The All Progressives Congress has played down concerns that the influx of defectors into the ruling party could endanger the democratic landscape.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ruling party, Felix Morka, stated this in an interview on Arise News on Saturday night.
Morka stated that the defections of politicians from opposition parties into the APC are a legitimate exercise of constitutional rights, not a signal of democratic decline.
Morka stressed that the decisions of members of the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party and African Democratic Congress to join the APC are in line with democratic principles.
He said, “I have no concern whatsoever about that because nothing that has happened in our country — with people leaving their parties to join the APC — suggests that our country is sliding into a one-party system.
“People are simply exercising their democratic freedom to choose among competing party alternatives, and they are choosing our party.”
Challenging the notion that the defections pose a threat to democracy, Morka described such arguments as misleading and unfair.
“It would be disingenuous to describe the development as a threat to democracy.
“Would you have the APC become a gatekeeper and decide who can or cannot come in? Democracy is a system of freedoms, and it is not fair or permissible for anyone to limit the right of people to choose for themselves. The fact that people join the APC does not mean we have a one-party system,” he stated.
Responding to allegations that the APC is using federal power to pressure governors and lawmakers into switching sides, Morka dismissed the claims as unfounded.
“In a country as massive as Nigeria, how do you cajole governors who are chief executive officers of their states?” he asked. “These are people elected by their constituents to govern. They control their own budgets and have the power to appropriate funds. What exactly would you tell a governor to cajole him?”
Morka suggested that opposition parties should focus less on accusing the ruling party and more on resolving their internal issues.
“If the PDP, Labour, or ADC look inward, they will find that it is their dysfunction and failure of leadership driving people away.
“Nobody wants to remain on a sinking ship. No serious politician would stay in a party that offers no hope of redemption.
