President Bola Tinubu on Thursday said his party, the ruling All Progressives Congress, would not close its doors to members of the opposition parties who chose to join the APC.
He also said he would neither bother about the crisis in the opposition parties nor help them fix the problems, adding that it was a pleasure to see opposition parties in disarray.
Tinubu disclosed these while addressing the joint session of the National Assembly in commemoration of Democracy Day.
“Political parties fearful of members leaving may be better served by examining their internal processes and affairs rather than fearfully conjuring up demons that do not exist.
“For me, I will not say, ‘Try your best to put your house in order. I will not help you to do so either.’ It is indeed a pleasure to witness you in such disarray,” the President said amid cheers from supporters and federal lawmakers on the platform of the APC.
He, however, said a one-party state was not in the offing, adding that the APC would be guilty of political malpractice if it closed its door to those from other parties who sought to join the ruling APC.
The President added, “A one-party state is not in the offing, nor should it ever be. That said, we would be guilty of political malpractice if we closed the door on those from other parties who now seek to join the APC and I sincerely welcome our party’s newest members from Delta and Akwa Ibom states led by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and Pastor Umo Eno and other members of this National Assembly.
“We must welcome and accept the diversity and number of political
parties just as we welcome and embrace the diversity of our population. Our efforts must never be to eliminate political competition but to make that competition salutary to the national well-being by working across the political aisle whenever possible.”
