The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has said it did not force the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, out of the Labour Party and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, respectively.
Speaking during an interview on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television on Tuesday, the National Chairman of the party, Nentawe Yilwatda, denied allegations that the ruling party is responsible for the internal crises and defections rocking opposition parties.
Yilwatda said the APC neither forced Obi out of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, nor compelled him to leave the Labour Party or join any other political platform.
“Nobody in APC chased Peter Obi out of PDP. Nobody from APC chased him out of the Labour Party; nobody in APC chased him out of the Labour Party to ADC. Who chased him from ADC again to the NDC,” he asked.
According to him, the former Anambra state governor had been changing political parties long before the APC assumed power at the federal level.
He also denied claims that recent defections from the APC reflected declining support for the party, arguing that many politicians who left were motivated by the desire to secure electoral tickets rather than ideological differences.
The APC National Chairman stressed that the APC remained united and attractive to Nigerians, adding that one year after assuming office as national chairman, the party had fulfilled key promises aimed at strengthening its internal structure and expanding its appeal.