A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Cletus Obun, has urged long-standing party members to remain within the party despite growing internal tensions, warning that ongoing disagreements and defections could threaten the unity and stability of the ruling party ahead of future elections.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Wednesday, Obun said the current crisis within the APC was expected, attributing it to the influx of influential political figures into the party.
“Well, this is a crisis predicted given the robust entrance of bigwigs in the political scene in Nigeria into the APC.”
He explained that the entry of new political actors has created friction within the party, particularly between legacy members and new entrants who now occupy strategic positions.
“The influx of new members… have tended to undermine those who laid the foundation of what today is one of the most robust democratic parties on the African continent.”
Obun stressed that the solution lies in deliberate inclusivity, calling on the party leadership to urgently address internal imbalances and accommodate all tendencies within the party structure.
“The inclusive element in our political party APC must be taken urgently and immediately.”
He warned that failure to properly manage internal divisions could lead to deeper fractures, including electoral setbacks driven by protest votes from aggrieved members.
“My word to them is that we die here.”
According to him, members who feel sidelined should remain within the party and pursue their interests internally rather than defecting.
“It is only in the interest of legacy members to remain where they are and take their decisions inside the party than outside of it.”
Obun further cautioned against political defections driven by ambition rather than ideology, insisting that loyalty and internal reform remain the better path.
“Nothing, nobody should make himself a political migrant or a refugee in a political party on account of just power-mongering.”
On allegations of inconsistency in how the APC treats defectors, he defended the party’s approach, arguing that inclusivity is based on contribution and value addition.
“We are progressives. If you can add value to the system, it’s not about party for party’s sake.”
He also justified the welcoming of new members, saying it is part of a broader strategy to strengthen governance capacity within the party.
“The red carpet we are giving is on account of our understanding that we can contain them.”
Obun’s remarks highlight the APC’s ongoing struggle to balance inclusivity with internal cohesion as it absorbs new political heavyweights. Analysts warn that how the party manages tensions between legacy members and newcomers could significantly influence its stability ahead of future elections.
By Ojo Triumph
