President Muhammadu Buhari has opined that the possibility of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) taking back power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in 2023 depends on the latter.
According to the president, if the APC and its leadership fails to unite and agree especially on their much anticipated National Convention, the PDP will ‘naturally take over power’.
Recall that the PDP had ruled Nigeria for 16 years until 2015 general elections, where it lost the presidential position to the APC.
Speaking in an interview on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), stated that anybody in APC interested in any position must work for it as the constitution cannot be interfered with and no dictation will be made for any constituency.
“We have a time frame we have to work because the four-year tenure is constitutional. It cannot be interfered by anybody. So, if the APC can’t agree, then, the opposition will naturally take over. What did the PDP do? They said the opposition could not come together, but when ACN, ANPP, CPC, APGA came together, before PDP realized it, they were off. They are still off. They can see it.
“My position is simple. I think I succeeded in trying to get my position understood in the sense that I said, we start from bottom upwards; from polling units to wards, to local governments, to states and then, to Abuja. Because I’m concerned about my party, the party, in all constituencies, they will know their leaders, coming up. Therefore, when they come to Abuja, they are likely to work together.”
“There is no kingmaker from Abuja. No constituency is being dictated to. All constituencies are supposed to produce their leadership in our party. What other parties are doing is their own business, but we want to make sure that our party members understand that they are respected. It is from polling unit, to ward to local government, to state and after Abuja. So, those who want to be elected at any level, let them work for it. Nobody is going to appoint anybody” Buahri noted.
Speaking on ‘corrupt people’ defecting to the APC despite his fight against corruption, the president said;
“I don’t like to accept that joining our party will check our insistence on accountability. We are very serious about people who aspire to lead at whatever level by their performance, by their integrity, both professional and personal.
“But the problem is that we have to work within the system. Even if you suspect individuals, unless there is evidence, there isn’t much we can do. So, really, it is the system that makes it possible for some people really to even be corrupt.”
