The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has party is not planning a one-party state but notes that it’s a welcome development if the defections by politicians from other parties point in that direction.
Ganduje spoke on Friday after leading a delegation of three senators from Kebbi state to meet with President Bola Tinubu.
The three senators – Adamu Aliero, Yahaya Abdullahi and Garba Maidoki – on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declared their intention to join the APC.
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Reacting to whether the wave of defection of opposition politicians to the ruling APC would not slide Nigeria into a one-party state, Ganduje cited China as an example of a working one-party state.
“We came here so that Mr President can bless this resolution, and Mr President has graciously blessed this resolution. On Tuesday, I urge you to go and see what will happen in the chambers,” he said.
“If a one-party state is a wish and blessing to Nigeria… a one-party state is not by force.
“One party’s state is by negotiation, and it is by other political parties seeing the effect of the positive governance of our party.
“If they decide to come to our party willingly, I think there is nothing wrong with that.
“You know they say too many cooks spoil the soup — too many political parties spoil governance.
“China is one of the strongest countries in the world, and it’s a one-party system. We are not saying we are working for a one-party system, but if that is the wish of Nigerians, we cannot quarrel with that.”
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kebbi State is making frantic and last-minute efforts to prevent the planned defection of three serving senators to the ruling APC.
According to Daily Post, on Friday night that the PDP State Chairman, Usman Bello-Suru summoned an emergency meeting of party stakeholders in a bid to halt the looming political exodus.
A source at the meeting disclosed that members weighed multiple strategies, including the possibility of obtaining a court injunction or making personal appeals to the lawmakers.
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However, the consensus was to engage the senators directly and urge them to stay and strengthen the party at a critical time.
“Several options were explored, including legal steps, but it was agreed that the best approach would be to convince them to remain in the PDP and continue building what they’ve helped to establish over the years,” the source said.
However, efforts to reach the senators have proven difficult.