The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the violence and killings in the just-concluded supplementary governorship election in Bayelsa on Saturday.
The APC Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, condemned the killings while answering questions from State House correspondents in Abuja Monday night after a meeting of the party’s Central Working Committee.
The meeting was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
Odigie-Oyegun also said that the party had “a lot of reservations’’ about the conduct of the election and would, therefore, “examine what has come out very carefully and decide the next line of action’
“The Bayelsa election has come and gone. We have very deep regrets that there was so much blood that was spilt in the process.
“We have a lot of reservations, some of which our candidate has very eloquently expressed.
“We are going to examine what has come out very carefully and decide the next line of action.’’
On the ongoing fight against corruption, Odigie-Oyegun said APC was not in any way apologetic over the arrest and interrogation of some politicians and bigwigs across the country.
According to him, there is a lot of rot in the system, which the present administration is determined to cleanse no matter whose ox is gored.
The APC chairman also said it was not true that the anti-corruption crusade was meant to decimate the opposition, especially the top members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“The APC is not in any way apologetic. We promised change and there is a lot of rot in the system.
“This must be cleansed and whoever and whatever ox is being gored, wherever the tree is going to fall, so, let it be.
“We must get used to the fact that in the process of cleansing this nation, there is going to be a lot of bullets to bite.
“The APC has not been in office at national level for the last 10 to 16 years. So, the issue of whether somebody is PDP or not PDP does not arise.
“We have a nation to cleanse. The President has committed himself to that and we should fight it whatever way it comes. We are not being apologetic about that at all.
“It has nothing to do with witch-hunting. It just happens that the dramatis personae of the period all happened to be on one side of the political divide.’’
The chairman stated that the APC-led administration will continue to encourage constructive opposition that will keep the government on its toes in discharging its responsibilities.
He said that the APC-led government had no intention of turning Nigeria into a one party state.
“We have absolutely no intention to pressurise any group or any nation towards a one-party state.
“It is not in our interest so to do because we need a vibrant opposition.
“We need an opposition that will contribute constructively to national discourse that will make us sit up and deliver to the people what we promised.
“But, the task is enormous and if anybody is ready to help to discharge these responsibilities, he is most welcome.’’
Odigie-Oyegun said that during the meeting at the State House, the party leadership had briefed the President and Vice-President on the state of the party and its challenges.
He said that the party would soon be facing about 78 different electoral exercises following various court judgments across the country.
“As of today, we have 78 elections to contend with, mostly arising from court actions following the national elections.
“And we also took the opportunity to be briefed on the state of the nation and the great work the administration is doing in the face of very, very intense challenges to tackle these issues and these problems.
“So, we are going away fulfilled, happy that government has substantially blocked the leakages in the system.”
Odigie-Oyegun said that the party was looking forward to the early passage of the 2016 budget by the National Assembly to ensure its smooth implementation.
-Vanguard
