in the system. We must get used to the fact that in the process of cleansing this nation there is going to be a lot of bullet to bite.

“The APC has not been in office at national level in the last 10 – 16 years. So, the issue of whether somebody is PDP or not PDP does not arise. We have a nation to cleanse. The President has committed himself to that  and we should take it whatever way it comes. We are not being apologetic about that at all.

“It has nothing to do with witch-hunting. It just happened that the dramatist personae of the period all happened to be on one side of the political divide.”

On Bayelsa,  Kogi polls

Speaking on the recent Bayelsa election, the APC national chairman regretted that the election claimed lives, saying that the party was still studying the unhealthy developments to enable it draw measures to forestall future occurrences.

On Kogi State, Oyegun said that it was left for the courts to decide on the controversial issues.

He said: “Well, the Bayelsa election has come and gone. We have very deep regrets that there was so much blood unnecessarily spelt in the process. We have a lot of reservations, some of which our candidate had very eloquently expressed. We are going to examine what has come out very, very carefully and decide the next line of action.

“No, no, people have gone to court. As far as the party is concerned the Kogi issue is over. As far as the courts are concerned, issues are before them, I think as of last time, there were six petitions before the courts and we leave it to the courts to consider and decide.”

Outcome of NEC meeting

Also speaking on the outcome of the NEC meeting, Oyegun revealed that issues of future elections arising from cancellations by the courts were discussed.

He said: “It has been a normal interactive meeting. We were here to brief Mr President on the state of the party, the challenges that we are facing, the numerous elections that we have to face in the next  two, three months.

“As of today, we have 78 elections to contend with, mostly arising from court actions following the national elections.”