A prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, Mr. Olofu Charles, has emphasized the need for all party stakeholders in the state to set aside personal interests and create a united front that will enable the APC to attract more members from opposition parties.
He stated that unnecessary political conflicts could lead to infighting among members, a situation that should be addressed promptly as soon as it arises.
In a statement signed by Mr. Charles and made available to the press in Kano on Friday, he urged the party elders and stakeholders to urgently reconcile with all aggrieved members and call for unity within the party.
Mr. Charles also called on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, to follow the example of President Bola Tinubu, who reconciled aggrieved lawmakers in Lagos.
He urged Akume to find a lasting solution to the political impasse threatening the unity of party members in Benue State.
He urged Senator Akume and the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev, to meet and discuss any issues affecting the party’s progress.
Charles warned that it would be politically detrimental to allow Governor Alia to switch allegiance to another party.
Mr. Charles further clarified that Rev. Father Alia had dismissed rumours about his intention to defect to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and collaborate with former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
He cautioned that it would be unwise for the elders of the APC to pretend that everything is well among the members, stressing that delaying action could have serious consequences.
He pointed out that the holding up of appointment letters for 12 River Basin authorities was allegedly causing significant discord between Governor Alia, the SGF, and the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation.
According to him, it is alleged that each of these officials has their respective candidates for the positions, which is purportedly the reason for the delay in issuing appointment letters.
He noted that this unnecessary transfer of grievances has prevented over 70 innocent individuals, appointed by President Tinubu, from assuming office due to the lack of appointment letters from the SGF’s office.
Mr. Charles urged Senator Akume to urgently release the appointment letters for the 12 River Basin authorities to prevent irreparable damage, as these positions significantly contributed to the emergence of President Tinubu.
Regarding the recent departure of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, he stated that it will not negatively impact President Tinubu’s chances in the upcoming elections.
He expressed confidence that, given the current political scenario, no amount of coalitions among politicians could disrupt President Tinubu’s second term in the 2027 general elections.
“When considering the possibility of a coalition taking power from the ruling party, one must also ask: can they truly unite?”
He added “The major opposition platforms, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), are seriously entangled in intense internal wrangling.
“Does the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have the prospects to lead the coalition ahead of 2027?“
Charles therefore asked “Who will fly the ticket? Is it Atiku Abubakar or Peter Obi ? Is it Nasir El-rufai or Yemi Osinbajo? Is it Rotimi Amaechi or Bukola Saraki? Adding that all of them have presidential ambitions and are not ready to relinquish their interest for another.”
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