APC not a food-is-ready party, Oyegun tells defectors

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie Oyegun, has told defectors to the party that the APC is not a food-is-ready party that has set the table for people to come and eat as it used to be in the politics of the country in the past.

Speaking at the party’s secretariat on Thursday when the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Oyegun received two defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Florence ita Giwa and serving Senator John Enoh to the party, Oyegun said: “This is not a food is ready party; that has become very clear. I want to assure the two of you that you won’t suffer any loss of status or recognition and you will occupy your proper place.

“We welcome you to the headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC). It is an honour that has been bestowed on only very few persons. One thing made your presence significant here. Traditionally, the South-south has been the heart of the unity and oneness of this nation, whether during the civil war or post-civil war era.

“Our party does not have the presence it ought to have in the South-south. So when people of your caliber join us for the struggle, we from the South-south are particularly glad and happy. On that parochial basis, I welcome you”.

The APC national chairman reiterated the difficult times and troubling times the country is in, saying “President Buhari is trying strenuously to rebuild the shattered economy, to diversify our economic potential which up till now most unfortunately rested solely and unintelligently on crude oil.

“The result of the collapsed economy in addition to the collapse in the crude oil market has disrupted our economy, which has manifested in the individual deprivations of Nigerians all over the country.

“In spite of the obvious difficulties that the nation is passing through, people like you voluntarily wanted to assist in this responsibility of helping in nation building”, he said.

Oyegun stated that it is often misinterpreted that defectors are running away thinking that they would have protection from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but not in the case of these two as they are not being harassed by any hand of the law.

“I am not aware in your case that anybody is harassing you with the EFCC. In any case, it is obvious and played out today that we do not offer sanctuary to anybody running from the arms of the law. The evidence is all over the place.

“I have been severally criticised for saying that the change we stand for is something that can be accomplished and completed in the life of our present four year tenure. It will not be completed even in eight years.

“The task is enormous, challenging and worth fighting for. We stand on the threshold of history. God put this nation called Nigeria for a purpose and he does not make mistake. We have a manifest destiny”, Oyegun said.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Senator Florence Ita Giwa told the NWC that coming to the party is like a home coming to identify with the real people.