National vice-chairman, South-south of the All Progressives Congress, Honourable Hillard Etta, has said the ongoing leadership tussle within the ruling party could lead to the collapse of the nation’s democracy.
The APC zonal chairman who is a member of the party national working committee raised the alarm in a statement he issued to newsmen at the weekend.
The APC national secretariat has been barricaded by policemen on Wednesday following a judgment of Justice Danlami Senchi of the FCT High Court Abuja which asked the national chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to vacate his exalted office.
Attempts by the former Edo State governor to return to the party secretariat at the weekend on the heels of another court of coordinate jurisdiction in Kano, flaunting the judgment of Justice Lewis Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Kano which he claimed has set aside Justice Senchi order was rebuffed by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
The APC NWC has since been polarised into factions with notice and counter-notice of the meeting of its National Executive Committee.
Honourable Etta who said President Muhammadu Buhari was worried about the crisis rocking his party further said the unsavoury development could distract him from focusing on governance, lead to the disintegration of the party and ultimately, lead to the collapse of the nation’s democracy.
He said: “We should be mindful of the consequences of our actions because they are distracting our President who is settling down after he won his second term to provide the dividends of democracy to Nigerians.
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“I happen to know that there is this move by some of these people to weaken the party and get some people out so they can form another political group to challenge the party in 2023. But that can be done without heating up the polity the way they are doing now.
“Those who love this party must call the troublemakers to order, whatever happens to this party between now and 2023 will affect the democratic fabrics of this country. So we must be mindful not just the corporate health of APC but that of the entire Nigerians.
“We are the governing party so what we do may have a wider dimension in Nigeria. So they should leave Oshiomhole alone and pursue their ambition within the constitution of the APC and not through blackmail against the person of the National Chairman. Oshiomhole campaigned vigorously around the country for this party while some of these people were sleeping in their states. And we won more members in the National Assembly and our President was re-elected.
“He went on to ensure that the party produced capable men and women of the party as leaders in the National Assembly, so why will anyone out of jealousy or wickedness call for his removal? Those plotting evil against this party should be careful because we will resist them. And let me warn, nobody has the monopoly of any action. We have been calm but they should not misconstrue it as being foolish.”
The APC NWC member further attributed the internal dissension within his party to an orchestrated plot to control the party structures and statutory organs ahead of 2023 presidential race.
“Every politician is propelled by his own interest, some interests are genuine while some are not. Their (anti-Oshiomhole governors) main reason for the grandstanding within the party is the seeming altercation in Edo State. But the most fundamental and outstanding reason for their war against Oshiomhole is who becomes the candidate of the party in the 2023 presidency.
“Who will be the Vice Presidential candidate, that is what they are battling. In fact, some are working with some elements in the PDP to do this due to greed. But we are telling them that this selfish interest has the capacity to implode the party and the truth is that all of us will regret it. It will not pay anybody. These tendencies, nonchalant attitude of these people fighting has the capacity to destroy the party and we all will be the losers. While looking at their personal interest they should also look at the interest of Nigerians who voted for President Muhammadu Buhari.”
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