National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has reiterated that he won’t lose sleep over the 15 Senators and 37 members of the House of Representatives that have defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He described them as ‘big masquerades with no electoral value’ who would soon be disgraced come the 2019 elections.
Oshiomhole was reacting to the development after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa Abuja, on Tuesday.
He said they were men and women with no honour whose only motivation was personal interest, insisting the party would not lose sleep over the latest development.
Speaking to State House correspondents, the former Edo State Governor said, “Well, my attitude is like I have told you before, as the National Chairman, I am committed to listening to very legitimate grievances and engaging all those who are aggrieved that we can see through their grievances.
“But I insist that I will not miss a sleep one minute over mercenary activities.
“I had said and I want to repeat, this business of governance must be driven by men and women of honour. If the only motivation is personal interest, what is in it for me, what have gained, how many people have done XYZ for, if that is the basis, the earlier those in this business of personal gains, the earlier they return to where they belong the better.
“This party that I am privileged to chair is not worried at all, we are not disturbed, I am not going to miss my sleep and we will go into the campaign.
“Check the electoral results, you will find that a lot claimed to have decamped on a good day the vote they got that made them members of the senate, our president got much more votes in their constituency. So, we are fooled at all.
“The thing going on is that you have a lot of so called big masquerades with very little and no electoral value. I have tried my best which I think I needed to do to give people comfort, those who claimed to be aggrieved.
“But those who have other hidden agenda that are not negotiable, I am not going to be able to apiece anyone who expects x-level of return and the system is not delivering it, in terms of personal return.
“I can’t solve that. But those who felt that in terms of within the management of the party they have issues, those ones are on the able it can be dealt with. But those who have issues under the table they are beyond me.
“But let me assure you, I am so happy that over time that water will find its level. Because, if you remember what I said the day I formally declared my interest to contest, I had said, to be a progressive party means we must be clear that it cannot be a party for everyone. We have to be sure that you subscribed to the values and ideals of a progressive party.
“If indeed you belong to the extreme right, and you mistakenly find yourself in a progressive party, obviously that is not where you belong.
“As soon as you realise that you can’t adjust to the requirement of progressives, which is people driven, people based, people oriented and you choose to return to the right wing where you know what the name of the game was, share the money, it is your choice.
“But, I need to remind you, I am not a poor student of struggle, I am not a professor of struggle, I am a product of struggle, I know what I am talking about. Very soon Nigerians will go to the polls and we will see who will deliver what in his constituency.”
Asked what was the implication of the defection on the ruling party which now the minority in the National Assembly, Oshiomhole replied, “The issue is that they have defected so what is the other implications?”
Asked if the Senate adjourning till September does not have implication of the party, the APC National chairman said, “No No No. The business of the Senate or the National Assembly is not to legislate for the good governance of APC. It is to legislate for the good governance of Nigeria.
The Sun
Be the first to comment