Nigerians won’t accept one-party state —APC chieftain

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kassim Afegbua, has assured that despite the move by many opposition politicians into the governing party, Nigeria cannot be made a one-party state.

He explained that the idea would not arise because of the multiplicity of ethnic, ideological and political interests.

Afegbua, who is vying for the ticket of the APC in the forthcoming Edo gubernatorial election, said such factors would not allow any ruling party to contemplate the imposition of a one-party state as Nigeria would never allow it.

The national chairman of the ruling party, Abdullahi Ganduje, had in August last year suggested that other parties would merge with his party in his attempt to increase the membership of the APC.

“It will certainly improve the chances of this our party, especially in 2027 and not only that we are coming out with a new blueprint to increase the followership of the party and this we include all strata of officials; those who are in APC and those who are in other political parties. I assure you very soon some of the political parties will even merge with the APC. We are doing that underground,” he said.

Asked whether the country might be headed that way, Afegbua stated: “The idea of a one-party state would not arise unless we are no longer Nigeria.

“Nigeria is bifurcated into several ethnic multiplicities with different political affiliations, leanings and ideological precepts, all of them competing for attention in the political landscape.

“But the point must be made that whether we like it or not, people will naturally find their bearing based on their peculiarities both at the self and at the collective levels.”

He said with 13 state governors, the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could still put its house in order and play the role of a viable opposition.

The aspirant added: “But what is dangerous is politics of personality which a lot of people are now looking at.”

He said that from his experience as a political party administrator, it was tough to convince Nigerians to join parties without known heavy-weight personalities.

“So, it is going to be a work in progress in terms of getting it right in respect of the opposition playing a virile an integral role in the democratic process.

“It is also getting it right so that the ruling party will not also dominate the entire process and think that they are all in all,” he said.

Afegbua stressed the importance of civil society in terms of strong advocacy so that everyone can have a say in the governance of the country.

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