Esther Salifu
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has refuted claims that it seeks to establish a one-party state in Nigeria, despite a recent influx of defections from opposition parties.
Felix Morka, the APC’s National Publicity Secretary, emphasized that the party’s openness to new members aligns with democratic principles and does not undermine the nation’s multiparty system.
He stated “There is no democratic idea, norm, or system anywhere in the world where a ruling party is under obligation to build the opposition,” Morka stated during a televised interview. “Parties are in business to compete for power. That’s what they are supposed to do. That’s the idea behind any democratic system.”
Morka addressed concerns that the APC’s acceptance of defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) could erode democratic diversity. He argued that such movements are a natural aspect of political dynamics and do not signify an attempt to eliminate opposition voices.
“Many of these people are coming in and saying, we want to be part of the process. We want to identify with that process. There’s nothing wrong with that,” he explained. “That does not mean that we desire for Nigeria to then become a one-party system”, he said
The APC’s stance comes amid criticism from opposition figures who view the defections as a threat to Nigeria’s democratic fabric. However, Morka dismissed these concerns, highlighting that the country’s constitution and electoral laws support a multiparty democracy.
“Our country, both in the Constitution, in the Electoral Act, and a plethora of other laws, have embedded systems that unmistakably make Nigeria a multiparty and pluralist society,” he noted.
“We cannot as a party desire to go against the force of the Constitution.”
Morka also addressed internal challenges within the APC, acknowledging that the party faces pressures but remains resilient. “Our party is standing very strong and resilient, even in the face of enormous pressures, both internal and external, and that’s what a party should be,” he said.
