Proposed mega party: Dep Speaker tasks aggrieved APC members

The deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Lasun Yussuff, has advised politicians of the All Progressives Congress (APC)stock said to be planning to form a mega party with members of other parties  to have a re-think.

He said they should approach to the internal conflict mechanism of the party over their grievances, as according to him, such realignment is not in their best interest.

Yussuff, who spoke with newsmen in Ilorin on some burning national issues, said the APC government had “opened up government functions for Nigerians than in the past,” urging the populace to take advantage of the gesture by supporting the administration “in the task of building a virile nation rather than threatening to go another party.”

“Mega party, minor party or major party, the best thing in democracy is a virile opposition. When you don’t have a virile opposition, then it is very difficult to know whether you are doing the correct thing or not.

“The APC, as a government now, is doing its best and all Nigerians now know that the ruling party means well for them.

“Nigerians now know what is going on in the NNPC, FRSC, EFCC, among others, as there is no secrecy in the art of governance, unlike under the past administrations.

“Even the National Assembly has opened its legislative functions to the people, especially in the areas of budget, presentation of bills and making of laws. So, whether some politicians in the APC are allegedly planning to form a mega party, minor party, we are not threatened at all.

“Don’t forget that in politics, it will take a lot of time for a political party to take root. If any party member feels aggrieved about anything, he should follow what they used to preach to us, I mean, explore the internal peace resolution mechanism of the party.

“If anybody is trying to leave the party, they should not forget what they used tell us that if there is a problem in the party, we should stay within the party and sort it out amicably.

“If such politicians fail to do this and they want to leave the APC to form another party with other politicians, then we are waiting to face them when the time comes for elections.

“The APC recorded a sound electoral victory in Edo State; we also did well in Ondo State. The elections in Ekiti and Osun states are coming up in 2018 and all of us have come of an age and there is nobody that can threaten any politician again in the country.

“Whether a mega party or minor party, nobody is interested in such move again. Democracy is about everybody and a political party is an open market, where there is free entry and exit. So, if you are dissatisfied with a party, you can go and form your own with other like-minds, because APC has done well and the party will continue to wax stronger in the political life of the country.

“A political party does not belong to any set of people. People join a party for their interest and when their interest is no longer being taken care of, they can opt out and if you think your interest is going to be taken care of, then you remain in the party and fight for your right and interest,” he said.

The deputy speaker, however, lauded the gallant success of the military in the taking over of Sambisa forest, hitherto occupied by the Boko Haram terrorists.

He said that the activities of terrorists had affected the socio economic development of the country and with this defeat of Boko Haram, the socio economic development of North-East would be improved.

He advised Nigerians to continue to support the government in its efforts to accelerate the socio economic development of the country.